The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1895-12-26
COTTON HILLS OF THE SOUTH.
A Formidable Competitor of New Eng
land-The Future of the Cotton Nam
ufacturing Interests of the South
land.

land-The Future of the Cotton Nam
ufacturing Interests of the South
land.
Interviewed with Mr.. +. G. Deberard !
aft all the cotton products of Amer
ica," said MI Deberard," reached the
consumer by the most direct routes,
the average cost oftransportatlon would
be about y cent pound. The con-
sumner now pays about II cents pound
freight charges on every pound OF cot
ton goods he uses. Three hiths Of the
total cost of transportation is abnormal,
because it is paid for moving the raw
material away from the centres of con-
sumption instead of towards them.
1.-The New England states produce
neither cotton nor fuel. They trans
port their cotton 1000 miles and their
fuel 500 miles; and they transport
away from their destination, instead of
towards it, and the consumer pays the
freight. He pays for carrying the raw
material and the fuel far away, and he
pays for bringing it back.
Nevertheless, this abnormal trans
poTtation tax may not be an economic
waste. There are many elements of
cost in manufactured products, and
some of them may be relatively SO low
as to compensate for those that are ex
cessive. New England pays dear for
its raw material and fuel. To com
penSate for excessive cost of these fac
tors, it must have some exceptional adj
vantages. If it pays more for its trans
portation, it may pay less for labor,
may be superior in skill, in manage
ment, in equipment, in methods. If
it pays more than the south for some
things, it may pay less than the south
for other things. Machine or no ma
chine, it may turn out more product
than the south. Operative for oper-
alive, it may produce more than the
south. Yard for yard and pound for
pound, New England's cotton goods
must cost less than the south if it CON
tinues to maintain its ground.
off New England cotton goods cost
less than southern goods it must be be
cause New England gets more out of
It's machinery and work people than the
south gets. If it does not do this, its
product costs more, its days are num-
bered, and the end is not distant"
"What are the facts p
They are stated impartially in The
Looms of the South upon which am
now engaged, and every reader can
weigh them for himself. The present
conditions of cotton manufacturing in
the south will be fully and honestly set
forth. None of the data given are at
second hand. They are the results of
careful and prolonged personal inves-
ugatlon and inspection. For this pur-
pose nearly every leading cotton mill
in the south and large number of the
minor mills have been visited The
data secured are absolutely reliable.
In nearly every instance they were OBJ
tanned from the account books of the
mills visited, and all figures relating to
output and cost were carefully verified
from independent sources.
"That the south is entering upon a
new era Of wonderful prosperity can
hardly de doubted by the unbiased OBJ
server. In The Looms of the South is
offered a true picture Of the beginnings
of that prosperity. \ few years ago,
New England had no rival in the man
ufacture of cotton goods. Practically
the whole American i. dustry was hers
With startling rapidity the south has
developed into formidable competitor.
The long accepted dictum, Cotton
goods cannot be made in the south,
has been proved untrue. Cotton goods
are made in the south; and for the frs,
time, New England finds in full oper-
alton against her economic laws that
have hitherto been latent.
with no competitors, New England
was under no disadvantage. With the
oooth 90 Il SOii PNNIlOI, lIiS aAui 81 us
advantages count against her with full
force. The natural advantages are
with the south; most Of the artificial
advantages are with New England.
Which set Of forces are the most pow
erful?
at is an economic truism that nat
ural advantages diminish and finally
disappear. The south produces cot
ton, coal, timber and iron, and it is
close to the consumer. New England
produces neither, and is distant from
the consumer. AS population becomes
denser, this advantage of the south
which can never be lessened, will exert
continually increasing force. Cheap
raw material, cheap lobor and nearby
markets are economic magnets far
more powerful than any opposing forces
and they are certain sooner or later to
attract to their support the forces ar
xayed against them at the outset.