The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-04-09
Coming south.

Coming south
The New England papers are giving a
/ good deal OF attention 10 the competition
/ the mills in that section are encounter
ing from the cotton mills OF the south.
They frankly admit that the southern
mills have advantages which the mills or
New England cannot overcome, particu-
larry in the manufacture Of the coarser
grades Of goods. Recently the Lawrence
Manufacturing Company Of Lowell. Mass.
voted to recommend the stockholders 10
sell the weaving plant Of the company ana
TO turn their whole attention 10 the pro-
duction Of hosiery. There are other com
panies that are adopting a similar policy
on the ground that they cannot compete
with the south in the manufacture or
certain grades Of goods.
1t can be stated with much certainty
that it is only a question Of very few
years when the bulk Of southern cotton
will be manufactured near the cotton
fields. The New England manufacturers
appear to find some consolation in two
things. One is that New England will
retain control Of the manufacture of the
finer cotton fabrics. and the other is that
labor conditions similar 10 those which
exist in the north will soon prevail in
the south. In support of this view they
point to labor strikes in the south, two
of which have occurred within the last
three weeks.
1t does not seem to us that much con-
ISOLATION is TO be obtained from either OF
these things. There is no reason why the
finer grades Of goods should not be man.
ufaetured in the south. The only thing
lacking is skilled labor, and it is not
impossible to get that. On the contrary,
it is easily obtainabe. In fact a great
deal of it has been obtained already. ana
cotton products are being turned out that
are as fine as any that are produced In
the north. There is a large quantity or
labor in the south that can be educated
easily and quickly to do as good work as
is done by the best operatives in nortn-
ern mills. No, there will be no trouble in
respect to labor, however extended cot
ton manufacturing in the south may be-
come. quite recently a prominent New
England manufacturer, on a visit to the
south. expressed the opinion that before
long there would be plenty of mills in
the south engaged in producing the very
best grades of cotton fabrics
No doubt there will be strikes 1t would
be remarkable II there should not be,
but it will be a long time before mill
operatives viii dominate factory COM
panies in the south as they do in
New England. The native labor is very
conservative. and the black labor is dis
posed to be reasonable. But even if there
should be labor troubles it wouldn't fol-
low that the manufacture of high-grade
cotton goods couldn't be carried on in
the south. 1t has been carried on in
New England for many years, and there
is no reason why it should not be car
ried on in the south. The southern eli
mate is even more favorable than that
ing All that has kept the manufacturing
OF high-grade goods out Of the south is
the want of capital-a want that is not
likely TO exist many years longer, be-
cause the south is steadily becoming rich
er. and. besides. much northern capital
is being invested in the south.
The things to which the New England
papers are calling attention as obstacles
in the way of cotton manufacturing on a
large scale in the south are not likely to
alarm southern people or cause them to
relax their efforts to build up their cotton
manufacturing interests.