The Russellville Democrat., 1880-01-08


 The Secret of Wealth And
 RecuperatiOn.
 The accounts given of the "Clem- ent attachment reminds us of the wonderful expectations raised when Whitney so thoroughly revolution ized the artisan world by introducing his cotton. gin. The effect of that grand invention was to aggregate workmen inside immense cotton milis-Clements improvement makes It possible to spin the cotton into yarn on the very farm on which it was grown. It thus solves the whole problem that has so much agitated the South--that of spinning ourselves the cotton we grow, and exporting, not the raw material. but the material spun into yarn. The Foreigner instead of ordering cer- tain quantity Of cotton, will send for certain numbers of yarn, which, when he receives them, he will work up into such articles as he re- quires. The hosier at Nottingham in England sends to Arkwright's mill at Cromford, or to Strutt's at Bel per, or elsewhere, for yarns of the numbers he requires to be made in to drawers, shirts and stockings. When the new system becomes established, he will send to New York or New Orleans and get his yarns there, uninjured by the baling. compressing, and so on, to which it has hitherto been submitted. This supersedes the mill at Manchester or Stayley Rridge, and when our people here work clear of the incu- bus of protection" we shall make our own stockings, and supersede the Nottingham hosier by exporting them to all parts of the world. With the Clement attachment we shall have It in our power to spin in the south .all the cotton we grow. The question arises, when we pos sess the power to do this, shall we have the will and determination to do it, or shall we sit and look on while somebody carries the whole business of to Maine or Minnesota? Even Chicago sees the golden oppor- tunity that is coming in our grasp, and perceives what our interest, our duty to the section of country In which we live, requires of us. The Chicago Tribune, asks the people of the cotton belt: "Why not trans fer to the same fields the other branches of cotton manufacture? Why not have the cotton factory complete, and have the cotton busi- ness in all It's extent carried on in the same neighborhood where the cotton is grown and spunp Why not the south, Tn Its advance from producing bale cotton to bale cotton yarn, go one step further and pro- duce baled cotton cloth? Our peo- pie can see what tine hour requires of us. whether we are capable of do- ing so or not. So Lowell saw when she built the mills there, that ought to have piled their busy wheels to the music of the soft southern breeze. The Chicago Tribune says further: "As American four is now sold in England at less price than Brit ish mills can afford to sell flour made from American wheat, so if thIs invention proves successful, as there is evidence that it will, this country will be able to sell cotton yarn in Europe cheaper than it can be made there from American cot ton." The Tribune sees evidence that, if the American people work up their own cotton, the most valuable results will follow. It says: "It will add largely to the value of southern products. It will give twenty to one hundred million dol lars annually to the money value of cotton production. It will enable these people to purchase more of what they need, and do not raise, from the north, and leave to be dis tributed in wages an ever increasing surplus. It will encourage general industry. It will go far to break up the fatal system ot consuming the crop before it is gathered" Has Memphis any part or lot Tn this matter? But a little time ago one of our most public-spirited mer- chants offered twenty-five thousand dollars toward starting cotton mill here, and there was not energy found to do the rest. Can we be moved now? Our city is in debt we want thousands of dollars to aid in blocking yellow fever out Have we the spirit to do what so clearly will look like imbecility to leave ua- done9 With the prophet we cry: Awake, awake! Put forth thy strengthw-Memphis Appeal.