Evening star., 1895-03-12
A Lively Fight on Raw Materials
Expected Next Winter.
CHANGES IN SENTIMENT LIKELY
The South May Then Strongly
Advocate Protection.
EFFECT OF MANUFACTURES

The visit of joint committee of the
Massachusetts legislature to Atlanta to in
vestigate the advantages to be derived
from the manufacture of cotton goods in
the south is of as much Importance in po-
Etical as in business circles, and, not un-
likely, 1t Is thought, points to develop
ment which may very greatly affect the
&c onomic ideas of both sections of the
country. This is certain to be the case #
the result of the investigation adds i'm
petus to the movement already begun for
the transfer of large portion of the pres
ent manufacturing interests of New Eng
land to the southern states.
The prime question relates to raw ma
terials New England has neither coal,
iron ore, nor cotton. She has for years
been paying heavy profits two ways. first
on the raw materials from the distant
mines or plantations and then on the fin
fshed products back to the dist mt mar
kets But she has been able to do this,
and at the same time thrive, by reason of
the protection enjoyed in supplying the
home market with her manufactured
goods. That protection is now decreasing,
and in many of the centers of New Eng
land thrift the necessity of an early
change of business conditions, If prosperity
is to continue. is openly confessed.
Advantages I'm the South.
Shall the manufacturing plants be trans
ferred to the south? Many things in that
quarter are inviting. Raw materials exist
in the greatest abundance. Coal. iron ore.
cotton are everywhere. In the matter of
freights alone the greatest savings could
be made. With the mines and the planta-
tions on one side of the road, and the cot
ten and the iron mills on the other, freigh's
on the raw materials would disappear from
the ledger altogether. There would. like
wise. be savings in the price of coal. New
England has been paying several dollars
ton for her steam-maklng coal, while III
many parts of the south the miners have
been delivering almost as good an article
at the furnace doors for less than dollar
a ton.
New England, it Is pointed out, is not
just awakening to this situation. Sugges
tions have been. coming to her for some
years past from the success of her more
adventurous manufac trTers, who fancied
they saw a good field in the south ani had
gone there to try their fortunes. They sue
ceeded. and. in fact. have, to the extent Of
the competition been driving their north
ern brethren out of the market, the re-
suit of advantages, enjoyed in the line cf
the raw materials. Some serious diffcul-
ties remain to be solved. The south has
very little skilled labor. and northern manu-
facturerS moving down have been Obliged
to carry many operatives with them. But
in time. it is represented, the south. with
increasiTS & manufacturing attractions, will
fill up with population of the necessary
skill and education. and the desired labor
may be easily obtained there as it now
Is in the north.
Possible Changes of Position.
The politicians naturally discuss this
matter from the standpoint of its probable
effect on the tariff question. VIII the SOUTH
under this influence, become the stronghold
of protection, VIII not 1t be to her inter-
est to revise her whole view of that Ques-
tion and in future champion policy which.
1t is claimed. has operated to the enrich
ment of the north, and which. It's advocates
assert, has much in store for her? South
ern leaders who for two decades have baen
lighting the battles of q revenue tariff I'D
still insist that no other policy should be
pursued are frank in confessing that pro-
lection is gaining strength in the south and
that the Inauguration of a manufacturing
boom down there will be likely for a time
al least. to revolutionze local economic
sentiment. The times generally are chang
ing. Young men, educated in the north or
in Europe, are coming to the front. They
are not, as their fathers were, the product
of a supremacy of planting interests They
are ready for diversified investments and
everything that beneiicially goes with
them. They are appearing at the primaries
and will shortly be in Office, and if they
join hands, as is thought to be proba BILE,
with the newly arrived capitalists from
New England for local political control and
for giving the south new voice in ma
tional affairs, they are certain to become
potent factors in the fight.
But, meanwhile, turning the question
around, how will this change be likely to
affect sentiment in New England? Will
the loss, or even the impairment, of her
manufacturing supremacy make her the
less ardent IN support of the American
policy? VIII she be more than ever the ad-
vocate of free raw material, with the uSu-
fruct of protection all going into the pock-
cts of the south? Will the Aldrichs Of the
future in the Senate be clamoring for a
free hand in commerce, and the Mills of
the future be lifting UP their voices for the
protection of home and the building up of
country? Is Gen. Hancock. a presiden-
tial candidate, on the eve of vindication? ?
Is the tariff truly local question?
Another Tariff Fight.
That President Cleveland in his annual
message next winter will again bring up
the subject OF free raw materials is regard
ed as certain. He feels that the democracy
Is committed to the principle, and in that
way he will preserve the record. The re-
publicans of the House will improve the oc-
casion to redeclare themselves, and this
will afford opportunity for a discussion at
least of the latest phases or the whole
tariff question. And in that discuss the
south will be heard in her own behalf. The
resolution of last fall made notable changes
In her representation in Congress, and West
Virginia alone, with coal mines as numer-
Gus as ground-hog tales in Illinois, will
speak through the mouths Of four repub
licans, all opposed TO free raw materials
and to the whole economic policy of the
national democracy a very pretty fight,
indeed, with some signal changes Of posi-
ton, seems to be in prospect.