Birmingham state herald., 1895-11-24
THE NORTH |S NOT IN II MT. Deberard Gives the South a
 Great Send of, : BEST PLACE IN THE WORLD He Gives Several Very Good Reasons Why He Thinks @.
 WE HAVE THE FINEST COTTON MILLS We Have Raw Cotton, Coal, Timber, Iron, Brains, Energy, Money and Every
 thing Necessary to Make Us the
 Richest Country on Earth.
BEST PLACE IN THE WORLD
WE HAVE THE FINEST COTTON MILLS

Augusta, Ga, Nov. 23.-Tbe Chronicle tomorrow will publish the following in teresting interview with MT. r. B. Deber- ard of the New York Dry Goods Econo- mist
 If all the cotton products of America" said MT. Deberard, reached the con sumer by the most direct routes the av- craze cost of transportation would be about F of a cent per pound. The con sumer now-pays about IA cents per pound freight charges on every pound of cotton goods he consumes. Three fifths of the total cost of transportation is abnormal, because it is paid for nov ing the raw materials away from the centers of consumption instead of to- wards them.
 "The New England states produce neither cotton nor fuel They transport their cotton 2000 miles and their fuel 500 miles, and they transport both away from their final destination instead of towards it. And the consumer pays the freight. He pays for carrying the raw material and the fuel away and he pays for bringing it back.
 Nevertheless this abnormal transpor- tation tax may not be an economic waste. There are many elements of cost in man. ufactured products, and some of them may be relatively so low as to compen- sate for those more excessive.
 New England pays dear for it's raw material and fuel. To compensate for excessive cost of these factors it must have some exceptional advantages. If 1t pays more for its transportation it may pay less for labor, may be superior in skill, in management. in equipment, in methods. If it pays more than the south for these things it pays less than the south for other things.
 "Maehine for machine, it may turn out more product than the south. Operative for operative, 1t may produce more than the south Yard for yard and pound for pound, New England cotton goods must cost less than the south's if it continues to maintain its ground
 'If New England cotton goods cost less than southern cotton goods it must be because New England gets more out of its machinery and work people than the south gets"
 What are the facts? They are stated impartially in the Looms of the South upon which l am now engaged. and every reader can weigh them for himself The principal conditions of cotton manu- featuring 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 investigation and inspection. For this cause nearly every leading cotton mill in the south and a large number of the minor mills have been visited. The data secured are absolutely reliable. In near ly every instance they were obtained from the account books of the mills visit ed and all figures relating to output and cost were carefully verified from inde- pendent sources.
 That the south is entering upon new era of wonderful prosperity can hardly be doubted by the unbiased observer.
 Tn the Looms of the South Is offered a true picture of the beginnings of that prosperity.
 "A few years ago the north had no rival in the manufacture of cotton goods Practically the whole American industry was here With startling rapidity the south has developed into formidable competitor. The long accepted dictum, cotton goods cannot be made in the south,' has proved untrue. Cotton goods are made in the south. and for the first time New England finds in full operation against her economic laws that have hitherto been latent.
 with no competitors New England was under no disadvantages. With the south as a competitor her, natural disad- vantages count against her with full force. The natural advantages are with the south, most of the artificial advant- ages are with New England. Which set of forces are the most powerful?
 Tt is an economic truism that natural advantages persist and are of progress sive force, while artificial advantages diminish and finally disappear. The south produces cotton, coal timber iron. and it is close to the consumer. New England produces neither and Is distant from the consumer As population be- comes denser this fundamental advant- age of the south. which can never be les- 4tvx.x<x r-f- force. Superior raw material, superb la bor and nearby markets are economists magnates far more powerful than any opposing forces. and they are certain sooner or later to attract to their sup port the forces arrayed against them at the outset.
 These. opposing forces. spoken of a bove as artificial advantages, are pIen- tiful capital. highly developed skill. va ried development. capable management. All of these New England has in abun- dance, but she cannot prevent their free migra tion. They are all the creatures of opportunity. and If the south offers the opportunity capital and skill will go south and quickly create the develop ment.
 This is not mere theory, tt is plain statement of what Is actually happening now every day and with daily growing momentum. It is the bare truth that the south today has better mills than the north They are the product of the best en- gineering skill obtainable. and in every detail of construction and arrangement are of the highest and most scientific type. They are equipped with the most modern machinery, embodying the latest desirable labor-saving implements, and are of higher average efficiency. attested by quality and quantity of output, than any but few northern mills. Moreover, they have been constructed at far less cost than other mills and rep resent much less cost per spindle or per loom than the less efficient northern mills. With less capital invested they have greater earning power than their northern competitors.
 "The test of the relative skill employed is the quality and quantity of the output. In the comparison of similar grades. the