The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1895-06-20

as Well a. the COarser Goods Manu-.
factured With Profit.
+; Baltimore Manufacturers Record.
So long as the cotton manufacturing
business of the South was handled ex-
clusively by Southern people it at
tracted only moderate attention
throughout New England, but when
several of the strongest cotton-mill
companies of Massachusetts, decided
that it was necessary to build large
mills in the South in order to hold
their trade, cotton-mill investors
througout New England commenced
to study the advantages Of the South
for this industry. This has reused
New England people to realization
of the fact that their cotton manufac-
turing interests, which have been SO
largely instrumental in developing the
wealth Of their section, have probably
nearly reached the limit of growth.
OF course, mills now in existence will
be enlarged from time to time, and
some mills will be built for the pro-
duction of the finest grade of goods,
but the real growth of this country,
however, will be in the South. 1t
would be just as absurd to expect to
see iron produced, as to expect to see
many new cotton mills built there
Economic changes forced iron making
elsewhere, and economic changes are
forcing cotton mills elsewhere. The
success of the mills in the South has
fully demonstrated that no other Sec
ton can compete with it in cotton
manufacturing. Up to the present
time most of the mills in the South
have been established by local men
with local money. Southern men
have displayed a peculiar aptitude for
this industry. Southern capital has
sought it as one of the safest and
most profitable investments and South
ern working people have proved to be
the best cotton mill help, all things
considered, to be found in the country.
For years a great many Southern
people were skeptical about the abil-
ity of their section to become a great
iron producing region until Alabama
proved what could be done, but none
of them ever questioned the South's
ability to make cotton goods at
profit. Cotton has been the South's
idol. Its worship in times past found
expression in the production of the
staple, but now it is turning to its
manufacture. In a large part of the
South cotton mill is now regarded
as necessary sign of progress in every
enterprising community. Under many
disadvantages the South has labored
to build up the spinning business. Linz
tied capital and lack of experience
have kept the business from being
overdone. There has been no rush,
no hurrah, no boom in this industry.
Steadily and solidly it has been devel-
oped. Many companies that started
in a small way have, from time to time,
enlarged their plant or built new
mills out of surplus earnings accumu-
lated after paying good dividends,
while their success has stimulated the
starting of other mills.
The New England people did not
until year or SO ago, have much faith
in the future of this industry in the
South. They didn investigate it care
fully, hence they did not understand
the South's advantages.
They believed that their cheap and
abundant capital, their long experience
and their intrenched position in trade
would enable them to hold their own
forever but the South went on build
ing cotton mills, and these mills, much
to the disappointment OF the New
England people, paid dividends.
Even during the great depression,
while many Northern mills were
closed, Southern mills, with rare ex-
ceptions were running on full time.
New England cotton manufacturers at
last walked up. They commenced to
investigate, and during the past twelve
months there has been revolution in
sentiment as to cotton manufacturing
in the South. Three New England
companies have already selected loca-
tions for large mills in the South, and
negotiations are now pending for five
or six others. This action necessitates
an immediate decision on the part of
many other New England companie:
to build in the South in order to be
able to compete with equal facilities
with their present New England com.
petitors who are getting established
IN the South.
The statements regarding the ad
vantages of the South for cotton man
ufacturing SO often made by the Man.
ufaetnre,f' Record, and its predictions
in regard to the future of this industry
for long time met only with ridiculs
on the part of our New England
friends. Neither the press nor th'
people of that section were willing t
admit that the South would be able to
compete with New England mills
even in the production of coarse goods
They claimed that it would be i'm
possible for the South to build up it.
textile interests to the extent of prov
ing a serious competitor with New
England. This position, however, ha
, been gradually abandoned as far a
coarse goods are concerned. 1t viii
not be long before New England vii
have to admit that the South has jus
> as many advantages for manufacturing
the finer grades as il had few year
!. ago for making the coarser grades
!. This position is now being emphasize
by the course of events. and some @