The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1895-04-20
COTTON MANUFACTURE.

NoSAiSdlt II E1SNCNbahh NHO SooS
the Tendency of Northern Cotton Mills
to Go South.
BosToN. April 13.-The legislative
committee on merchantile affairs,
which went south early in March to
investigate into the tendency of north
ern cotton mills to go south, and to
see what was the inducement for
them to go there, made a unanimous
report in the senate yesterday after
noon. The report is drawn by Senator
Darling, of Norfolk, chairman of the
committee, and both the representa-
tiEes of capital and labor who are on
the committee have harmonIzed their
views, so that all members could sign
the report.
The committee believe that there is
no immediate danger to the cotton
manufacturers of Massachusetts from
southern competition. The commit
tee could not learn that any Massa-
chusetts corporation has moved south,
"but the hum of the spindle is heard
more loudly in Massachusetts than
ever" During the last ten years much
Massachusetts capital has gone south
into cotton factories, and other capt.
talists are contemplating such invest
ments. Four Massachusetts corpora
tions have recently asked for permits
sion to carry on cotton manufacturing
in other states. They have not
fully decided to do this, but they
might do it if the inducements war
ranted. The report says that no actual
removal is to be considered by these
corporations. The advantages in the
south for cotton manufacturing do not
apply to all sections, for where coal is
cheap it may be difficult to obtain
labor. Where cotton is plenty it may
be very expensive to transport coal.
Where the water is good the cotton
may be poor. Not all the mills of the
south are making money, and many
which are not in operation may be
bought for less than the value of the
machinery.
In 1892 there was an Increase of $780,
600 in the number of spindles in the
whole country, and Is per cent of
them were in Massachusetts. In that
SNuI -C" DIu4OlN dIlu L Ill 1N-NCI dlOhC
gained more than all the southern
states combined. During 1898 and 1891
the gain in spindles in the southern
mills was 3S7.442, while in MaSsachu-
sets it was 319,737, showing a larger
gain in the south. In 1892 the south
had about 20 per cent. of the total in
crease. In 1898 and 1894 it had about
A. NJ oant aGEonhr,Got% hal nIort
sc per cent. of the two years in
creas in the country. There are now
20 new mills under construction in the
south, requiring 2s5, 900 spindles and
$4,000, 900 capital, making 4 total of
sos, 600, 900 capital and 1900, 900 spin
dies. The capital invested in New En-
gland alone in 1850 was S157, $50, $50;
in 1890 it was S243, 153, 249; in 1894 it was
S275, 900, 900. Thus, in IA years, the
south has increased its capital about
400 per cent. and New England - per
cent, showing that the tendency is to-
ward the south.
The committee says hat the south
shore of New England, by reason of
the humidity Of the climate, is the
DCSG oSCllOh. hOllh Ut SOuln, LOT COZ
ton manufacturing. The water power
of the south is intermittent and not to
be depended on. Most of the mills
visited were run by steam. The taxa
ton laws in Massachusetts would not
be burdensome were it not for exemp-
ton in the south, and there is an utter
lack of labor legislation there. In
Gan-rio fhA rarara ln,r+l ~ l.-
the mills is II hours and 50 minutes,
and many children from 7 to IL years
were found at work. Cheaper living,
cheaper tenements, less clothing and
heat required are conditions thai will
always make it possible for the south
ern labOrer to work for less money
than his northern competitor. The
committee say:
I'VE believe that our mill owners
stand ready to grant all proper de-
mandS of labor which do not, in their
belief, seriously imperil the success of
their operations, and we also believe
that labor will be quick to call a halt
in its demands, however just they may
seem, when it appears hat such sue
cess is imperiled."
They believe that labor should
equalize existing conditions before ad-
vancing further. The production of
the south must, for a long time, be of
the coarser grades of cloth, and by the
time the south can compete with the
east, Massachusetts, will have nothing
to fear. In the next ten years the
character of our product will prob
ably be greatly changed, and will be-
of a larger volume and greater
In conclusion, the report says:
1.-The committee believes that the
same pluck and enterprise that has al
ready planted $3.50, 900, 900 in profitable
in New England, will be able
to protect and increase hat invest
A recommendation is made that the |
be represented at the Atlanta ex-
position.
Didn't Care to Discuss the Alleged Georgia
TnnnhtDa |