The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1898-09-08
South in this light, we find a condition

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= timber 10 such vast quantities and capab
of being 80 cheaply utilized as to dicta'
the worlds prices, constituting basis 10
q the unlimited expansion Of all the indusi
lies employing these raw materials. Tax
cotton, to begin with Three-fourths
2 the worlds cotton crop is grown in tn
3 south. The capital invested in turnin
[ this cotton into the finished product
probably over 81 ,5OO,OO0,0OO. The pre-
eminent advantages of this section TO
growing cotton, whose Importance tn
: majority of :be people scarcely compre
bend, are not more striking than its ad
, vaniages for cotton manufacturing. Ad
, hitting this, we can form some idea o
/ what it would mean to find the South IL
the future manufacturing as much cottoI
as all the world now does. An investment
T in Southern cotton mills Of upward Of ,
billion and a half dollars would turn the
10000, 900 bales annually produced now
and worth to this section only 100000.
900 year, into the finished product worth
n billion dollars year. We may not dc
this in the near future, but il must come
Moreover, it should lie remembered that
the building of the Nicaraguan Canal and
the opening of the far East to the COM
merce OF the world, with America in the
lead, will create in China and Japan an
enlarged market for American cotton as
we'll as cotton goods. This, believe, was
estimated by Gen. Grant at FIVE million
bales or more year. Ex-Governor Hub
bard, of Texas, formerly Minister to Japan,
after a careful study of the situation in
the Far East, stated that with the Mica
araguan Canal in operation market
would he developed in the Eastern world
for not less than ten million bales of
American cotton. We are already pre-
ducing from 100000 to II 100000 bales
year, and with this possible expansion of
the Oriental demand, even if Gen. Grants
estimate is too large, and with the steady
broadening of the worlds requirements
for the consumption of cotton measures
the civilization Of every nation-it NAV
not be many years before to 100000
bales crop Of today shall have reached
20 900 900 bales.
"The production and manufacture of the !
bulk Of the worlds cotton is in itself
enough to enrich an empire and create
wealth beyond anything that the South
has dreamed of, and y ct cotton is only one
item of many in the South's great store
house.
Il take it that with this rapid expansion
of the worlds cotton requirements there
will be room enough for the profitable
operation Of many of New England's mills
on finer goods, while the South continues
TO extend its textile interests as rapidly
as the capital and needed skill can be sup
piled. Eventually it will dominate the
Offine goods as well as coarse.
The views so ably expressed recently by
Mr.. d. A. TOmpkins, Of Charlotte, N. c.,
o the effect that low priced cotton, instead
If being disadvantage to the South, is
lot an unmxed evil since it prevents the
arge development of cotton growing in I
ther countries and enables the South to {
maintain its world monopoly of this in
ustry and causes an increase OF cotton
in new fields as we'll as old L
re worthy of careful study by the South.
IL many senses cotton is still king in the
orld's business affairs, and the import
nee to our country that the South shall l
aintain and strengthen its dominating u
ostion in this staple cannot be overesti- u
ated. ] do hot recall any other instance u
here the production OF a great staple of
most universal consumption, the demand D
II which must necessarily increase year VI
year in proportion to the increase of ID
ealth and the progress Of civilization, is u
completely controlled by one section or ="
ZEN by one country as is the case with IN
C South and its cotton. With the cost III
fertilizers constantly decreasing by VI
ason of the phosphate discoveries in VI
orida and Tennessee, with the spread of tr
ltensive' farming and the consequent on
Wer actual cost reproducing cotton, with co
improved methods of handling this ca
iple from the gin to the mill now COM We
'nding general investigation, with the pr
reduction of cylindrical baling, it is pc
ly reasonable TO hope that even if prices th'
ntnue as low as for several wears past re:
net profits to the farmer will be great hi;
than in the past with high prices. do
tn this increased consumption of the Of
uth's chief staple and the multiplied
II OF Industries for the utilization of Eu
and other resources likely to result wit
m movements which the war will start unc
re will he added to the available wealth Gee
nose needing 1t most, viz, the land. VIII
ming classes, enough to contribute fro
'erially to the recoupment of the losses in
sed by the civil war. of I
oming to iron, believe it is uniyer. oou
y admitted that the South is today IAN
King iron at lower cost than any ana
rr country in the world, and Alabama IN
NV debating the price in the worlds
'keis Tor pig iron What it has done new
ron there Is reason to hope il is destin- oev'
o do in steel Ard Al,ha 49, il j