New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-03-12
ALARMED BY THE MILLS BILL
LOW GRADE COTTON WARP THREATENED
TIMELY LETTER FROM wiDE-AwAKE SOUTHERN
MANUFACTURE.

TIMELY LETTER FROM wrDE-AwAKE SOUTHERN
MANUFACTURER.
That the overwhelming opposition to the Mills
bill will not be confined TO the Northern or Western
States is now certain. The South has been slowly
awakening for some time to the Importance OF
having her young industries protected. and nlr
Mills has, It seems, unwittingly been the means
of stirring up her manufacturers TO keener In
terest in the question than they have ever belore
manifested. lie did so by modelling with the low
grades Of cotton warp On important industry IN
many Southern States. ALI grades below what Is
known as No. 40 are now protected by duty
of IS per cent Mr. Mills proposes that they 10
put upon the free list
Now, 1t appears that the great majority OF
Southern cotton factories Of this kind make grades
below No. 40 Consequently they are OIL OK
nearly all, affected by the sweeping change, and
naturally there is q feeling Of alarm among them
that is rapidly becoming general The cause OF
It is set forth by a Southern manufacturer, who
was formerly one of the most prominent and sue
cessful cotton men In the South. liz letter 10
the Editor Of this paper he discusses the situation
in q purely busincss-lse, non-lartisan way, ana
the remedy no suggests Is certainty w0rtny u
consideration.
LET SOUTHERN MANUFACTURERS WAKE CP.
Tho letter is written from Washington, and
reads as follows:
1t would seem TO mo that % the tie for tho
manufacturers OF iow-grads cotton warp TO take an
interest In tariff legislation. Especially IL true that
the Southern manufacturers should look 70 themselves
question factories In the south making
No los and proposed Tariff bill cuts out OF the hss
all warp below tina. number. "A the tariff STANDS no"
Southern mills have slight profession, but IL tho
proposed bill becomes law, ell factories making under
No. 20 thrown open FREQ trade. The result Will
be the importation Of warp made from Egyptian suan'
Asiauc and South American cottons Of poor gradc
whened up with American white waste or short staple
mix Of say 10 per cent These will enter Into compet-
with Southern warp and occurred in the change
filled from abroad And these factories OF tho South
needing help and protection 10 be sustained VIII 90 down.
II IL that these cheap warps and cheap gooos
are brought and the markets OF the Southern ns
at Philadelphia and elsewhere broken sharply as In 1881
1882 necessarily the prco OF cotton must FALL ana tn0
planter suffer wish the spinner for come what WILL MS
guano provision AMI labor bills must DO met nom the
crop at the reduced price OF cotton. and all know that
the fertilizer lien stands Hrst and Is by contract taken
from the first picklngs OF the crop. 1 can
conceive OF better duty that tho manufacturers and
planters OF cotton do themselves than TO call
together local manufacturing and agricultural associa-
tions and consulting send 10 their members OF
Congress and data covering the injury and waste
10 their communities which will result from this new
Tariff or rather removal OF Tariff from their product
should It pass.
This letter was shown tn several merchants OF
the city who are particularly Interested IN tho
Southern trade, and they declared that it was
timely and sound in every particular.