Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-03-16
Some Interesting Figures.

| ana Consumption III VIC NliAtu ctuN'-7
during the last decade, compiled by
Edward f. Leland & Co of Boston, are
| full of interest, and especially 80 to
the people of the North. who have at
last been brought to a full appreciation
Of Southern competition in the manu-
features of this product. In 1SS7-SS the
cotton crop in this country covered an
area of 1861. 900 acres. and amounted
! to 1.046. 500 bales In 1885,, the acreage
had increased to 22.34l 90, and the
yield to s. 1871 900 1t is estimated that the
cotton crop in this country for 1897 y
900 bales. 1t has been feared that this
| was a larger production than could be
absorbed with profit in manufacturing
enterprises, and this fear has served to
| force prices down to lower level than
| has been reached, with one exception.
| in the last fifty years. The fact re-
| mains, however. that the worlds con-
sumption of cotton has steadily in
creased. In 1SS7-SS it was S134. 900. while
in 1861 it had reached 10. 267. 900 bales
and it is estimated that in 1898 it vii!
reach 1926 900 bales. a regulation
bale of cotton contains 500 pounds The
average price of cotton in 1888 was
! 1927 per pound In 1868 it was 80?
During January of the present year
March options sold at 5.63, May at SO
and August at 5.Sl Nevertheless
Messrs Leland & Co. find that the pros
pect for cotton is by no means as dark
as some people imagine, and indicate
that there is much of hope in the out
look. They call attention to the fact
that the worlds visible supply OF cot
ton today is smaller by 100000 bales
than it was in March, 1885, and express
the opinion that should the acreage
which is now being put into cotton,
prove materially smaller than last
years planting. or should the summer
be unpropitous for the growth of thu
IIdIlt, ti1t StIlSdtlotlAl duNdHtt II
prices of 1893 would be easily eclipscd."
So much for the general crop outlook.
Now let us look for a moment at the
relative consumption of raw cotton III
the North and in the South during the
decade In lSS7-SS, the North consumed
1872. 900 while the total consumption il
the South amounted to but 400 600 bales.
In 1869 the north consumed l,U6o0"
bales. while the consumption i'll the
two and half times what it was in
1887 SIS. In other words while the con-
sumption of raw cotton III
the North increased only lJ2 900
bales in the decade, the con
sumption in the South increased So.
600 bales. During the same period tn
number of spindles in the North in
creased from l2,300, 900 to 1890, 600, 4
gain of 10000 while those In thr
South increased from 1.e50. 900 TO $50.
900. gain of 20U0,ooo.
These figures show that the South
has become a most formidable and
growing competitor of the North in
cotton manufactures. AT the first
thought It might seem that the South
had very great advantage over tn
North in this industry in its ability to
produce its raw material in its own
territory. The fact should be borne in
mind. however. that freights
have beer very low for some years past
and the comparatively small amount
that Southern mills might save on the
item of transportation would be consid-
erably more than offset by their lack
of water powers. and the consequent
additional expense of running their
machinery.
If this We're all that entered into the
problem we are inclined to think that
the North would have a shade the bet
ter of it. But this is not all. The ad
vantage which the Southern mills have
in competition arises chiefly from the
differences in labor conditions. In this
respect the South is far behind the age. |
The hours of labor are not regulated
there by law as is the case in most Of
the states. There are no statute pro-
visions against the employment If
minors, and Child labor" enters largely |
into the cheapening Of production
Men. women and children work from
eleven TO twelve hours a day there for
less money than is paid tor
nine or ten hours of similar
work in the North. and strikes are un-
known All this is wrong Ten hours
is long enough working day for any
one. Indeed we are inclined to believe
that the way of progress lies along the
line of still greater shortening of the |
hours of labor This movement
There arc three conditions.