Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1898-10-20
american MILLS and Foreign m.rket..

The following suggestive editorial
with respect to condition of the cot
ton goods manufacturing business of
this country is from that acknowledged
authority, the American Wool and Cot
ton Reporter. 1t speaks for itself:
The shipments of cotton piece-goods
from Great Britain for August were
439, SAG, 100 yards, and for the eight
months since January LIST, 1898,
they were 3,413, 965, 500 yards. Dur
ing July the shipments Of cotton
cloths from the United States
were 37,474,071 yards and from
January LIST they were 1856, 800, 064 yards.
The difference between the two nations
in this particular is almost overpower-
ing to the imagination. The fact has,
of course, to be recognized that Great
Britain obtained a long start of us IN
the export of cotton cloths. We have,
however, begun to ask ourselves if
there is any reason why this great dis
parity in the shipments from this coun-
try should continue to exist; and our
answer is beginning to be, that there
is no valid reason. fis
In this connection we should like to
revert to the article in this paper on
September 10th, on English and
American Wages. Our purpose in
doing so is to call attention to the one
factor which it has been generally sup
posed accounted for the fact that this
country could not compete with Great
Britain as an exporter of cotton goods
Manufacturers in the United States
have long labored under the idea that
they were knocked out Of the race by
the higher cost of labor on this side of
the Atlantic. We have had mill man
ayers tell us that they had figured
every item of cost, and had found that
they could show a profit on their pro-
duction, until they came to labor that
fioored them. We have always believed
that they spoke without q full knowl-
edge of the facts, and all doubt on that
point was dispelled by our figures Of
September 10th, which showed that
English operatives in weaving rooms
are as well paid as those in the United
States, and in many cases better paid.
1t only remains, therefore, to nsk
what, in view of this showing, prevents
the American manufacturers of cotton
cloths from not only having complete
possession of the home market, but
also commanding position in foreign
markets. Certainly the disparity shown
by the figures cited at tho beginning
of this article ought no longer TO exist.
If the cost of labor in our mills is no
greater than in the mills of the great
est exporting nation on the globe, why
cannot we export cotton goods by the
thousand million yardsY 1t is time for
our manufacturers to stop lamenting
over Southern competition and kindred
factors, and turn their attention to
those measures necessary TO put this
country on level with Great Britain
as an exporter OF cottons. What are
those measures? They are not to be
found in the cost of labor, nor in the
cost of raw material; neither are they
to be found in the cost of real estate.
And, if we admit that interest rates
are in favor of the English manufac-
turer, it is only necessary to say that
this of itself is not enough of q factor
to keep our goods out OF foreign mar
kets besides. it has its offset in cheaper
cost of raw material and in lower real
estate values in this country. Neither
do we think that the cost of machinery
can be urged as factor against our
manufacturers.
1t is impossible, therefore, to find
the real reason for the failure to COM
pete with English manufacturers,
unless we find it in the wastefulness
and incapacity of our own mill manage
ments. That many of our mills are
managed with economy and intelligence
is a well-known fact, and these mills
are today and have been extensive ex-
porters. But that general overhaul
ing of American cotton mills in the
interests of economy and efficiency is
much to be desired may also be ac-
cepted as a settled fact. The one thing
about which there can be no doubt
is, that the markets of the world can be
had by American cotton manufacturers
whenever they are disposed to make the
necessary effort. And this is true as
regards both coarse and fine goods
Mrs. Sarah Thornton has bought the
farm of the late Samuel Thompson,