The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1890-12-04

I
green and roses are in their greatest pro
fusion Austin is the state seat OF tn
government, having capitol buildin!
which would not discredit the wealthies
state in the union; a state universlt.
richly endowed, and other institutions o
learning; the state land office aud man,
of the state institutions. 1t contain
many wealthy people whose interests lii
different parts of the state; and is, il
every point of view, desirable for resi-
dences and homes The Jake formed by
the dam, some 81 miles in length, sur
rounded by towering heights and abrup
precipices, will form a novel and attract
i've feature occurring nowhere elst
in Texas. When to these at
fractions is added abundant
and rcmunerative employment, it is be
licve6 that the town will speedily draw
together large population.
KINDS OF MANUFACTURES.
AS to the kind of manufacture that
could be proftaby introduced at Austin,
cotton is the first to suggest itself. Texas
is the largest cotton producing State in
the union, the present years crop being
estimated at l,7U0, 900 bales. The politi-
cal economist would say, at once: "lf
Texas finds abundant and remunerative
employment for its labor and capital in
producing cotton, why not continue to
produce cotton aud leave the work of
manufacturing to regions less favored by
nature" This is perfectly true upon gen
eral principles but, like many general
propositions, it leaves important elements
of the question out of account. Texas
does not find employment for all its labor
in the production of cotton; nor, at pres,
ent, in any other vocation. The preju-
dices and fancies of people play more
important part in economic questions than
is usually assigned to them. Here, as
elsewhere in the South, there is great lack
of acceptable employment for women. 1t
is hardly possible to induce white Amer
lean woman to work at any employment
which is regarded as the proper oocupa,
ton of negroes. Call this feeling IRA
tional; call it absurd; call it what you
please 1t exists. 1t is a fact and
must be taken into account in any
economic calculations. The feeling,
born of slavery, that all labor
is degrading, is passing away. The feel
ing that association with colored people is
women, who are more susceptible to such
prejudices than men. It's for this reason
that women will accept no employment
which seems TO place them on level with
the colored race. Furnish light and &C
ceptable employment which white women
can undertake without any feeling of So
cial degradation, and you would, without
diverting any labor from the cotton cul
ture, set thousands of hands busy which
would otherwise remain idle.
COMPUTING PROFIT.
1t is not, of course, supposed that any
but the coarsest and heaviest grades of
goods could be manufactured here to adj
vantage, or these to an extent beyond the
supply of the home demand. To this ex
tent the manufacture could undoubtedly
be conducted with profit. Mr.. David A
Wells states the annual consumption of
cotton goods throughout the United States
at about fourteen pounds per head of the
population. Suppose the people of Texas
to consume ten pounds per head of such
grades as could be made here. This
would require something like $4,000, 00C
| pounds of cotton per year, and would give
employment to some 100000 spindles.
A mill, let us say. of 20, 600 spindles pro-
ducing coarse goods-say No. 30 yarn
would make about two and one, half
pounds per week for each spindle, being
$4,000 pounds per week for the mill On
this quantity of goods, if manufactured at
the north, the freight, commissions and
charges could hardly be less than cent a
pound, and the same on the finished goods
sent back to Texas, making $1,000 per
week which would of itself be good
profit on the investment The half of this
sum- or Il smaller fraction, would make
the difference between profit and a loss
In the fierce competition, which is such a
conspicuous characteristic of modern
trade, can it be for a moment supposed
that so wide margin of profit, in addition
to the advantage of water power could
fail to attract cotton manufacture to Texas
to the extent of supplying its own wants.
1t must be remembered that the cotton
manufacture is no untried experiment at
the South, cotton mills being in active and
successful operation in Georgia, Alabama
| North and South Carolina Tennessee and
Kentucky. The two mills at Nashville
Tenn, are operated by steam and profess
to be doing profitable business.
MORE ECONOMICAL HERE.
On another ground, the extreme Seutl
has Il decided advantage over the extreme
North as regards manufacturing. Sub.
sistence is less expensive, especially in the
items of fuel and clothing, and protection
from the incemencies of the weather. AT
| the South in summer, clothing is super
fluffy, worn only in conformity to conven
tiOnal usage, not at all for comfort. While
at the North fuel and comfortable housing
are essential to life in winter; here fuel,
except for cooking, can hardly be regarded
as a necessity, and the most Indifferent
| shelter from the elements is sutii lent for
comfort. The advantage in these items of
| expense to an economical working family
cannot he less than $40 per ann m, and
would more commonly reach 500.
A similar advantage pertains to the
manufacturer in being mainly relieved of
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