The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1897-02-04

! AhO FANHHI"EcS vi Tue cWilD OFei
the East, though often exaggerated, are
manifold. The East makes up fol
ina;if ct lis disadvantages rs compared
with the South 10y rs greater capIta
and superior credit, ITS quicker adap*
ability in selling upon and executing
new ideas, and its diversity of fabrics
though in the latter respect, the South
as indicated above, has recently been
keeping up with the procession. Dur
ing the last year those OF the Southern
mills manufacturing brown goods
which have had an established reputa
ton in foreign markets for their brands
have done much better than those
which depended entirely upon our own
home market, and the writer believes
that if the policy of this governments
were such that we could extend our
trade over the world in all lines of cot
ton manufacture. the South could COM
pete on favorable terms with any of the
markets of the world. While it is true
that the English manufacturer has
cheaper capital and better credit, and
the japanese and Chinese cheaper labor,
and Notwithstanding the cost OF equip
ping our mills, largely through the
operation of tariff duties on machinery,
is say SIS to 500 per spindle as against
81 to $40 in Lugland, it is still true
that our mills manufacturing for export
have managed to pay dividends. When
our manufacturers learn what the
farmers have had to learn, that no DOS
slble legislation of Congress can give
them permanent prosperity, that they
must depend for success upon their
own fight and their own igenulty, and
upon the law of demand and supply laid
down in the markets of the world
when that day comes, as it will, though
possibly not in our generation, then we
may look for North Carolina to be
among the greatest cotton manufacture
ing sections of the world.
Eventually, print cloth mills, bleach
ing, dyeing and printing establishments
must be built in the State if we are to
reach the highest development in cot
ton manufacturing; but these establish
ments require, comparatively speaking,
al enormous outlay of permanent cap
tal investment. This capital must be
obtained outside of the State or from |
capital yet to be made by the citizens
II the State. Such mills can only be
quilt by corporations, few individuals
'eing wealthy enough to undertake
uch enterprises single-handed. If the
legislation OF the State against corpora
Ions and against the manufacturing
interests of the State does not develop
90 radical a form, the establishment
II those enterprises may be hoped for
n the not far distant future.
Eastern cotton mills have had and
re still having hard time, and those
Which come in competition with the
gently built mills of the South and
nth the Southern product generally.
ave a most serious condition confront
lg them. Our new Southern mills,
enerally speaking, have been built
18th the newest and most improved
and on tho latest and most
plans while large number
New England mills are antlquated
their machinery and methods OF
manufacture. Until these mills finally
include to give up the ghost of COM
etition with our Southern mills, and
ntll the demand for fabrics in the
nited States reaches the present
1ormous producing capacity of our
d mills and those recently built, all
us are likely to have a period in
hich economy and hard work will be
The piedmont region of the South, ,
ID especially North Carolina, is the ]
ost favored region of the country In
;lich to locate cotton manufacturing $
lterprises. Its mild and equable ell
ate is tree from the extreme cold
hlch forces the New England mills to
divide heat at great cost and which is 4
other ways drawback. t
A school in the South providing 8
ientitc and technical education IN II
ton manufacturing is almost essen- S
u to the development of its cotton t
dustry. In the meantime those who a
we achieved success in that lire and .
Q interested in the building up of a
cir section should aid their country
providing the possibility of an edu- a
ton in the textile schools of the C
'rth to those of the younger genera 81
N who are expected to devote their
ergies to the cotton manufacturing
siness. 1t would be very advants- b
Gus If this education would include r
ldV ut English 1nstitufiono of the,