The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-12-23

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| modify CT expunge the various statutes
| regulating the hours Of mill labor, and
| suggests reduction of wages. The follow
| ing statement possesses interest for the
| South
! IL must be borne in mind that the prob
| lem which presents itself to us is how We
can sell any of cur goods In competition
with manufacturers who make them at .
| lower cost. We can not persuade those
| who still find a profit in running their
| mills to close their doors because we are
| losing money. Nor can we close our doors
| without strengthening the market for our
| business competitors, and encoura Sing
them to build more mills to undersell us.
| The real trouble with labor laws and labor
unions is not so much the inherent evil iii
them, but the fact that they do not bear
| equally upon the industry In all parts of
| the country. The present conditions Will
| substitute mills at the South yet 10 be
| erected for mills in New England already
] built. The policy which we recommend
| looks to an equalization OF the conditions
! of production as a necessary preliminary
| to an effective curtalment.
| We obtain our knowledge of the commit
| tees report from the very full synopsis
made by the Springfield Republican. SO
far as we can see there is not hint OF any
| Southern competition and labor laws. The
members OF the committee simply turn
| their backs on the real facts and seek rem
| edies that can have no more effect on the
| situation than the fall of a leaf has on the
revolution of the earth.
| To the Constitution and to all who will
| take an IMPARTIAL view of the situation the
statement that the growth of cotton manu-
| featuring in the South during the past
| four years has been of such character
| as to threaten the greatest industry of
! New England with annihilation, is simply
| prepcsterOus To discuss such a propo-
sition seriously Is to throw words away.
! 1t is the same as saying that an indutry
which has hardly gone beyond beginning
in the South has brought to the brink of
humiliation the most powerful industry
| in New England.
-Four years ago there was no such talk.
nor even such a thought. We have Ito
doubt the Springfield Republican perceiyes
what the real trouble Is, for it calls atten-
ton to a fact which the Arkwright club
| ignores. 1t asks. What about consume
| ton or the market for cotton goods?"
Here is the rub of the whole Situation.
The cotton mill men of New England ad-
init that there is no market for their
goods. that the people who once bought
are no longer buying. 1t seems to us that
IRIS trouble Is the one which should have
received the first and most patient investi-
CATION of the manufacturers And vet
they have ignored it entirely.
ii a doctor found a man with a car
buncle on the back of his neck and should
treat him for the measles, his profession
as well as the public would count him a
lool' lie couldn't escape the designation
But mere are business men of the highest
training and the widest experience who
hndlng that there is no market for their
goods, even at phenomenally low prices
advocate remedy that will result in the
production of more goods
There is a very good reason why they
90 not undertake to investigate the cause
lhat underlies MISREPRESENTATION The
moment they begin it they will find them
selves confronted by facts which they do
nor care TO uncover and these facts wouli
iead TO conclusions which they are not
prepared to accept. Undoubtedly some of
the manufacturers understand this, hut
they deem 1t best to say nothing about If
HOW does anybody know that there is
der-consumption of cotton goods? Be
cause the suggestions of common sense
are reinforced by facts We know thar tho
reputation OF the world has continued to
increase during the past four wears; we
aiso KNOW that our own population has
continued to increase: Furthermore we
know that the ability of the neople To
ouy mas been decreased by more than
one-half by the lower prices at which thev
are compelled to sell the products of their
iaoor. This fact has induced them to
practice the most rigid economy. In the
south we know that the old hand looms
nave been set TO work in CONJUNCTION with
the spinning wheel. There are not less
thah million people in this section. men
ana women who are now wearing home
in tbD r1o
uther cotton goods on sale in the stores
inere are TO- be seen on the streets of
Ati1dlta any day people from the country
VINO are clothed in home woven and home
made goods, even including their hats.
NOW behind the fact that the PEOPLES
purchasing power in the markets has
neen reduced more than one-half during
the last four years will be found an ex-
pianation of the condition of the cotton
nnils' why have prices of products fallen
20 low! Is over-production the cause
lias there been an overproduction of the |
materials That go to make wealth? Those
VINO believe so are welcome to the deIu
sion. Have prices fallen because Of i'm.
proved machinery and methods? If that |
were the case the people would he better |
epie 10 buy now than ever because THAR |
small returns would represent larger nrof. |
us otlerwise, improved machinery and |
methods are curse instead of a blessing |
to mankind.
AL TINS point We are willing to leave |
me whcle matter with the New England |
manufacturers If they can cure under |
consumption by a reduction of wages or nv |
increasing production. well and good We |
are perfectly satisfied to have them make |
an experiment that seems to us extraordi |
nary They would have a larger share
OF our sympathy and respect, however.
!! they, would face the facts of the situa-
tion' and, driven by their real and I'M
oyuoteu interests say to the gold trust
~ mus. ABOUT lace You are killing
the goose that lays New England's golden
egg" eo'ueh
WHAT THE LAW DECIDES.
rule of the board of health excludes