Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-11-24
Testimony of Our Mill Presidents

Testimony of Our Mill Presidents.
The testimony given before the Blair
Labor Committee by Presidents of cotton
mills in this State. is not calculated to
strengthen the hands of the protection
lists. Senator Blair, the Chairman of the
committee and an avOwed protectlonist,
must have felt that the principle OF pro-
lection would soon cease to exercise a
controlling influence in our politics as he
listened to the evidence of President
Young, of the Eagle and PheniX Mills at
Columbus. and Presidents Estes and
Phiaizy. of Augusta factories. Mr..
Young said that he was an anti-tarif
man. He did not believe, he said,
that the many should be taxed
for the benefit of the few. His mills were
able. he thought, to compete with the
mills Of England or New England. Dur
ing a European trip he compared the
prices paid operatives in English fac
tories with those he paid, and found there
was little, il any, difference. For skilled
labor he pays a little more than Is paid
for the same class of labor in New Hamp-
shire. He has. however, two advantages
over the New England mills. He obtains
cotton for s. j0a bale less and he has bet
teropportunity to make choice Of grades.
The Presidents of Augusta factories
said that they did not ask any protection,
but that they. OF course. were willing to
accept the benefits arising from 1t We
have not seen statement Of the profits Of
the Augusta mills. but those at Columbus
Weld the stockholders about l. per cent.
The testimony of these mill Presidents
make two things evident. First, that the
tariff on the kind of goods which they
manufacture can be greatly reduced with
out iniuring that class of industries. 1t
cost no more to produce cotton cloth
at Columbus and Augusta than 1t does to
produce it in England. The English
manufacturers are compelled to transport
their cotton across the ocean, and their
goods back to this country, il they I'M
dertake to compete with our manu-
facturers. In this respect our manu-
facturers have an immense advantage.
The second point is that cotton goods can
be manufactured in the south cheaper
than in New England. The raw
material can be obtained for
less. and labor is as cheap and
as capable. What then is to hinder the
south from becoming the manufacturing
section Of the country? There Is water
power enough in this State to more than
meet all the manufacturing wants of
every State in the Union. In other South
ern States there is plenty Of the Same sort
Of power. President Young admitted
that it would probably be a long time be-
fore the South would compete with New
England in the finer grades of goods.
This is owing, perhaps, TO lack of capt.
tai and skilled labor. In time, how
ever. these Will be supplied and New
England will lose her manufacturing SUI
premacv. Nothing will hasten to bring
about this condition of affairs so much as
a general reduction in the tariff. We
want no better evidence than we have that
our manufacturers will not suffer by re-
duction. and we are confident that as soon
as the reduction is made cotton and other
factories will spring up all over the State.
What folly is it, then, for any of our Rep
resentatiyes to help TO make Randall
Speaker and assist in continuing policy
that is an obstacle to our growth and pros
nnrifvf