The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1880-10-07
AN INTERESTING DISCUSSION.
Will Cotton Mills Pay in the South ?
From the Boston, Herald.

From the Boston, Herald.
In the New Orleans Democrat of Sept.
10 occurs an article headed "Cotton Fac
tories of the South" which is rs follows
Some few weeks ago the editor of this
paper had occasion to telegraph Mr.. Ed.
ward Atkinson, of Boston, with reference
to q journalistic matter in which Mr..
Atkinsop's friendly Offices were solicited.
That gentleman's reply discloses enough
ms to the nature of the request, and we
here produce it in full:
Boston, Aug. "a, 1880.
E. A. Burke, New Orleans, La.-Dear
Sir: Your telegram of the 21st came to
hand in my absence.
regret that I cannot comply with
your request. Ny reason is that can.
not conscientiously recommend the es-
tablishment of cotton mills in the South.
A very few will succeed on local de-
mand, but on large scale cotton
manufacturing needs dense population,
q cold climate and great many subsidi-
ary appliances.
1t is an exceedingly close business, and
in a common time its profit tnrns on the
sale of the waste and the facilities for
procuring the repairs, material and hands
from machine shops in close proximity.
The South cannot, at present, afford to
spin or weave cotton. There are too
many vastly better chances for profit.
Time precludes any further treatment of
the question.
EDWARD ATKINSON.
We have no doubt that gentleman of
Mr.. Atkinson's standing and well.known
character may safely be presumed to be
sincere in any statement he makes, and
hence we confess our surprise at finding
him so mistaken in q matter to which he
has notoriously given deep attention.
OF course, if Mr.. Atkinson really believes
that cotton factories in the South will
not pay, he could not conscientiously ad-
vocate their establishment; but the
wonder is that Mr.. Atkinson should en-
tertain such an opinion. No one has
reflected more profoundly and concluded
more intelligently than Mr.. Atkinson
upon most of the questions relating to
the growth and manufacture of cotton
products. His contributions to current
thought and information upon this topic
have given him q cosmopolitan reputa-
ton. Yet, when he says that the South,
with its geographical advantages, its enor.
nous water power, its favoring climatic
conditions, and its resources Of popula-
ton, is not the proper sphere for the
establishment of cotton factories, it be.
comes evident that be has not only over
looked the abstract features of the ques-
tion but that he is unacquainted with the
eloquent array of facts which contradict
his proposition. 1t is always safe to say,
in any generalization, that the most
favorable locality for the establishment
of a factory is on the ground where the
crude material is produced. The saving
in freights alone amounts to very
handsome consideration upon which to
start. But when, in addition to this, the
South possesses at least eqeal advanta.
ges of water and fuel, and working pop
ulation, and far superior advantages Of
climate, it becomes extravagantly absurd
to say that cotton factories should not be
established here.
We do not know what Mr.. Atkinson's
grounds are for making these statements
IN the above quoted letter. 1t will be
seen that he confines himself to mere
assertions without advancing any facts
to verify them. We submit, however,
that all the arguments in the world
would avail nothing against the unan-
swerable demonstration of fact, and that
such practical propositions, as the sue
cess of the mills at Columbus, Ga, Yves.
son and Natchez, Miss, and other South.
ern points, are more eloquent and con.
vincing than all the theories and argu-
ments that human ingenuity could accu-
mulate. 1t is a well known fact that
these Georgia and Mississippi mills have
for some years past been paying dividends
offrom Is to IS per cent; that they have
gone on, year, after year increasing their
capacity and adding to their force
steadily becoming more solid and pros.
porous, and adding fresh force to the de-
monstration of the South's peculiar
adaptation to cotton factories. The matter
hardly requires argument. Whatever
illusions MIR. Atkinson may cherish, it is
the plainest of all plain things, to every
one acquainted with the history Of cot
ton manufactures in the South, that there
is the locality, par excellence, for such
enterprises.
WHAT MR.. ATKINSON SAYS.
Mr.. Edward Atkinson was called upou