The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1895-12-04
MILLIONS FOR MILLS.
BOUND TO COME TO DIXIE FROM
NEW ENGLAND.

Manufacture in Favor of the South.
Northern Men Who Profted by Fore
Sight.
The Augusta Chronicle has pub
lished the following interesting inter-
view with F. B. Deberard, of the New
York Dry Goods Economist:
eff allthe cotton goods of America" "
said Mr.. Deberard, reached the con-
shmer by the most direct routes, the
average cost of transportation would
be about one-half cent a pound. The
consumer now pays about about IT
cents pound freight charges on ev'
cry pound of cotton goods he uses.
Three. fifths of the total cost of trans
portation is abnormal, because it is
paid for moving the raw material away
from the centers of consumption in
stead of toward them.
"The New England States produce
neither cotton nor fuel. They trans
port their cotton 1900 miles and their
fuel 5OOmiles, and they transport both
away from their final destination in
stead of toward 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.
portation tax may rot 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
excessive.
"New England pays dear for its raw
material and fuel. To compensate for
excessive cost of these factors it must
have some exceptional advantages. If
| it pays more for its transportation it
may pay less for labor, may be supe-
rior in skill, in management, in equip
ment, in methods. II it pays more
than the south for some things, it may
pay less than the south for other
things. Machine for machine, it may
tu1n out more product than the south.
Operative for operative, it may pro-
duce more than the south. Yard for
yard and pound for pound, New Eng
lands cotton goods must cost less than
the south's, if it continues 10 maintain
its ground. ,
IF New England cotton goods cost
less than southern. cotton goods, 1t
must be because New England gets
more out of its machinery and work
people than the south gets. Ifit does
not do this, its products cost more, its
days are numbered and The end is not
distant.
"What are The facts2"
"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 in
vestigation and inspection. For this
purpose nearly every leading cotton
mill in the south and large number
of the minor mills have been visited.
The data secured are absolutely relia-
BILE. In nearly every instance they
obtained from the account books of the
mills visited, and all figures relating
to outputs and costs were carefully
verified from independent sources.
"That the south is entering upon a
new era of wonderful prosperity can
hardly be doubted by the unbiased OBJ
server.
I'm the Looms of the South, is of,
fered true picture ofthe beginning
of that prosperity.
"a few years ago New England had
no rival in the manufacture OF cotton
goods. Practically, the whole Ameri'
can industry was there. With start.
ling rapidity, the south has developed
Into d formidable competitor. The
Hong accepted dictum, COTTON goods
can't he made in the south" has been
proven untrue. Cotton goods are
made in the south. and for the first
time New England finds in full opera,
|.tion against her economic laws that
have hitherto been latent.
"With no competitors, New Eng
land was under no disadvantages.
With the south as a competitor, her
natural disadvantages count against
her with full force. The natural ad.
vantages are with the south, most OF
the artificial advantages are with New
England. Which set of forces are the
most powerful2
! 1T is an economic truism that nat
ural advantages persist and are of pro-
gressive force, while artificial advan'
tages diminish and finally disappear.
The south produces cotton, coal, tim,
6ber iron: and it is close to the con,
sumer. New England produces Meth
er and it is distant from the consumer.
AS population becomes denser, this
fundamental advantage of the south,
which can never be lessened, will ex-
ert continually increasing force;
Cheap raw material, cheap labor, 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 arrayed against them at the out
lset.
"These opposing forces, spoken OF
above as artificial advantages, are plen,
tiful capital, highly developed skill,
varied development, capable manage
ment. All of these New England has
in abundance; but she cannot prevent
their free migration. They are all the
creatures of opportunity, and if the
south offers the opportunity, capital
and skill will 60 south and quickly