The Robesonian. [volume] (Lumberton, N.C.) 1870-current, 1897-05-05
What the South has Done ard is Doing,
Wilmington Messenger

The North is even now trying to
make it appear that there is moth
ing to fear in Southern rivalry in
cotton milling-that it amounts
to bat little and SO on ad nauseam.
We gave sample Of this foolish
talk lately. In the mean time it
IS certain the South is pressing on
and at present the only part Of |
the country showing great activity |
III charging mills and construct
ing new ones is in this very de-
splsed and misrepresented South.
The trade jourals report great pro-
gfess. Of course, much that is
reported does not materialize, but
there is great deal Of solid basis
Ito the reports as O whole The
South is a great section, with ex-
raordinary advantages, and offers
vast opportunities to investors.
1t needs friendly legislation, but
not of the robber sort. Repre-
sentative John l.. McLaurin made
a very instructive and useful
speech in the House recently. He
is of South Carolina, and what he
said concerning the opportunities
and advantages Of this great sec
ton 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 we'll 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 few
points gathered here and there
l that may not be overlooked. There
are 1873, 100000 acres of virgin for
ests in the South, and the timber
is in great variety-pine, walnut,
/ hickory, oak, cypress, cherry and
: so on. He says that there are
r enormous stores of granite, mar
bic and sandstone; phosphate
!. rock in wonderful abundance, and
II in some places, as he learns, coal.
e iron ore and limestone close to.
: gether in the same range, "a con.
Il dition that exists nowhere else IL
; the world.
d Last years cotton crop of th'
IL South was o,837 600 bales, or S:
II per cent. Of the whole world S pro
1t dnction, and brought more none,
70 from abroad than all other agri
5, cultural products combined TIL
is total cotton production since 179
IL at its price in gold each year, i
lie reckoned at $15, 200, 900, ,0O0-il
g exacter figures, at SD, ,998, ,588, ,43O
,, The exports alone for the centur
III or since 1895, have brought u
4, SO, 400, ,000,00 Last year th
be South produced 629, ,392, SCI pound
d of sugar, 2S,617,076 gallons c
Le molasses, and 158, ,665,440 pound
IS Of rice, although Of each of thes
pt articles far more was imported.
OH manufactures are growing enol
eh mously at the South" 1t
~ claimed that they doubled in tt
nt- decade, 1S80-0O, and have nearl
le- doubled already since 1890. tt
'ly capital invested is put at $12O
les coo, 600. 'In 1880 the cotton see
1,a m oil capital was &3, 100000, al
er- now it is over $40, ,OOO 900; in 18$
of the South made 397 900 tons
nd pig iron, and in 1895 it made
IO2,S ,SSO tons; IN lS9O It's coal on
So ~, put was 100000 tons, and nc
vas it is at the rate Of 100000
the Low cost of labor, freedom fro
ali strikes, nearness to the cott'
est fields and low taxes all favor t
~. M mills of the South After awhi
+1,e with the dissemination Of fac
Ier and more willing and friend
her spirit on the part of the Northe
ad- press towards the South the trr'
W will be found and Northern ca
tes.
the talists will be more anxious
the seek investments in the sun
heir land, so favored of God, and
H. I o1,111