The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-12-11
NEW ENGLAND AND The SOUTH.


me that should, and doubtless will, al
Tact wide attention, which came frol
Sew England yesterday in the summin
up by the treasurer of one of the Fal
River mills of the cotton mill condition
here. The treasurer speaks as follows
'"INhe key to the whole situation,
he said, is the relative cheapness of
Southern labor, which could not be
better shown than by the fact that it
costs a mill in Georgia or North Car
slina 3E cents to produce pound of
material and in New England 8
cents
Nv 18th this fact in mind, it is evi-
dent that the cut of 10 per cent. is
not going to help matters much, and
the only thing that will do any good
1T present will be radical cut of,
say, 20 or 20 per cent. This would
inevitably bring on a strike, but with
q cut of 10 or IL per cent, he says.
there would be little likelihood of a
strike, as the operatives are well ac-
Quainted with the conditions and
know that reduction of some kind
is necessary. Even this would still
leave difference of about % per
cent. in the cost of labor in favor of
the Southern mills, too great diff
ference to struggle against success
fully.
SIN the first place. says the
~, ha
every natural advantage. They have
cheaper cotton and less burdensome
taxation. Some of the big mills in
Fall River, for instance, have a
yearly payment of $4,000, $4,000,
and even $4,000, in taxes to make,
whereas, in Georgia and North Car
DINA the mills are, in many in
stances exempted from taxation for
ten or twelve years.
ut is in labor, however, that the
great difference lies, according to
the official quoted, for labor in the
South is as good as it is here, and,
taken as a wnole, is about SO per
cent. cheaper.
Southern mills have is not being
hampered by legislation. In Mas
sachusetts the hours of labor are linn
tied to ffty-eight hours a week,
while in the South they are unlim-
tied.
"The only hope for the New Eng
land mills. according to the speaker,
is either in the improvement of the
print cloth market or in general
evening up of conditions between
the North and the South"
Beyond the sharp contrasts outlined
ere in vital facts and figures, there
ONES an outflow of suggestion, if we
,ould indulge ourselves for a moment
here could, for instance, be no more
triking evidence of the South's strone
Dsition in cotton milling that that which
there's in the willingness, as stated, OF
ven New England operatives to be re
igned, in their consciousness of condi
ons, to a 10 per cent. reduction il
rages. But it seems that this viii
ring little relief, as the South viii theI
e at an advantage of about % pei
mt. in the cost of labor. AS whole, il
ehooves us to be thankful that such 6
tate of facts may exist consonantly
18th both the comfort and the content
rent of those here employed. This, we
re certain, is true North Carolina
nd, we believe,of the o. Or Southern cot
IN manufacturing States. The closenes.
( the cotton field, the kindness Of ths
Innate and the cheapness of living are
( course, largely instrumental TOWARD
he coexistence of such cheapness o.
abor with such comfort and content
nent. And to these two results NOR,
than to any other cause o
auses may be attributed the fact tina
he relation between employer and EN-
loyed remains in simple form, withou
he tangle Of complex environments on
4 which, for the most part and neces
arily, legislation must accumulate.
1t would not seem that we should los
his advantage, inasmuch as the ele
nents, Of the cotton field, the climat
md cheap living will remain constant.
At any rate, with the present charac
er of our labor, we may look forwar
o further accentuation Of the contrast
noted by the Fall River treasurer.
1t may, however, be stated that,
such advantages continue with the
upon New England, many q
it's operatives, with the consequent II
crease of Southern cotton mills, may b
A.aotod iaifhor nv, ak Ia rnaro fhan