The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1897-11-04
Some Industrial Facts.

The reeelt meeting of the New Eng
land Cotton Manufacturers in Philadel-
ph.a brings out some interesting facts.
The Philadelphia Press has the follow-
ing suggestive review:
Although there were cotton mills in
this country before the revolutionary
war, and this country is the only one
which does not have to import the raw
mat erial, yet oui Manufacture cannot
hold the home market For the fiscal
year of 1896 the imports of manufactured
cotton goods aggregated in valve $780,
o6-.tz1. For eight months of the cal
endar year 1897 the imports were i'll
value $24,656,S72. The fiscal year 1897
shows a laags increase in importations
over 1896. For eight months of 1897
the exports of manufactured goods were
in value sos ,622-juSt about ONE
third in value of the imports. The eX
ports for those eight months were only
$263666 in value greater than for the
corresponding months of last year. That
is not a oreditable showing.
Great Britain alone exported to this
country IN the eight months ending with
August cotton goods equal in value, at
prices in England, 10 total value OF
the exports from this country. But
Germany sent here in the same time
over $7,000,000 worth, at the prices in
other nations sent additional millions Of
dollars worth. The singular fact in
connection with these imports is that the
raw material was first exported from
the United States and then brought back
here after being manufactured, and sold
practi, ally shut out the foreign product
And that has been done in some other
Industries where the raw material is all
found here, though the foreign competi-
tor also gets his raw material at home.
AS between this country and Europe
relatively higher wages are paid in the
iron and steel than in the cotton mills.
Both Industries have been equally well
protested since 1890. If anything, the
cotton men have been better protected.
Then why are they not able to hold the
home market?
This is discreditable and an inexcus-
ablf showing for the United States.
There has been ample time to acquire
technical training in this country. There
is no good reason why the finer goods
should be imported. 1t is true that Eng
land, Germany and France have good
textile schools, but there are also a few
in America, and there is wealth and en-
terprise enough here to establish more OF
them.
The Americans are still exporting cot
ton goods of the cheaper gra les, rcqu;r-
ing no great skill in their production.
In 1896 this country's exports aggregated
only SO, $4,000. Great Britain, without
pound of native raw cotton, spins and
weaves over n per cent. of the cotton
goods Purchased by ,thsr nations. whila
tine United Staes supplies less than 8
per cent, though 1t produces more than
onc-haif II the c,ton grown in the
world.
It Is admitted that this state of affairs
is due to the better technical training of
the British. This is shameful explana,-
tion for this country. The people are
bright, inventive and Industrious and
they learn every trade easily. Every
pound of American cotton should be
manufactured here in the south, and If
textile schools will bring about that re-
suit each southern state should estab-
lish and support one. This is the surest
road to independence and wealth.