Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1883-01-25
CorToH nANUFACTURINs In rHE

. . r Il
The newly organized Southern Cot
ton Manufacturer Association assert
that the cotton-spinning business in the
South Sis in anything but prosper
Gus condition." but it gives ne proof OF the
correctness Of its statement. All that is
done is to give excuses for making it, and
those excuses are frivolous and in no way
prove that cotton manufactures have any
difficulties to contend with other than such
as trade is embarrassed with generally at
the present time. Ex-Gov. alton, Of Ala
bAms, who is vice-president of the National
Cotton Planters Associ ition, has published
in consequences of request made by the re-
cent convention of that association at Little
Rock, an article upon cotton manufacturing
At the South, which is an excellent antidote to
the statement of the manufacturer associa-
tion. And such an antidote was required, for
that statement, whether put forward by
few manufacturers TO discourage the enter
prising from increasing competition by the
building of new mills or not, is calculated TO
produce that effect, and SO decrease the num-
Der of rivals to compete with existing mills
that have been paying such bountiful divi-
dends. Gov. Patton says that pound of
cotton worth ten cents, when spun into yarn,
is worth twenty cents, and when manufac.
tured into textile fabrics Of the cheapest,
cents. With a crop of 100000 bales the
eotton-growers would receive SIS, 900;
turn this into fabrics and the value is $685.
100000, gain of S10O, o00, 900 after leaving
the hands OF the planter, and of course
any part of the crop 30 manufactured
in the South will bring cor
responding increase Of value. As
= general statement, ten per cent. il
good profit upon invested capital, and, says
Gov. Patton, "there is no hazard in stating
that this rate Of profit will be realized upon
the manufacture Of cotton The addition
OF value made to bale OF cotton by manu-
featuring is 5000. The manufacturer OBJ
tains from the sale Of fabrics from this bale
$3.50. Ten per cent, S25, is the profit The
bale cost $50, which leaves $175. This
amount pays the workmen and the expenses
Of working the mill. AT this rate, supposing
the South TO manufacture one-tenth OF its
annual 5,000O00-bale crop into fabrics, the
value would be SIPS, 600, 900, giving profit of
$12,5o0,00e to the factories, and leaving $87,-
100000 to be expended upon the manufacture
ing business; and $4,000 operatives would be
employed, whose income would be spent
where they had their employment, going to
the grocer, the dry goods merchant, the
farmer and others, and these workmen al
ways pay in cash for what they purchase,
and the money paid them finds its way
directly into circulation in the immediate
vicinity OF the factory. Conclusions drawn
from these figures are sound, and may be
acted upon with safety. "They are" says
Gov. Patton, ga sure foundation upon
which business enterprises may be erected"
By such manufactures the exports Of the
Southern States will be greatly increased,
with corresponding diminution Of imports.
We must send abroad more in value, OF our
Southern products, and depend less upon
foreign labor and productions. If South
ern State increase the value of its prod ucts
through changing raw material into fabrics
before sending them abroad, then that State
will be prosperous and grow rich. We
should seek, therefore, TO escape total de-
pendence on Northern capital, and labor to
turn Southern-grown cotton into fabrics
which are now returned to US from the
North at high rates, and 80 contribute
TO build up the fortunes OF Northern mil.
lionaires, whose immense possessions, accu-
mulated by the manufacture Of cotton, have
made the south "hewers of wood and draw.
ers of water" There is sufficient capital in
the South, if our people will have sufficient
confidence TO invest in such enterprises a.
will contribute to the general prosperity of
the country. In this way model Georgia is
building up manufacturing cities with the
capital of citizens Of the State; North Caro-
lima and Mississippi are doing much in the
same direction. We have in the South a
large amount OF unproductive labor, the
feebler men, women and boys. net suited to
agricultural pursuits, whose employment in
coiton-mills will give them maintenance and
add to the prosperity Of the country. Sta
tistics show that this species Of labor pro-
ducss in New England far more for expor-
tation than the labors Of able-bodied men,
while here it is almost unproductive, and
ct must be supported. The advantages Of