The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1893-08-19
KING coTToN srlLL Rrlcns.
Americas Greatest Single Contribution
to Modern Progress.

Americas Greatest Single Contribution
to Modern Progress.
II. The development Of the production
OF cotton in the United States With
in q single century from insight icant
proportions to 100000 bales a wear,
considering all its relations to mod
ern industrial progress, is without
parallel in history. The facts in this
case have led Mr.. D. A. Tom kins, an
eminerc engineer, to write for the.
!; : Eng IN ering Magazine: review Of
s'Cotton as a Factor in Progress, y
which contains many facts Of great
interest, which doubtless will prove
new to a large number Of readers.
Mr. Tompkins says in the conclusion
of his article:
The present industrial devel opment
in America, in England and on the
continent had its beginning in four
events, the absence of any one of
which would have destroyed the
greater portion of the value of the
other three. These were the inyen-
ton of the power-spindle, the inven-
ton of the power-loom, the invention
OF the cotton-gin and the response to
these OF the southern portion of the
United States in the production of
the raw material for the utilization
of these inventions.
It is not alone of interest that the
impetus given to production of cot
ton by mechanical inventions has
added to the productive capacity of
Southern agriculture and increased
the wealth of an important section of
the United States. Every family in
the whole> country has been benefited
by the cheapening of clothing and
other articles made OF cotton, by
reason Of the marvellous increase in
the extent of production of this fiber.
The manufacturing and commercial
interests of New England have been
promoted to a remarkable extent by
the same cause, to say nothing of
the effect upon the cotton manufac-
turing interests in England and other
parts of the world, and the increase
in the consumption of cotton goods
due to the wonderful cheapening of
their cost The single item of the
benefit to the shipping interests due
to the cotton carrying trade is of
great extent. Cotton, more than
any other one item of freight, has
been the basis of transatlantic COM
MERGE
Leaving aside these general con-
abroad, to industry and commerce,
and the increased comfort of the
human race, we may again recur to
the Importance to the Southern states
OF the cotton-raising industry in
great variety of directions. Cotton
as basis Of wealth and of productive
Industry has made possible the growth
Of prosperous cities and towns where.
at least before the development of
mineral resources in the South,
nothing of the kind could have
existed. The: cotton interest has
contributed to- the SUCCESS of all
transportation systems in the South
whether in the palmy days of steam
boating Or since railroads, have been
constructed in every static.
Even the Development of the min
ing interests of the South has been
FASTENED by the need of IRON by rail
road companies in preparing for the
transportation of the cotton and in
the manufacture of COTTON machinery
and the need of coal for transporta-
tom and manufacturing purposes to
which cotton has given rise. The
cotton-growinggc industry, in short, has
furnished what opportunity has
existed in this large portion Of the
union. for the employment of engi-
neering and mechanical skill, con-
tributing thus to- every branch Of
material progress