Birmingham state herald., 1896-03-01

Total ... ....... .s737. .4NS, ,143 s1. .160 965. 500 As the south has only one-third of the population of the entire country 1t ap- pears that of these crops the south pro- duces $33 per capita, while the balance of the union produces only $29 per capita.
 The growth of other products-of lum- Der and naval stores, and of fruits and vegeta bies and increase of cattle and stock will run the total for the south up to $1,000, 100000.
 Natural Counties.
 The great machinery-using nations of the world England. France and Ger many have exhausted every means to produce cotton in competition with the south; but. after thrty-fve years of un- remtting effort they have failed to find the soil and climatic conditions necessary for the production of the south's great staple. While science and discovery have made wonderful progress, no ex- plorer in the areana of nature in the worlds wide domain has been able to discover elsewhere than in the south, the conditions necessary for the produc- tion of cotton The south stands in no danger from the competition of Egypt, China and India.
 he Cotton Industry.
 It has been long step from the in- ventions Of Eli Whitney and Hargraves to the staple into the finer fabrics of the New England mills. The time was when the SOuCn was content tO piOuuCc tHC perfectng machinery that converts sta- ple and permit New and Old England to manufacture it. But the day will come when the south will manufacture her own cotton. Georgia and South Carolina have set the pace for the south. Twenty odd years ago, Spartanburg county had A few thousand dollars in yarn mills; now the same county has over $5,000 900 in mills that run nearly 100000 spindles This year. South Carolina converts into goods four-fifths of her cotton. Next year she will consume all that she pro duces.
 Augusta has over $5, 5,000, ,00O invested in cotton factories. giving steady employ ment to several thousand native whites. who make the most reliable and expert oDeratiyes in the world. Most of the new factories have been in operation for fifteen years They have never been shut down on account of dull times. Their dividends have been good and regular. averaging at least per cent This is true of the mills in the south that are conducted on business principles In North Carolina, South Carolina. Georgia. Alabama and Mississippi the cotton industry has grown prodigiously within the last fif- teen years The invested capital has in- creased from $22. .000. 900 to slI0.000.000 and the cotton used from 100000 to 1000 000 bales which is about one-thifd of the amount consumed in the United States. I have it from mill president that be converts cent cotton into 1s cents goods that Is to say. one pound of cotton cost ing cents will make goods that sell Tor 19 cents At this rate of increase the 1000. .000 bales consumed in the south at $40 per bale would be worth. when cpl- verted into goods. S35.0Oo,000, and the 5000. .00e bales. if made only into un- bteached or brown goods, would be worth s.85. .000. GOO; but when beached and made into domestic and dress goods. as in the New England mills. the product Is large iy increased in value. If it W gre possible for the south to manufacture own