The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1892-10-31
THE COTTON BUSINESS.

A census bulletin relating to the cotton
industry has been received from the
division Of manufactures, and it makes
very instructive reading, especially in
New England. In 1890 the capital in
vested in 904 establishments devoted to
the manufacture of cotton goods was
1854, 020, S43 The product Of 22l, ,5Sl hands
was valued at s267, ,9s1, ,'24 and the wages
paid them reached $50 4S9,272. Compar-
ing these figures with the reports for 1880
we find that the establishments increased
1888 per cent; capital invested, 69.97 per
cent; hands employed, 26.s7 per cent,
wages paid, 57.05 per cent. Four hundred
and two OF the establishments were in
New England. a decrease of 81 since 1880;
but New England shows far better in
crease of capital. $243. 153,249 of the
amount credited to the entire country
being invested in this section. Massa-
chusetts and RHODE ISLAND alone contain
PSI of the cotton mills and So per cent of
the spindles employed in the manufac-
ture of cotton goods In this country.
In RHODE ISLAND S3S, 19S, l6l were in
vested in "a establishments employing
"A S32 men, women and children who re-
ceived in wages IS, 1871 142, an increase of
g., $40, 500 over 1880 The average increase
i'm wages per capita throughout the
United States over 1880 was S5S per year.
In RHODE ISLAND the average wages paid
in 1880 was $247. .66: I'm 1890, S327.44, an av-
erage increase OF $40 7S per capita. This
item is particularly commended to the
wage-earners in this State.
In 1890 there were more spindles and
looms in New England than there were
in the entire country twelve years ago.
Here are the figures, including the wages
paid.
The United States in 1900 .....ii0ss, io5 9i,s06
The United states in 1850 ..,.. IO.6j3.i35 225,769
Wages Tor the United states 1880. si2,oio5lo
Wages for the United states 1890 ..... sesisS.a7a
of fe tRc R0''' y e HS States for 1P'
OF 955. .294, 32O square yards OF print
cloths manufactured In this country in
1890, Sll,945, l63 were manufactured In
New England, and a larger proportion of
sheetings, shirtngs, drills, twills,
sateens. fannels, ticks, denims, stripes,
sewing cotton, waste, and other products
not enumerated in the census returns,
than In the Middle, Western and South
ern States com bined.
The value of this great product and the
number OF hands employed have not in
creased in proportion to the wages paid
aud this Is another fact of great I'M
portance. as, 50 far as this industry Is
concerned, IL effectually silences the
calamityite who says that the capitalist Is
making enormous profits at the expense
of the laboring man.
From the most reliable data obtainable
IL appears that the manufacturing cost
OF cotton goods made and sold was AZ. 81
cents for the cotton consumed in manu-
facture; l3.SS cents for other materials
used q 80 cents for miscellaneous ex-
penses and 1898 cents for labor; leaving
only 1902 cents TO cover depreciation OF
the plant and for the profits Of manufac-
ture.
In every New England state a decrease
Of child labor has been n'sie. This is
particularly marked in Rhode ISLAND
where the adult sexes nearly balance
each other. The figures are males, O.5O5;
females. lo,ss7; children, s,is2.