The patron of husbandry. (Columbus, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1882-02-18
CottonsIanuiacture In theSon,.

go; 80. VI the Atlanta Cotton Expo
sition is to stimulate an interest !,
the Question of Southern mannf.o
lures: All classes of the Sontbern
people seem to be discussing i r.
we can Judge from the notice 70 10
OF 1t by the newspaper press. No
oouot many large and small capi.
tailSts are looking into the matter
with a view of uniting in manu-
featuring con1patiy stock. This i
gratifying, and if the movement Is
Jud1lciouslv directed it will have the
erect OF inducing an immediate sat
i Is industrial development in
the South in connection with its
great agricultural staple,-cotton.
we believe we can best ENCOURAGE
TINS movement by warning capital
lists not to be misled by false hopes
nor discouraged by false arguments.
Inc newspaper reports of the prof
us OF Southern cotton mills are
altogether toe roses ,ored. Ifanv
such profits are earned as are claim
ed, the business is one which can
not last, and prudent men would
DO we'll to avoid it. On the other
hand, our Southern friends NAV
take, with great deal of allow.
ance, the patronizing assurances of
New England manufacturers that,
while they do well enough in the
manufacture of yarns and coarse
goods; Southern manufactures can
not hope to compete with Lowell.
rail- River and Providence, and that
1t would be useless to try. There
are no insurmountable, not even
serious, obstacles to Southern com
petition with New England in cot
ton manufacture, but if must be
development from small begin
nlngs. The capitalist who engages
IN cotton manufacture in the South
ern States, should take a conserva-
tive view of the situation, and ex-
pect neither too much nor too little.
He should begin with yarn spin.
ning, and progress toward higher
branches no faster than he sees his
way clear to success. He must Sc
cure the labor he needs gradually,
and while he can not expect to at
tract the French Canadians, who
are the main dependence of the
New England manufacturers. he
can offer substantial inducements to
native workrnen, who would gladly
go where this daily competition with
''the Chinese of the Atlantic States"
is not felt. That he can secure a
given capacity with less expendi-
ture of capital than his Northern
competitor is evident. Land is
cheaper and he can cover more
area; the climate permits him to
build mills which would not an
swer in the North, and he can Sc
cure his labor cheaper, as the cost
of living in comfort is less in the
South than in New England. If
he begins right there is no reason
why he should not succeed; if he
begins at all be should not expect
IS or IS per cent. dividends, nor
should he feel that his opportunities
are limited to supply the New
England manufacturers with yarn.
In time be may need the yarn him
self. He saves the cost of trans
porting the raw material, and is as
convenient to the Western and
Southern markets as the Eastern
manufacturer All he needs is to
provide himself with the very best
of machinery, to keep abreast of
Of tho 70 he
tent with fair returns on his capital
and to disregard bad advice. A
diversified manufacturing industry
would do more for the South than
anything possibly could, but it is
not an Eldorado, and it needs
great many conditions of success
which it does not now possess.
Primarially, it needs population,
and before skilled workmen from
the North or from Europe will go
there with their families, they must
know they will be welcomed and
| respected. 1t needs capital, and
before this will come seeking in
vestment, there must be substan-
| tial basis for confidence in the wis
dom and honesty of the State gov
ernments, Capitalists must be as
sured they will not be bled by op
pressive taxation, and that State
| finances are honestly managed on
the basis of sound credit well
maintained. Capital will go any
where on speculative ventures
when profits or loss are quickly de
cided, but it will not seek invest
ment under any conditions but
those favoring stability and secu
rity. There is still in the South too
much politics and too little work.
While this is so capital will be dis
posed to stand aloof, and la or will
STAY away until its value to the
community is SO fully recognize
that the workingman is respected
and made to feel that he can take
whatever place in the community
his talents and moral worth entitle
him to claim. These are grave
changes, which are coming about
slowly; but they must precede
great industrial developments
s.Kicking Agin Nothin."
A farmer in the Vermont Legis-
1o+,,ra had CHARGE of a good bill and