The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-02-27
DIXIE AND THE COTTON MILLS.
FALL RIVER SPINNERS TRY TO CRY
DOWN THE EXODUS.

They send "A Lawyer HcfOrc the Leg
islatiVe Committee W no stamps the
Competition of the south as IA Bug
bear-IIe Intimntcs That the Manu-
facturers Are suspiciousIy Eager
TO Create Mig score over the
Threatened Removal of the Mills.
Boston. Mas., Feb. 26.-At the state
house this morning the legislative COM
mittee on mercantile affairs continued
its investigation into the causes Of re-
moval TO other states OF textile corpora
tions. The committee heard different
story to-day Of the condition of manu-
facturers and employees in Massachusetts,
from that given at the previous sessions
of the inquiry. The competition OF the
south was stamped as bugbear by ex-
Senator Robert Howard OF Fan River,
who appeared as the representative OF
the Fan River Cotton Mule Spinners AS
sociation.
Mr.. Howard said I'm brief: 'I have
noticed during the past few months that
the comparatively few manufacturers who
in the south have spared no pains to OBJ
tain the widest publicity for their views
on tho so-called southern movement
The bugbear of southern competition has
been rung in the ears of the people
throughout the length and breadth Of the
New England states. and Massachusetts,.
particularly II seems to me that those
who are doing the most talking possess
more Of theoretical than practical
knowledge Of cotton manufacturing. The
majority Of the manufacturers Of Massa-
chusetts depend more for success upon
skilled operatives and climatic conditions
in the line Of goods they are engaged IN
than proximity to the cotton fields.
"Short hours are not driving the cotton
trade away from Massachusetts,, for no
state in the country has made such won
derful progress in cotton manufacture as
this state since 1874, when the hours Of
labor were reduced to ten daily. Carroll
D. Wright says that Massachusetts, made
a gain in spindles between 1870 and 1880
Of l5l7. 236 and 307t IN looms.
IF the cotton trade is leaving Massa-
chusetts, as some persons wish to impress
upon the committee. how can you account
for the great increase in spindles and
looms? In 1850 there were T. 23G0sI spindles
in the state. The latest returns show T.
160,i80. or an increase OF 2,S3f. 1896 in the past
fourteen years. FAN River at the time of
the passage Of the 10-hour law,in 1874, had
in its factories 1,25S,5OS spindles, and it has
now about 2,W0,0 900 New England has 60
per cent. Of the spndles OF the country.
THE south to-day has 30 mills stripped
for sale. Mn receivers hands. It would
NaEn al IN
in Massachusetts.
LAS fast as skilled laborers get to the
south, you will hear the petitions for just
such labor legislation as the people Of
Massachusetts have sought during the
past few years
There are but few using that bugbear
or southern competition. II has been
stated that raw cotton is taken by south
ern railroads as hfth-class freight. while
northern roads take IL as only second or
third-class freight. This statement Is err
roneous, since cotton is not only shipped
from the south to Massachusetts, and. pre-
sumably, 70 all New England as ffth.
class, but II can be reshipped from ono
point to another in New England In car
load lots as ffth-class freight.
Something mas also been said about
coal. The two states which are recop-
nized as the most progressive IN the south
are the Carolinas. Investigation has shown
coal fields as the manufacturers OF Massa-
chusetts, and what Is more, the facili-
ties for its transportation are greater
here since we are not dependent merely
on the steam railroads, but have the seu-
board.
NOW the mills in the so-called Pied
mont district in the south are situated
in a cotton belt in which Is raised cot
ton suitable only for coarse goods and
yarns, and unfit for the product Of the
average Massachusetts mills
Il thing satisfies show that Massachu-
setts has in reality little to fear from
the competition Of tho south"
Il believe that every stop that is taken
in the interest Of the employees to tighten
his burden VIII return something to the
manufacturer and the state. Massachll-
setts manufacturers have always IN the
past and will be la the future competent,
owing to the skill and Intelligence Of their
operatives, to hold their own against all
competitors. In proof of this. since the
passage Of the ten-hour law we have seen
great factories built, large fortunes made.
and rich families multiplied believe that
to-day Massachusetts Is raising a class Of
mechanics who are destined to become a
source of strength to and the prop and
mainstay Of our American republic"
Representative Ross Of New Bedford
thought that the small increase in the
NlIlNeF OF Hllils IN L05 SOuln curing forty
years was strong proof that New Eng
land, and especially Massachusetts, had
nothing to fear from her competition. La
Dor legislation had nothing to DO with
the removal Of any textile corporations.
The same legislation was even now being
sought In the Carollnas.
Mr.. Ross said he knew that Chicopee
corporation which had been granted per-
mission to build In the south had gone
directly 70 Alabama, where there Is an
eight-hour labor law. He failed to see any
inducement to go south except to make
coarse goods. which do not compete with
the mills OF this state 10 any extent. as
most Of the work done here is Of a finer
grade.
In the south" said Mr.. Ross. taking
the thirteen states there are less male
sprners than ia one large corporation in
New Bedford. This talk Of an increase
there is not borne out BY facts In 1893
the south increased It's business more tnan
the north. it 30 true, but there was very
little increase by either.
1.-THE tariff agitation affected our finer
goods for export more than it did the
coarse southern goods ana that is why we
lost ground. In 1850 the south had $50