The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1893-04-20
COTTON MILLS IN TIE SOUTH.

COTTON MILLS IN The SOUTH.
When the Constitution predicted
some years ago that the south would
become the site and center of cotton
manufacturing, we found it difficult to
explain, in the discussion that followed,
that such changes, affecting the social
and business conditions Of continent,
do not take place in day nor even in
a generation. They belong to move
ments that are altogether imperCepti-
bic to ordinary observers, and can only
be measured and compared at the
close Of eras of Development
The prediction OF the Constitution
was made more than ten years ago,
and was part Of It's comment on the
great cotton exposition held in All
lanta- Those who might desire TO
spend an idle moment laughing at the
iutllIty of newspaper prophecy have
had ample opportunity since that time
10 ENJOY themselves, and the oppor
tunity IS still ripe, for cotton manufac-
turing in the south is still feeling IFS
way fecbly when compared with the
development Of the industry in sections
more favored by capital and expert
cnCe.
In the face of these things, we ven
ture To- rcltcrate the prediction. We
are nearer to It's fulfllmcnt by fifteen
years, a lapse Of time that is not 4
quarter OF an hour in the history Of a
nations development. 1t is newt
able that the cotton grown in the
south should be manufactured within
sight and hearing of the cotton planta-
tons. The circumstances that demand
1t are as memorable in their action as
the laws of nature. They work
slowly, but none the less surely.
1heis generation nor the next may
not see the fuliillment, but that is no
reason why they should not work to
further the movement. They may
contribute to it very materially. 1t is
gong on all the time. 1t is to be seen
wherever 4 new mill is set up, wher-
ever 4 new spindle is added. 1t is a
movement that will have backscts. 1t
will be accompanied by failures, and
those who have expectation in their
eyes will lose hope. But the move
mcnt Will go on until the entire crop
of southern cotton, no matter how
large 1t may grow to be, will be spun
and wovc in the region where it is
grown.
Relating to this subject, we print in
another place a communication from
MIR. ID. y. Tompkins, of Charlotte, n.
T., who discusses the question whether
the addition of new mills in the south
will overdo the manufacturing business
IN this section. 1t may strike the
northern reader that this is a singular
question 10 discuss at this time when
there are SO few cotton mills in the
south, and when Fall River is adding
to its already large mill interests. But
1t IS, IN fact, a very important Oues-
ton. Capital and enterprise in the
south have not grown venturesome
enough as yet to take hold of the fine
goods problem, not being willing to
enter in what is practically an untried
experiment here. And yet the move
ment is in that direction.
The very fact that competition in
the manufacture of coarse goods in the
south has cut and IS cutting profits
down, has given some of the older
plants 4 reasonable excuse for entering
on experiments in the manufacture of
hne goods. The very facts that cause
mlllmen to look gloomily to the future
are those which mold out the greatest
promise. 1t IS for this reason that
more and more competition in coarser
goods IS to be welcomed by those who
take large view of the situation.
Temporary embarrassments and back
sets may grow out of it, but the ten
dency OF human endeavor is to rid if
self OF It's embarrassments and to over
come obstacles.
Thus it will happen in the growth
OF cotton manufacturing in the south
that the condition which seems at
present an insuperable obstacle is
really a spur to larger experiments
and to more important results.-At-
lanta Constitution.
The New York -No,ning 1Aeue,Hsry
says: "The foreigner need not ex
pect to find welcome in the sunny
South" We had hoped to keep the