Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1898-03-21
THE DEPRESSION IN THE corr ON
MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY.

In previous dr6lcl0 we FolorToO W
the strike of the operatives in the
New England cotton mills. One OF
the causes for the depression in the
cotton goods industry is, de-
creased consumption = was clearly
stated in the first article.
Another important factor contrib
uting to this depression has been
steadily increasing competition, with
in the past few years, of cotton goods
of Southern manufacture. This COM
petition has recently been vigorous
and>successful. Southern mills have
the advantage Of cheap land and coal
Or inexpensive water power, prox-
unity to the staple, moderate trans
portation rates. unrestricted hours of
labor, low wages, improved machin-
cry, modern inventions and appll-
ances, moderate taxes and ecOnomi-
cal administration.
With all these advantages they
could produce coarse goods cheaper
than those goods could be produced
by Eastern mills. The latter labored
under the disadvantage of compare
lively costly fuel, remoteness from
the staple, restricted hours of labor,
accompanied by oppressive and I'M
just laws, high taxes, somewhat anti
quated or at least not modern mach
inery and expensive administration.
The business Of manufacturing cot
ton has been prosperous in former
years, large dividends had been paid
and surplus accumulated, and pro-
gressive methods had been resisted.
This resistance to progress was, how
ever, not general. Some Of the mills
changed machinery and made finer
goods, while other mills divided their
product between coarse and fine. But
prosperity in exceptional cases tended
to make operatives in other mills dis
satisfied, grievances increased and
disagreementS between employer and
employee were frequent. Political in
fuence was exerted by the operatives
to secure the passage and strict en-
forcement of more stringent labor
laws, until finally the position of the
mill owners became almost unbear-
able. The tension between labor and
capital grew more strained and peri
odically it reached the point of rup-
ture.
That the Protective Tariff was not
in the least degree responsible for the
depression in the cotton manufacture
ing industry is Enthusiastically shown
by all the facts in the case. The ex
istence of depression in this industry
while other industrial enterprises
were prosperous is not at all surpris-
ing. Indeed, factors have been potent
in previous years which have made
the cotton manufacturing industry
highly prosperous while other indus
tries have been depressed.
Very naturally remedies other than
heroic have from time to time been
suggested for the relief of these pc
riodical depressions in the cotton
manufacturing industry. One eff
feCtive remedy which can be applied
to correct the evil of periodical de-
Of the market. The market now seems
to demand finer goods, therefore finer
grades of goods must be made, and
these goods must be more generally
manufactured. The Southern mills
can make coarse goods cheaper than
they can be made at the North. And as
it seems impossible for Northern man
ufacturers to compete with this South
ern product, the production of coarse
goods should as promptly as possible
be materially reduced by Eastern
mills
English manufacturers of fine goods
are already aroused to the necessity
for active competition with American
manufacturers. Vigorous measures
should therefore be taken at once for
the supply Of the home market for
these goods. Advantage should be
taken of the protection afforded by
the existing tariff to stimulate the
American cotton industry and encour
age American enterprise.
The statistics of British trade for
January clearly show that English
manufacturers of cotton goods are
finding a market for their product in
this country. This market is, to be
sure, less literally supplied with Brit
ish goods than in previous years, but
there is no reason why we should not |
be able to SO successfully compete
18th ooOda of EnpIiSh nako a. to drive,
the British from our field.
England sent to this country in Jan
uary 1.574. 800 Yards of bIeached cot