The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-04-30
WHAT THE SOUTH HAS DONE AND
IS DOING.

w " ~ l. nc
it appear that there is nothing to fear
in southern rivalry in cotton milling
that it amounts to but little and so on
ad nauseam. We gave a sample Of this
foolish a. lately. In the mean
time 1t is certain the south is pressing
on and at present the only part of the
country showing great activity in en-
larging mills and constructing new ones
Is in this very despised and misrepre-
sented south. The trade journals re-
that is reported does not materialize,
but there is a great deal of solid basis
to the reports as a whole. The south is
a great section, with extraordinary ad-
to investors. 1t needs friendly legisla-
ton, but not of the robber sort. Rep
resentative John L.. McLaurin made a
very instructive and useful speech in
the house recently. He is Of South Car
DINA, and what he said concerning the
opportunities and advantages of this
great section was timely. instructive
and interesting. 1t has attracted at
tention in the north as we'll as in the
south. What he said is not positively
new to well informed southrons. but
it will instruct the great body of the
people in all the sections if generally
read. We cannot undertake to quote
at much length, but there are a few
pOiptS gathered here and there that
may not be overlooked There are 1885,
900, 900 acres of virgin forests in the
south, and the timber is in great va
riety-pine, walnut, hickory, oak, cy-
press, cherry and SO on. He says that
there are enormous stores Of granite,
marble and sandstone; phosphate rock
in wonderful abundance, and, in some
places, as he learns, coal, iron ore and
limestone close together in the same
range, "a condition that exists nowhere
else in the world
Last years cotton crop Of the south
was 9,S37,0O bales, OF 50 per cent. Of
the whole worlds production, and
brought more money from abroad than
all other agricultural products COM
bined.' The total cotton production
since 1870, at it's price in gold ZACH year,
is reckoned at SIS, 200, 900, OOO-in exacter
, figures, at $14, 1898, 5S8, 43O. The exports
alone for the century, or since 1875,
have brought us SIC. 400, 900, 900. Last
year the south produced 729, 1892, SCI
! pounds Of sugar. 37.617,O 7 gallons OF
rooIocsoc and 1eS eeS d10 mounds Of rice
although of each Of these articles far
more was imported.
Manufactures are growing enor-
mously at the SOUTH It is claimed
that they doubled in the decade, 1S88-90
and have nearly doubled already since
1890. The capital invested is put al
$12O, 600, 900. I'm 1880 the cotton seed OF
capital was $500, 900, and now it is
over $50, OOO, 600; in 1880 the south made
1897, 900 tons of pig iron, and in 1895 il
made 1,7O2, $50 tons; in 1890 it's coal out.
put was 5000, 900 tons, and now it is al
the rate of 80, 900, 900. Low cost of labor
freedom from strikes, nearness to the
!! cotton fields and low taxes all favor
the mills of the south" After awhile
with the dissemination of facts, and
more willing and friendly spirit on thu
part of the northern press towards thu
south HI truth will be found anG
ious to seek investments in the sunny
land. so favored of God, and so abound.
ing in opportunities.