The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-04-04
Cotton MilIs North and south.

The speech of Representative Griggs of
Georgia upon the cotton mill situation
North and South, in reply to a speech by
Chairman Dingley of the ways and means
committee, has been printed in pamphlet
form, and should be given wide circula-
ton. 1t contains a great deal of informa
ton which will no doubt prove of much
interest to the cotton manufacturers of
MIR. Dingley's own state, who, finding their
profits shaved down to the disappearing
point, may be contemplating a change to
a situation Offering better advantages than
those to be had in the cold, northeast cor
rfer of the country.
Chairman Dingley had charged that
lower wages and longer hours of labor in
the mills of the South, consequent upon
lower standard of living, were the occa-
sions and causes of the distress in cotton
manufacturing in New England. Repre-
sentative Grggs took just the opposite po-
siton; that cotton manufacturing in the
South is the result, not the cause, of the
depression in New England. In connec-
ton with this he showed-showed conclu-
sively by evidence that cannot be i'm
peached-that the standard of living is moi
lower in the South than in the North; if
anything it is higher, for the sufficient rea-
son that given sum of money will go fur
Their in the South than in the North. Those
things which are necessaries of life in the
South cost less than those things which
are necessaries in the North Fuel is one
article in point and wearing apparel is an.
other The long and severe winters In the
North cali for considerable. expenditures
for fuel and heavy wooden garments, while
in the South the winters are short and
mild. In the North fresh meats and veg
etables cost much more than do similar
articles in the South. In the North the
cost of comfortable home made secure
from the frost is much greater than sim
ilarly comfortable home in the South,
hence rents are lower here. In short,
greater amount of comfort can be secured
with a less expenditure of money in the
South, hence the fact that wages are
little lower in the South than in the North
is by no means an evidence that the stan
dard of living is lower in the former than
| in the latter. So much for that point
Lower wage scales and longer hours.
however are far from being the only ad-
vantages possessed by the South over the
| North, and Representative Griggs clev-
erly proves this by letters from both New
England and Southern cotton mill men
who are thoroughly familiar with the sit
uaton. A mill man who removed from
Mr.. Dingley's own state to Georgia, and
according to his testimony secured an ad
vantage amounting to 1878 per cent in his
favor by the change, names among the ad-
vantages possessed by the South, climate,
cheapness of raw material, cheapness of
fuel and saving in freights. Another mill
man who removed here from New Eng
land adds free water power low taxes, and
old-fashioned laws to the list. Still an
other mentions, in addition to the fore
going, new and improved machinery and
quick and satisfied employees. Some of
the mill men assert that there is actually
very little difference in the level of wages
paid North and South. President Estes
of Augusta says his mills are paying as
much as the Fan RIVER mills VIII pay I'M
der their new schedules for certain classes
of goods. The advantages of the South
are natural, and cannot be controlled by
legislation in favor of some other and less
fortunate section.
Representatives of the New England Sec
ton are fond of telling the people of the
South that the way for them to become
more prosperous is to diversity their in
dustries; that they are planting too much
cotton. Representative Griggs makes
neat point by telling the New Englanders
that what they need is more diversified
ton of their industries; that they are
manufacturing too much cotton; that too
many cotton mills stand as immovably in
the path of New England progress as do
too many cotton bales in the path of
Southern progress" New England must
sooner or later come to a realization of
the fact that she cannot compete with the
South in the cotton manufacturing bust
| ness, hence 1t is better for her TO prepare