St. Paul daily globe., 1893-06-12
KING CNTTON STILL REIGNs.
Americas Greatest Single Contri-
button to Modern Progress.

OOtlOu 10 MOuern EFO2reSS.
The development of the production Of
| cotton in the United States within
| single century from Insignificant proper
| tlonS to 100000 bales year. consider
| ing all its relations to modern industrial
| progress, is withouta parallel in history.
| The facts in the case have led d. A..
| Tompkins, an eminent engineer, to
write for the Engineering Magazine a
review of Cotton as Factor in Prog
| ress," which contains many facts of
| great interest, which doubtless will
| prove new to large number of readers.
Mr.. Tompkins says in the conclusion of
| his article:
The presen industrial DEVELOPMENT
IN America, in England and on the con-
| tinent 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 invention of the powers spindle,
| the invention of the power-loom, the
| Invention OF the cotton-gin and the re-
| sponse to these of the southern portion
of the United States in the production
these Inventions.
1t is not alone of interest that the i'm
petus given to production of cotton by
productive capacity OF Southern agri-
culture 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 cot
ton, 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 remarkable extent by the
same cause, to say nothing of the effect
upon the cOttOn-manufacturing interest
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 inter-
est 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 commerce.
Leaving aside these general cOnsi d.
erations of benefits at home and abroad,
to industry and commerce. and the in
creased comfort of the human race, we
may again recur 10 the importance to
the Southern states of the cotton-raiS-
ing industry in great variety of direc-
tiOns. Cotton, as basis of wealth and
of productive industry. has made pos
sible 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 trans
portation systems in the South, whether
in the palmy days OF steamboating or
since railroads have been constructed in
every state.
Even the development of the mining
interests of the South has been hast
ened by the need of iron by the railroad
companies in preparing for the trans
portation of the cotton, and in the
manufacture of cotton machinery, and
the need of coal for transportation and
manufacturing purposes to which cot
ton has given rise. Tfie cotton growing
industry, i'll short, has furnished what
opportunity has existed in this large
portion of the Union for the employ
ment of engineering and mechanical
skill, contributing thus to every branch
of material progress.