The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1893-06-08
ABOUT MANUFACTURES.
PERIMENTSINMANuFAC.
TURING ENTERPRISES.
Inducements the South Holds
out for Profitable Investment of
Capital---A Productive Region
and Fertile Field for Manu-
factories Of all Kinds.
Progressive South.l

most important items that enter the
worlds marts as crude material to be
manipulated and sold at greatly in
creased values. TO continue to pro-
duce merely raw material for Others to
work over and obtain the profit would
seem like folly, and it is nothing less.
We know that cotton manufacturing
pays at home and abroad; it is not
an experiment. Then, if it be profit
able industry, why not make a con-
certed action to have more cotton
factories9 Why not experiment with
cooperation, or devise better plans?
There are hundreds of markets more
convenient to Southern ports than any
other; there is no reason why our
people should not manufacture more
of the staple and supply these markets.
Mexico can raise cotton, but she has
not the facilities to manufacture the
best fabrics; the South should equip
itself for this work, and when Mexico
had been supplied beyond consump-
ton, then the Nicaragua canal will be
completed and other counties placed
nearer to our factories. By working
now as we should the industry will not
only grow with our growth, but en-
large as the worlds demand increases
But cotton is not our only hope.
The name of our industries that should
be in successful operation is legion.
Nature has done its works of equip
ment we'll; it only remains for man
to supplement that work with energy
and a determination to derive the
greatest possible benefits. Not only
is material in abundance, but it may
be augmented through judicious CO.
operation with our agriculture. Again,
circumstances have bestowed people
upon us who are given to the pur-
chase of trifles; both the negro and
the Mexican are fond of baubles, and
the profits of this traffic passes beyond
our territory, while we feed, clothe,
and maintain this population.
These are small items, perhaps, but
the years are made up of moments one
by one, and it is for these very trihes
that large sums of money are annually
sent to other sections. 1t is said
"small leaks sink great, ships;'' the
South, then, must be the greatest
ship, SO to speak, of the universe, as
these little drains have been kept uE
for years, and yet we move onward
instead Of becoming water-logged; bu
our speed might be greatly increased
were these small leaks effectuallJ
stopped, and this can be readily &C
complished. A few experiments made
in this direction would not be expen
sive, and if managed properly woulc
hardly prove costly in any sense.
Ii is said that Of all the vast amount
of lumber cut annually in this wealthy
region less than ten per cent is manu-
featured for export, while the Northern
States export fifty per cent. of theil
woods in a manufactured state, anC
the South is a profitable customer
There are many uses to which ou1
timber could be put if manufactured
at home for home consumption. l,
does seem as though our people were
bent upon becoming mere hewers O
wood and drawers of water-a free
born people enthralled by their own
lethargy, who gather straw and make
brick that others may build kingly
castles. We have made some expert
ments in wood working, and they
should be satisfactory evidence tina,
! it is worse than folly not to supply
our own needs and then invade othel
markets. 1t has been done and car
be successfully pushed. Last weeI
one of our correspondents, the Ellio
Furniture Company, of Charlotte, N
c., stated that they were showing theil
spring line in New York, and expected
to enter the West during 1898 if they
could fill all Eastern orders. Mucf
that has been performed by the Soutl
has been in the nature Of surprise te
its people, and with the proper effor
there are more of these surprises il
store:
Our agriculture is capable of pro
ducing as fine vegetables as ever New
England packed, but the Puritans con
tinue to furnish the bulk of orr winte
supplies of this nature, and more thar
come out even in the balance shee
for truck bought OF us at such price
as they choose to pay; while, on tn
the other hand, they stipulate wha
meals shall cost if we indulge our ap
pettes. The South is making prog
ress, too, in this direction but we shall
not rest satisfied until the experimen
has been made of carrying Goals t.
Newcastle, We can furnish Northern
people the best of tropic fruits ant
vegetables, helping to make thei
winter, cold and bleak by nature, on
perennial summer, and complacentl
accept in payment such pittance a
they choose to bestow, when our sea
sons are more than ordinarily propl
tious, and returning all their gold 70
what they can not consume when W
might, by establishing our own pack
ing g-houses, maintain better prices fo
; the green fruits and vegetables an
save fortune by canning our ow
waste. Agriculture offers vast feel
, for manufacturing experiments in tn
: South aside from fruits and vegetables
and the possibilities should be searche
out and developed to the fullest exter
that our own people may reap tn