The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1895-12-03
D OF THE SOUTH.
THOROUGH PRESENTATION OF
THE sOUTH's ADVANTAGES.

sonai Inspection of Southern Mills.
MIR. +. b. DeBerard, of The
Now York Dry Gooda Economist. is
making o thorough analysis of the
mills OF tho South, collecting data and
personally inspecting the mill proper
ties OF the South for the special edi-
tion of The Dry Goods Economist,
which will be published In January,
under the title, 1.-THE Looms of the
South, Cotton Mills in Cotton Fieids.S
He has just completed q tour of the
mills OF North and South Carolina, |
he has watched the looms and
spipdles, interviewed the mill presi-
dents and superintendents and made q
study of the subject that makes him
PROFESSIONALLY the most reliable au-
thority In the country on cotton manu-
featuring In the South.
The Augusta Chronicle had an inter-
view with Mr. DeBerard and his views
as expressed below are the most on
couraging words that could be spoken.
They came not from q man who is
seeking to fatter but one who has en-
tered the field with q keen, discrimi-
mating analytical mind, robbed of sem
timent and acting from q thoroughly
disinterested standpoint.
Ii all the cotton products of Amer
lea" said DeBerard, reached the con-
sumner by the most direct routes, the
average cost of transportation would
be about one-half cent q pound. The
consumer now pays about one and one
fourth cents ti4) pound freight
charges on every pound of cotton goods
he uses. Three-fifths OF the total cost
OF transportation is abnormal, because
1t ID paid for moving the raw material
away from the centers Of consumption
instead of toward them.
The New England States produce
neither cotton nor fuel. They trans
port their cotton 1000 miles and their
fuel 500 miles /; and they transport
both away from their final destination
instead OF toward it.
"And the consumer paws the
freight (! He. pays for CARRYING the
raw material and the fuel far way
n he pays for bringing it back
Nevertheless, this abnormal trans.
portation tax may not be an economic
waste. There are many elements of
cost Ia 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 it's raw
excessive cost OF these factors. it must
have some exceptional advantages. n
1T 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 paws more
than the South for some things,
it may pay less than the South for
other things. Machine for machine,
1t may turn out more product than the
South. Operative for operative, it
may produce more han the South.
9ard Tor yard and pound fg pound,
| NAV FnDIanH'O nnffNn p.>D,lo ON..-A -.
less than the South's ii it continues to
maintain its ground.
IL 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. If it does
not do this, it's product costs more, its
lays are numbered, and the end is not
distant.
What are the facts?
They are stated impartially in the
Looms OF b South, upon which
L am now engaged, and every reader
can weigh them for himself. The pres.
emit 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 a large number
OF the minor mills have been visited
Inc data secured are absolutely relia.
Die. IN nearly every instance they
were obtained from the account books
OF the mills visited, and all figures re-
iatlng TO output and cost were careful.
ly verified from independent sources.
That the South Is entering upon a
new era OF wonderful prosperity, car
hardly be- doubted by the unbiased
observer. In the, "Looms of the
South " is offered a true picture of the
beginnings of that prosperity.
"A lew years ago Now England had
no rival in the manufacture of cotton
goods. Practically, the whole Ameri.
can industry vas here. With start.
ling rapidity the South has developed
into a formidable competitor. The
long accepted dictum, Cotton goods
can't be made in the South has been
proved untrue. Cotton goods are
made in the South; and for the tirst
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 nd.
vantages are with the South most OF
the artificial advantages are with New
England. Which set of forces is the
most powerful
1T is an economic truism that
natural advantages persist and are of
progressive force, while artificial ad-
vantages diminish and finally disap-
pear. The South produces cotton,
coal, timber, iron; and it is close to
the consumer. New England produces
neither and Is distant from the con-
sumer. AS population becomes denser,
this fundamental advantage of the
south, which q never DO lessened.
Will exert continually increasing force.
Cheap raw material, cheap labor, and
nearby markets are economic mag
nets far more powerful than any op-
posing forces, and they are certain
sooner or later to attract to their sun
port the forces arrayed against them
at the outset.
These opposing forces, spoken of
above as artificial advantages, are
plentiful capital, highly developed
skill, varied development, capable
management. All these New England
has in abundance; but she not
prevent their free migration. They
are all the creatures of opportunity
and II the South offers the opportunity
capital and skill will go South and
create the varied development.
This Is not mere theory /; it Ia a
plain statement of what is actually
happening now, every day, and with
daily growing momentum. 1t is the
bare truth that the South today has
better mills than the North-they are
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