The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1884-03-28

uybteIlouB pOWef 10 OtQer lneulumB IN ID
interest OF other parties. Mr.. Keely dc
MED these statements emphatically.
H.
TAHIFf IN THE SOUTH.
What n Fres Trade Gesryinu Has 10 ssy
H on the subject.
NKw YoRK, March 27.-The relations 0
tho protective tariff to Southern prosperit.
formed the subject Of m interesting inter
view here yesterday by reporter with Mr.
WE. Herring, a native Of Georgia. nov
resident IN this city, who has all bis III,
been identified with Southern cotton manu-
featuring interests. Nj. Herring takes Ii,
ground that protection" Is a serious detri
ment to Southern mill owners and draw
a notable distinction between the presen,
condition OF that region and the state o.
manufactures in the east when the tariff
was frat imposed on impor,u.
Owning to Ills large experience with
mills iu the South and in tue sale Of
Southern goods, and also In the careful
study and thought he had given TO ali
matters affecting Southern interests there
Is no one In tho country better qualified
to speak on these topics than MIR. Herring.
His supetvisorahip OF the cotton and
waolen mills Of the South Atlantic States
during the Confederacy made him familiar
with all the details Of their operation,
giving him clear insight into their con.
dition and needs and The prospects that
lay before them in tho near future. The
highest evidence Of the clear understand
ing that he gained is to be found
III tho feet that Immediately on
the fall OF the Confederacy ite came to the
North and established, Ia 1866, IN agency
lor the sale Of Southern cotton goods. He
recognized TINT in the altered condition Of
the country q great stimulus would be
given TO the manufacture OF cotton in his
section, and believed that Southern mills
could produte , ears and Eelvy cot N good,
cheaper than Eastern mills, and could find
a profitable outlet for their products in
Northern markets. la wa3 probably one
OF the frat men in tho country-North or
South-to foresee this, and he was the
very first to carry his views into practical
effect.
The result proved the justice Of his yicws,
as ls sufficiently demonstrated by the fact
that in 1878 both he and his original part
ner were enabled to retire from active
business. Since then Mr.. Herring has de-
voted himself to tho study OF economic
questions, especially such as Affect the
prosperity OF the South. He went 10
Europe ia 1878, and, being deeply inter-
ested in the subject, made detailed inves-
tigation OF the cotton spinning interest in
and on the Canlinent. Speaking
of this trip he remarked, II returned home
more convinced than ever Of the superior
natural advantages OF the South over all
other regions for the manufacture OF heavy
cotton goods" m"
ADVANTAGES APPRECIATED.
Having thus added to the experience Of
an active business career the observation
and study Of a long period Of leisure, Mr..
Herring is certainly well qualified to speak
the interests Of the South. As
he made the remark just quoted regarding
the natural advantages Of the South for
cotton manufacture, the reporter asked
him:- -
'Do the Southern people generally ap.
preciate these advantage" ?"
"They do," said Herring. "There has
been o very large increase in tho number
and size Of the cotton mills in the South
since 1878. There are q great many places
in tho South where the people are now
aeitating the question OF building cotton
mills, particularly in North and South
Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee aud Alabama.
l get great many letters asking my opin.
ion as 10 the advisability OF building such
mills"
WAGES AND PROTECTION.
"Would the abolition OF the tariff eys.
tenn Lessen the wages Of the operatives in
the Southern mills?" the reporter asked.
''Not one whit" wa1 the reply. upon
the contrary, while tho abolition Of the
system would largely increase the
power Of their wages, believe
their wages would advance. More fac!o.
ries would be built and there would be a
greater demand for operatives. After all,
It is the law Of aupply and demand that
regulates prices in wages as in everything
else. I believe the came would be truo OF
every seli-gustaining industry in this coun.
try. Only those industries would be hurt
by free trade which through the protective
81 STEM levy taxes upon consumers to in.
demnify them for the LOSES they incur in
producing things which others can pro.
duce cheaper and better than they can"
"Have not northern cotton spinners,
then, protited by the tarift?' .f:i' il, 4,
"a mistaken notion prevails among
many people as 10 the effects Of protection.
They argue that because At one time the
Eastern mills llourished under it, it must
now be good for, the infant mills OF the
South. But you see the condition OF the
Southern mills is entirely different from
that Of the Eastern mills when they were
first protected. Protection gave New Eng
land manufacturers exclusively the mar
kets Of the entire Union; but when the
South first entered upon this irdustry
ehe found the field in the poeaession OF 3
full grown rival, with an ample capital,
skilled labor and great experience. Against
this rival the nature OF our government
prevented tho young and struggling South
ern mills from obtaining any protection.
Their great natural advantages, however,
enabled them to meet their rivals In every
market In this country, aud in spite OF the
freest competition 10 almost drive from the
markets OF the South and West the New
England manufacturers Of coarse cotton
goods. 5azi 81
But the great number Of spIndles put up
in the South in the last few years has caus.
ed the production Of greater amount OF
coarse cotton goods than the country can
consume. The Southern mills, therefore,
have already been compelled to look abroad
for markets, and they have sold their gooia
to China and have met England SUCCESS
fully in the neutral markets Of, the world.
Free trade, therefore, means to them re-
ductlon on their machinery: and o,her
is reduction on the cost OF
their goods--without any increase Of com.
petition over what they are now forced to
L. To b