The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1898-01-22
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SON1E FACTS ABOUT COTTON.

SOME FACTS ABOUT COTTON
The Development of cotton manufactnr-
ing in the South has commanded more
attention than any other industry in that
section, and Southern cstton mills have
probably been morc generally snccessf")
pecuniari)y than any otner Industrial en-
terpriso in any part Of the country. In
1850 the s. nth had 1870 cotton mills, with
capital Of $2l, 100000 These mills had
667, 800 spimllcs AVID $4,000 looms. BY 1880
the number had increased, according to
the consus report, tn PSI mills with $6l.
100, 700 capital, l,7l2,000 sp,ndles and 49,
600 looms. Since 1890 this business has
more than i"nhled, and at present tho
South has about 490 mills, representing
an investment Of nearly OLE, GOO, 900, AND
having 1, 10000 spindlcs and 1ts,O00
looms. That thore 10 no danger Of oyer.
doing the cotton manufacturing busihee
of tho South may be seen from tho fact
that there are in tho world abont 81, 900.
oo0 spindles, representing an investment
Of abont $1,000, OK, 900, and Of this vast
industry the United States have q little
more than ono-tifth in capital invested, Or
more than 500, 400, 900, aud only about
one-fifth Of tho total number Of spindlrs,
or 100000, notwithstanding tho fact
that the South produces more than 60 per
cent IF tho worlds cotton crop. For 100
years the Soutl, has been raising the cot
ton, shipping it t" New England and to
Europe, and permitting the manufacturers
to grow rich by turning it into tho knisl,-
ed prodnct. Ofall the vast wealth ot
material with which tho Sontl, Ia, been
80 abun'lantly blessed, there is no other
element, not even iron, equal to cotton in
its possibilities Of wealth creation for this
section. The 1900, 100000 year which
the cotton crop brings to tho South w"nld
be trsbled if it could bs manufactured at
home.
III the Mst twenty yeass the cotton
clops Of the Sonth have sold for an aggre-
gate Of about $500, 900. Before they
have reached tho consumer their value
has increased t." $4,000, 100000 or $50,
OOO, 000O, 900. This enormous business
creating wealth wherever established, is
tho prize for which the South has now h.
gun, to contend. Many years ago it was
vigorously claimed by the cotton manu-
tactnrers Of England that New England
could never become serious competitor
with their country IN cotton manufacture
ing. "Our climate" they said, sis better
suited for cotton: manufacturing, especially
for Eus goods. Our labor has had more e.
periense AMI is more skilled. Our capital
is more abundant and is cheaper" 70
their minds these arguments were convinc-
ing, but while they argued New England
went on bnil.ling mills and making cot
ton goods.
When the South hrst undertook to dc
vclop its cotton manufactures with any
vigor tho people Of New England ritlic"l-
oil its efforts aud declared that tho South
could mover develop large cotton mann.
featuring business. ,"lts climate" they
said, lis too enervatiny and hasn't the
degree Of moisture needed, as ours has !; it
has no skilled labor; capital is searcer
than with ns, and interest rates higher,
and, besides our Now England people arc
So energetic AMI 80 much better ablo t"
rotain their business than the Southern.
people are to win it away that the Ssntl.
will never become u serious competitor il.
cotton manufacturing. The people who
said these things and they included the
leading manufacturers and business mc,,
generally, honestly beloved their own ar.
guments. Matters did not work ont in the
way they predicted. The South was seen
to hs rapidly capturing the coarse cotton
traals and absolutely controlling it IN.
der these conditions it became necessary
to find some new arguments, anil then it
was unanimously decided by NIL Now
England following exactly Great Britain
in its arguments Of years ago 40 rotated ia
New England, that tho south could posi-.
bly, make coarse cotton successfully, bnt
it was out Of the question for it to spin
fine yarns. "New England" they said,
twill always retain its supremacy in fine
cottons.. Even today such claims are often
heard but they now sound like the grave
yard whistle. intended to bolster up cour.
age that is fast slipping away.
Starting without capital AMI with out
experience, tho South has already practi.
calIy monopolizsd the coarse cotton trade,
and is pushing into the finer goods with a
determination to capture that line. The
w0rlllh n0etls ara growing. 1ncreasino