New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-05-08
ALARMED AT SOUTHERN COMPETITION.
NEw-ENGLANp COTTON MANUFACTURERS FAcx
TO FACE WITH THREATENING CONDITIONS.

NEW-ENGLAND COTTON MANUFACTURERS fAOA
TO FACE WITH THREATENING CONDITIONS.
To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: Manufacturers in the East. especially those
in Rhode Island and Massachusetts. have been OF
late in a thoughtful frame of mind regarding the
question OF Southern competition that has recently
been brought TO their notice in such manner as TO
command the serious attention. Hitherto
many have refused 10 admit or possibly have been
blind the evident drift OF manufacturing In GER
tain classes Of cotton fabrics toward the South and
the general disposition has been 10 Ignore that sec
ton as a competitor in any except the coarser and
heavier goods. The first rude awakening came
when Fall River and other mill-owners found the
marke, for the manufactured products In which
they thought they held monopoly passing away
from them the South In consequence or their De-
ing largely undersod.
The situation called for investigation, and the
further they proceeded the more enigmatical the
case became The obvious fact confronted them
that in the face Of the prolonged business depres-
sion the Southern cotton mills had continued run
ming to their full capacity while those in Fail
River and it's vicinity had not only restricted their
output recently through concerted action. but in
period Of three and half years the factories nave
been closed in all nearly quite six months. The
situation was made more difficult OF solution from
the further fact that all this time the South has
gone on constructing more mills or increasing the
capacity OF those in operation while even now
many larger and finer ones are projected
In this perpexing condition the Manufacturers
Association Of Fall River decided 10 send down
South and spy out the land" and they selected
three leading manufacturers. all experts in mill
affairs. for this important undertaking. After
careful and prolonged investigation OF the manu-
featuring section of North Carolina South Caro-
lima and Georgia, they have recently returned home
and though not bringing. like the trusted spies ot
Old any massive bunch OF fruit from the sunny
South they have come back laden down with the
air IN IN sea
land OF promise for manufacturing industries. and
those who have heard their report have evidently
thought, II they have not declared, that the half
had been told
The reports these three gentlmen all sub
stantialy agree. and they bristling with facts
of the deepest interest cotton mill owners
throughout New England and elsewhere at the
North. That Of President Sanford OF the Sanford
Spinning Company, more complete, though no less
interesting than others, substantially as fol-
lows:
While the Northern manufacturer has been argu-
ing and specializing az 10 what his Southern COM
petitor would be able TO accomplish ard While many
people felt no fear OF any danger that the South
would be able compete. much TO my astonish-
I find fro n personal inspection during the
last ten days among of the mills of the
South that they have successfully solved the prob
lem Of cotton manufacturing and are now making,
and have been making for some time, fabrics and
yarns equal to our New England mills, and for less
cost.
They are selling them to our customers. supplant;,
ing productions to an alarming extent, and
FrOn
they enabled in their fine y equipped and we'll
organized mills, by good and cheaper labor, TO make
profit even on present ae2resIed market prGes
facture without loss.
condition confronts US, and is no longer theory
speculation but fact on certain tabrics and
Lowell and in w-England generally, embracing
goods and yarns up to and including iOs, they are
MAKE fabrics calling for sos and COS yarn.
There has been great deal said during the last
Ave HON 10 NET he
operative that he is not able TO do as much work
ana as well as his Northern competitor ma me
very quickly adapt themselves 10 the Work. are
eager to learn happy ana Gon{ehtgd WIN no tTe
They want work. are industrious ard are proud OF
Wood is used largely; two cords Of wood, agans:
one ton OF coal costing for same 81 Is per cord or
be had cheap costing according location s. 80
TO 81 % per ton, Some mills located on fine water
powers are making great saving. Alabama exempts
from taxation for ten years all corporations locat-
In North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia
taxes are very low One mill which ! visited hay-
annGm Such mill in FAN River viii pay $500
tax. All the large mills are paying almost no tax
The mills recently built and now under construc-
on by our Leading mill architects, located IN the
Piedmont belt are the equal Of anything IN New
England, both in design, construction ana equip
them complete. They have also reduced the cost of
building OF 800 per spindle formerly down TO SIS ami
SIS including tenements for help owing to being
mills with half of the machinery for carding and
Operating their carding and spinning day and night.
thus supplying the looms for the days run. This
enables them 10 get the production of 10 0O-spin-
die mill and having 10 buy equipment for only
II is yerv cIea- we cannot stand in Massa chuset:s
any more adverse legislation against our industries,
for the Southern mills can MAKE DIVIDENDS while
their Northern competitors are selling goods az cost
And in proof OF this. many OF the Southern cor
dividends during the hard times Of the last twelve
months.
This most complete and interesting resume OF
the situation OF Southern textile industries confirms
the informa ton which has been gathered from time
TO time through reliable sources in this city ana
elsewhere and clearly indicates that we are IN the
midst OF changes that amount 10 revolution IN
the manufacture of cotton fabrics IN TINS country
The more hopeful views OF Leontine Lincoln one
OF the largest mill stockholders in Fall River the
fruit OF independent Investigations In "A more nm
tied area OF the South which have been published
do not materially change the situation.
The homely but expressive query, what are
Won going TO do about it," demands solution, ana
Northern cotton-mill owners cannot thrust II ASIDE
unanswered even II they would. II is possible
that spl,rred on by the necessities Of the stua-
ton, Northern manufacturers may ma the soiu-
ton, OF the problem within their reach and not so
dificult as would AT first appear. The very IN
stability Of their present situation may lead mem
TO advance 10 a securer position IN the producIion
of a finer class OF fabrics in which the superior
skilled labor of the North VIII find an ample held
free from the competition OF the south TOT a iohs
neriod TO come. There Is apparently unlimited
opening at the North for the employment OF capta
and labor in tho production or the mulilIarlous
products OF the loom In which England ana tne
joyed an almost entire monopoly The recent
movement in the production or linen goods IN
norations OF New England Is an earnest OF what
NAV be attempted in other directions which Juds-
nnssf1l establishment of and important textile
Industries through me untrammehed exercise Oh
American skill anu GEORGE L. DALE.
Sew-York. May /. 1857.