Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1883-03-24
HOME INDUSTRY.
Timely Suggestions from Tennes-
sees Pioneer Manufacturer.
Duty of Home Capital to Furnish
Employment to Home Labor.
To the American:

McMINNvILLE, March s, 1883. i
'ought in my humble way to eunoble
aud dguify labor, and in general terms
Ioihdace Tennessee capitalists to spend
their money in developing and build
ing up home industries. | desire in
this communication to be somewhat
more special and practical.
Our special need in Tennessee is d.
versi6ed labor. Owing to our peculiar
situation we cannot hope to become
wealthy, prosperous, or happy, except.
by the adoption of some practical idea,
which will encourage home production,
and stimulate home industry. We are
not, per Sc, an agricultural people.
Our soil in the general, is not fertile
enough for this. There is therefore,
in my opinion, most stringent neces-
sity upon us that we change the pro-
gram of our pursuits, so that our labor
system may become as diversified and
ampli6ed as is our native scenery.
Tennessee produces annually some
three or four hundred thousand bales
of cotton. Nearly all of this is shipped
to Old and New England. 1t is there
spun into thread and woven into fab
RIGS. This gives employment to their
teeming population. By this employ,
nient they earn their food and raiment,
educate their children, train them to
habits Of thrift and industry, and live
in comfort and decency, while our poor,
for the want of steady work, are desti-
tute, needy, and wasting out their ma
to bes
But this is not all there is yet an
other shade to the picture. This cot
ton crop only sells for about nine cents
per pound. Its cost Of production very
nearly reaches this figure. This is a
sad outlook to the planter, a sad out.
look to our people. But lamentuble
as it is, the gloom is still further dar-
kened when we remember what we
have lost by sending this crop abroad,
to nUurish the industries of other com.
munities, and impoverish our own. BY
foreign toll and foreign machinery, thi,
crop returns to US increased in value
more than 100 per cent, which we are
compelled to pay, besides the cost of a
double transportation.
This is a heavy loss to Tennessee,
and the blame must hang like heavy
incubus upon her capitalists for neg.
Letting their opportunities and theil
duties to those who have waxen poor
in their sight, each of whom, by well
directed enterprise and energy ON The
part of the rich, might be made so eff
fective and such wealth-producers,
This is not however the sum of oul
Inisfortunes. The catalogue of our fol
lies is not yet ended, Every farmer il
the land seems bent on selling for ;
mere pittence, IN comparison to its true
value. the last walnut tree that grew
upon his farm. 1t is converted int
lumber, shipped East, worked up by
foreign operatives into sewing machine
or fancy furniture, and resold to ou
people by some sweet talking young
..t Fabulous p,ivoo, uf,or ,U.Oi.ius
as much as five hundred per cent. prof
Was there ever such madness? Is i
not enough to sicken the heart of thu
patriot to witness such reckless waste
Is it not suicidal to our own true il
terests aud the interest of those VIII,
follow us? Is it not especially an ire
deemable wrong to the poor ofour Ian,
who are searching in vain tor employ
ment to feed their hungry? Oh, tina
our people would be wise, aud stop thi
shameful folly, and reap for thcmselve
and their little ones this rich harvest
which, once lost, is gone forever.
The coal and the iron interests 0
Tennessee are Immense and valuable. |
is God given source Of wealth. 1t
not necessary for me to champion thi
cause. 1t is ably done in the columns
of your paper, and by those who wiel,
an ADLER pen than mine, zen PEASANT,
however, | ain induced to make thi
remark. 1t cannot be developed ex
cept by able.bodied miners. Thei
habits, training, social status, ant
modes of life are such as make then
restless, and isolated in feeling from
the mass Of their fellow citizens. Til
leads to frequent strikes. This lead