The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-02-02

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10 - DRAWING the 1otton MiIls Away
From Sew Enslsnd.
Springfield Republican.
William C. Lowering. president Of the
Arkwright Club. Of Baltsnode. Nd. which
represents an the large New England
textile manufacturers. was invited, some
mWchs ago. after returning from visit
OF investigation TO the South, TO deliver
an address before the New England tex
tile club OF that city on cotton manufact-
uring in the South. This address. which
has not heretofore been made public. Is
published. with Mr.. Coverings consent, in
this weeks issue OF the Manufacturers
Record. 1t has particular value at this
time. In view Of the recently announced
decisions Of soms New England firms To
remove their factories to Southern states.
In part Mr. Lowering says:
The time has passed when New En-
gland manufacturers need give but little
attention to cotton manufacturing In the
South. We have come to realize that
the South has eptered thu race in earnest
and to stay. Henceforth 1t must be the
survival Of the dttest. The old mills in
the South. with their antiquated machin-
cry. have been succeeded by frst-class es-
Establishments. with .the best equipment,
built In every respect to do Sheir work in
the cheapest and most approved manner.
while Ii has long been conceded that
An certain lines OF coarse goods tho adj
vantages are In favor OF the South. North
ern manufacturers have coniforted them
selves with the statement that the manu-
facture OF tho finest goods would remain
with .hem and that the South could not
make such goods In this We ara mis-
taken. But even supposing that the finer
goods could not be made in the South.
are we aware how small a part of the cot
ton goods consumed In this country can
properly be termed fine goods?
my Investigations show that hardly
per cent. of all the cotton goods consumed
In this country could be classed as fine
goods. If. then, we were to confine our
selves to plaking only fine goods our
coarse goods mills viii become idle, ard.
as fast as they need renewing the chances
are that the renewal Will be in tho
South. There IS an actual increase in the
production Of the finer goods in the South.
and where manufacturing Is once firmly
established, It is only a matter of a short
time when the labor employed will i'm
prove in skin and adapt atself to finer
work.
There seems to be no reason why as
fine yarns may not be spun In the South
as in any other section OF our country.
While Northern mills have some advan-
tage in the selection of their cotton, as
compared with Southern mills. the South
has an indisputable advantage in the
matter of coal. which 1t secures at half
the price paid by New England mills. The
South also has enormous water powers.
which are offered upon the most attractive
and alliring terms. Our New England
climate requires an immense consunlp-
ton of coal for heating mills. while the
miider climate OF the South enables all
classes to live with less cost for shelter
and rainent Our sce-bound rivers are
unknown to the mailmen OF the South.
The average work day OF the South the
year round has more OF daylight than at
the North Freedom from legislative re-
strictions Is another and important advan-
tage In the South. A mill In the South
running sixty-six hours a week for fifty
weeks. in year runs $500 hours. A Mill
In Massachusetts, limited to ffty-eight
hours a week for fifty weeks. In a year
runs ., 800 hours. a difference OF 1900 hours
a year, or seven weeks in favor of tho
Southern mill Two mills OF the same
size. construction and equipment, one In
New England and one In the South, will
cost about the same SO tar as the build
ings and machinery are concerned. Tho
very fow cost of building material in the
South Is partly offset by the higher cost
or the machinery due 20 the expense or
freight.
There Is large population at the
South eager ana anxious 10 work. The
class OF help at work in Southern mills
today is as good as can be found Ia the
whole country. They are native Ameri-
cans. with but a few foreigners among
them. The South Is IN this respect really
more American than the North. Taxes
In the Southern states are not half what
sney are with us. It has been found that
Southern men are more desirabie and eff
cient as sspersnsendents and overseers
than men brought from the North. as
they seem 10 understand and control thu
operatives better than Northern over
seersL
New England has. however, the advasa-
tage OF establishment which may be
termed the prestige OF priority. This IS a
tremendous advantage. and II we are not
Ierislated out os Il we shall hold IL for
aong time by sheer force OF New England
pluck and determination
In summing up his investigations ana
seeking 10 draw what conclusions he can
from them, Sir. Lowering says. 1T seems
10 me that the cotton manufacturers Of
New England are today IN a critical con-
dEtion. The tendency IL away FROM New
England and toward the South, ana any
legislation that stops looms ard spsndies
IN New England today for any consider
able period. stops many never TO be
started again
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