The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1898-02-17
The SOuth's Opportunity.

tunlties for industrial development ever
presented to the south, and the Manu-
facturers' Record Publishing Co., in
furtherance of its work for this section,
undertakes to send to every cotton
mill in the New England and middle
states not now a subscriber, and to
leading cotton mill investors, q copy of
the Manufacturers Record every week
for the next three months, and to keep
in close touch by correspondence with
these mills. We believe that this is
one of the most important efforts which
the Manufacturers Record has ever
made in behalf of southern develop
ment
"The cotton manufacturing industry
of New England, representing an in'
vestment of over $3OO,000,0 900, is the
basis of the enormous industrial life of
that section, which represents the con-
quest of natural disadvantages by a
combination of energy, unremitting
enterprise and activity. But there is a
limit to such attainments. Artificial
conditions may for time be maintain
ed by such efforts, even when opposed
to natural laws, but rot indefinitely,
According to the report OF tho Ark
wright Club, the exponent of New
England cotton interest, the limit in
the case of that section seems to have
been reached.
"This competition of the south was
first felt fifty years ago. Its growth
was suddenly checked by the war, and
suppressed for the time by the paralyz-
ing effects of the results of the war
But the resources of the south were too
great to permit it to remain forever in
the background, whatever may have
been its acquired drawbacks. Slowly
it recovered its lost ground as a cotton
manufacturer until it was in position
to advance steadily to point of greater
competition than ever with New Eng
land. In this was no evil intent against
a rival. 1t was merely logical work
ing out of opportunities by wide-awake
souther men and by those of the north
long-headed enough to Grasp a good
thing when they saw It, In this latter
fact is the hint for the south now.
Nearly everything connected with the
industry in New England originates in
reginons beyond its limits. The cot
ton must be hauled thousand miles
and more, the coal must be shipped
from the south, the iron for the ma
chinery, and even great proportion Of
the operatives of the machinery must
be imported. On the other hand, the
southern mill-owner can almost throw
stone from his Office to the cotton
fields; he has his choice of unlimited
water power or of locating where fue
can be had at very low cost. Close
at hand are the ore and the material fol-
converting that ore into machinery
which will be manufactured in the
south as surely as cotton, and he cal
draw for the operatives upon grea
population of native Americans, anxious
for the opportunity to find employ
ment.
"Hardly a day passes without New
England tribute to the many natura
advantages of the south. The condition
means that New England must turn it
attention to the production of the fine
goods and to other lines of industr,
with the same adaptability which ha
given that section such wonderful pros
perity, Notwithstanding the drift ava
from that section of one industry afte
another by reason of changed cOndi
tions. Moreover, it means that man
. of the great cotton mill concerns c
' that section must inevitably seek loca
tions in the south. The opportunit
for bringing to the attention of the en-
tire cotton manufacturing interests Q
' the country the general advantages c
, the south affords a chance never befOr
presented OF turning capital into thi
industry. The south has the oppol
tunity now to encourage New Eng LAND
ers to dwell upsn its opportunities ur
til in greater volume than ever capiti
and men are induced to settle in set
+ ton where pluck, shrewdness and Ill
It remitting enterprise may be united
natural advantages in happy and pre-
life wedlock. To help on this GOO
=" cause the Manufacturers Record wi
. be sent regularly during the next thrt
months to every cotton mill compar
in New England and the middle state
e not now subscribing, and to leadir
ss cotton mill investors. We propose
l. conduct persistent campaign
strengthen the movement sonthwal
q and to make its results permanent al
- far-reaching. With the increase
mills and the advancement of operatiy
of to higher grades will inevitably cor
the makers of mill supplies and man
facturers akin to them, in order to
ID closer to the constantly expandil
le market for their products. The Sou
IN will never monopolize the industries
no the country, nor will its progress wre
De any other section, but it is capable
ne magnigcent enlargement industria
- &c ,ro,,ar;t,, IayoDd onvthino RI