Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1883-05-10
MEMPHIS APPEAL
A NORTHERN ESTIMATE OF SOUTH.
ERN PROSPECIS

A NORTHERN ESTIMATE OF SOUTH.
ERN PROSPECTS.
A striking article appeared in the New
York Public in its last issue, which can
scarcely fail to open the eyes of the people Of
the North to the resources of the South to
greater degree than they had believed possi-
bic. Southern statements Of the came kind
have been received with incredulity, as mere
Boosting, bat when Eastern journals Of &C.
knoWledged authority Join in asserting that
the claims made in Southern journals on
bshslf Of the natural resources possessed by
the South are just, uDbeIiel must give way.
Especisllyit cannot stand against complaints
uttered by Eastern cotton manufacturers and
others, that they csnnotsuccessiully compete,
in various particulars, with the South.
The Public says that cotton manu-
facturers in the South "cau and do
undersell the oldest aud moet success
ful mills at the North, in Western markets"
Ii is OF opinion that "as the Southern manu-
facture becomes more developed, so that en-
ployers acquire the capital and machinery,
and the lsborers the skill for the msnufac-
ture Of finer goods, the margin OF advantage
in the lower cost of transportation will be-
come wider and more effective, and one can
not now eel the limits beyond which Ssuth-
ern spinners may not be able hereafter 10
compete with Northern" But Southern
competition, the Public goes on 10 demon
strate, is not confined to cotton fabrics.
Southern iron, for instance, is already sold
IN Boston and Providence, as well as in Gin
cinnaI and Chicago. Southern lumber also
begins definitely 10 take the place Of North
ern for many uses, in Northern markets.
Southern wheat and even corn is beginning
to show a surplus for expectation. The miIder
climate ia enabling woolgrowers to send
lambs TO Northern butchers and wool TO
Northern mills. In short, the South has
commenced the system of liberalization Of
industry. At one word overturniDg the de.
ceptious assertions of Birmingham and Chat
tanooga protectionistF, the Public says
within the past two weeks we have person.
ally seen No. l foundry iron produced in
Western Virginia at cost not exceeding
$40 so ton. In Virginia, West
Virginia, Alabama and Tennessee there are
already many that produce iron costing lees
than SIS, which can be sold at a good profit
in Northern markets in competition with the
beat Of Northern furnaces" Southern coal
and ore are also reaching the markets at sn
extraordinarily low cost, numerous railroads
afording facilities for transportation. The
effect OF all this will be to make
iron cheaper, and the poorer Penn
.sylvania and other mines will have to
close. IL is these proitless mines that have
sought the profits through a high tariff that
could not be got out Of The yield, and their
inferioriiy has supplied the bssis aud lbe
figures upon which that tariff has been un-
Justly founded 40 the tariff is brought
down to more equitable figure these mines
will be abandoned and the capital wasted
upon them will be gsinfully applied to the
better and self-proitable mines, which will
work most important and valuable revolu.
ton IN the whole iron trade. The lack of
capital is every year becoming less check
TO Southern enterprise. Northern capital is
viyifying the Southern iron trade; there il
at least one instance where a Pennsylvsnia
father has established son who is making
cheaper iron in the South than his
father can produce at home. Men who
have had training and gained expe-
rience in the North are engaging in pro-
duc,ive iron undertakings in the South.
The result Of such efforts is that this csun-
try can already, according TO official reports,
produce more pig iron than it can consume.
The men whose furnaces are becoming pro-
tilless, as changes of tariff and Southern
competition drive them out, will seek the
fields where ore and coal are good, plenty
and cheap, and the lower-priced material
they produce will force others 10 follow their
example, all Of which shows what rich
field Of promise the South presents. "Iu
fact, says The Pubic, "the development of
the South means, to a certain extent, direct
competition on American soil between En-
gland and the North. . IL has be-
gun already. Already works OF the largest
and finest class have been put up at
the South wholly By British capital,
and are managed by come of the most skilled
men in their departments the old
country can produce. Oas of them said TO
the writer of this article less than a month
ago, 81 can make iron just as cheap in that
furnace ga ] ever made it in England, for if
labor COSTS more materials cost less." Hard
facts these for protectionists to meet. Their
cause is falling. Well will it be for those
who have the foresight TO prepare for the
coming change. In cotton manufactures,
also, capital is flowing TO the South. Men of
experience will not submit 10 be bsfll.d aud
robbed OF success. at man 10 Mas3achu-
sets fuds that cheaper goods can be made in
Georgia than 10 his own mills he does not go
to sleep over the fact, but promptly invests
in new mill in Georgia" "a few days
ago." adds the PubHs, zone Of the most cue.
cessGul manufacturers of cotton goods in
New England stated in confidence
that he was one of the largest cot
ton-spinners in the South. For some time
he had been turning bis Northern machinery
10 the manufacture of finer goods, and build
ing large mills at the South for the produc-
tion Of coarser aud heavier grades" Here
are facts, which the APPEAL submits, should
arouse the vivid attention Of the business
community of Memphis. We have followed
closely, and as is seen often copied the Ian
guage OF our Eastern contemporary, fnau-
cial and commercial journal that stands high
for its intelligence and probity. 1t proclaims
10 no uncertain tones that through manufac-
lures the South is about to become the area
OF vast and prosperous commerce. The
"boom," 10 nse the slang of the day, is Just
beginning, and just now Southern capital can
nowhere be invested as successfully az here,
at home; 10 seek Eastern Investments for
Southern capital is folly in the extreme. No
iuiand city, no Columbus or Atlanta, can
be as advantageously situated Tor mana-
features as this city Of Memphis, situated
upon the grand water highway Of the north
ern portion of the continent That highway
is aow undergoing improvements that will
vastly increase its navigable qualities.
Approaching increase OF commerce with the
lands south of us will soon increase inn
msnsely the commerce of the great seaport
above the jetties. Let Memphis put out her
energies now, in the way of manufactures,
and outside capisl will hlw here like
stream, and the high destinies that have
been dreamt OF for this city will be accom-
plished