The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1881-06-14
The SOu,h'a Prosperity
N, Y. Herald.

In the general progress that the south has
made since the war the growth Of its cotton
industry appears as the most striking, prom.
ising and significant. The greatest cotton
crop known 10 the days of slavery was tina.
Of 1859 60, which footed up more than four
million, eight hundred and twenty thousand
bales, and exceeded any preceding crop by n
hundred thousand bales. But since the
war the yearly production has steadily and
rapidly increased until the crop of l4st year
reached the unprecedented figure of 5 757 S97
bales, each of which was twenty pounds
heavier than the bales of the great ante-war
crop. The aggregate yield of this gaest
staple during the fifteen years following the
war was larger by ten million bales and more
valuable by nearly seven hundred million
dollars than during the fifteen years preceding
the war. The crop OF the present year will
be the largest yet raised, and s expected to
amount to more than six million bal, s. There
are yet no signs of arrest of this onward
movement, and there is every indication that
the future will bring forth crops that now
would seem marvellous. But more significant
than this extraordinary progress IN the
culture Of cotton is the advanc-
made by the south in its msnuface
'ure. Since 1870 the capacity of Southern
mills has increased from eleven thous nd to
mores than fifteen Thousand looms, and from
four hundred thousand to seven hundred
thousand spindles. Within the same period
the consumption of cotton has more than
doubled. 1t was forty>fve million pounds
in 1870 and in 1880 it had increased to more
than one hundred million. The cen.
sus returns show that during the
past decade the south has made
more rapid strides in cotton manufactures
than either the country at largo or New
England, the great centre of tho industry
In Amercs. The pro ress that it has made
and promises to make, suggests the very
important inquiry whether the nth has not
at last set out upon that course which in
time must lead to the achievement of one of
the great possibilities that nature has nut
wi hin Its reach. That the American cotton
crop should be sent raw to Eoglish mills and
returned manufactured to csstlantc markets
ia as abnormal and unnatural as that water
should run up hill. The supremacy which
England now holds in the manufacture of
cotton must sooner or la!er-so far, at least,
as American cotton is concerned be
transferred to this country. where
i properly belongs. The time may
DO distant, but its coming Il
inevitable. The consumption of cotton BY
American mills is steadily and rapidly
increasing, and will continue so to increase
until the entire crop 10 manufactured in tho
United States.
While this supremacy may first pass from
old England to New England it is q question
whether it will not then shift from the latter
to the southern states. To this ascendency
New England has no peculiar right or claim.
The south has natural advantages which New
England has not, and il can acquire all the
advantages which New England has.
Its climate is fav )rable to the
manufacture of cotton, and |,
has abundance of water power and fuel
Machinery and skilled labor can be import.
Cd, while capital and enterprise must be
forthcoming when the advantages that un.
doubtedly exist are seen and appreciated.
In addition to these considerations the grea,
coming development of the West and South.
west will DO attended with growing demand
for manufactured cotton. while the snticipa,
ted establishment of commercial intercourse
between tho United States and Mexico will
! open a new and extensive field for the sal,
J of cotton goods. In these great markets, a,
we'll as those of Central snt
South America, its geographical position will
give to the South decided advantages.
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