The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-09-16

COTTON MANUFACTURE.

The cotton manufacturing business in
the South is increasing at an enormous
rate According to reports recently sent
out by Secretary Hester, of the New
Orleans Cotton Exchange, between the
years 1880 and 1895 the number Of spin
dies in the United States increased about
80 per cent During the same period the
number of spindles in the South, not in
GLIDING those in Maryland and Delaware,
increased about 151 per cent. According
to the same authority. the South now has
a total Of 49l cotton mills. operating
It's 3O5 looms and 4,057.244 spindles. And
the good work still goes on. New mills
are being built at McAdensville, n. c.,
at Chapel Hill, n. c.; at Springfield. S. c.;
ct Concord n. c.; in Albemarle county,
n. c.; at Chester, s. c.; at Cherryville,
n. c. The York Mills. of Yorkville. S. c.,
and the +. ID. Mills at Rockingham, y.
c.: the Ridgeland. of Columbia, S. G., the
Raleigh, of Raleigh, n. c., and many
others have increased their capital stock
and enlarged their capacity within a
month. The CRANKY Mills, of Columbia,
have decided to increase their capital and
their plant. SO also the mills at States
Vile, n. c., and so on.
We learn that the mills recently estab-
lished on the Roanoke river near well
don, are running on fun time, and doing
a splendid business, not being able 10
keep up with their orders
All this means that the South is
natural field for cotton mills, and that
that branch of industry will in the course
of time be confined almost exclusively
within Southern borders. The people of
the North are beginning TO open their
eyes TO the fact, and are impressed with
the candor OF an editorial article on this
subject from the New York Commercial
Advertiser. Our New York contemporary
says that "deputations and experts have
been going South in recent years to see
for themselves whether the elements OF
victorious competition existed there ana
have come back with opinions which
though lacking unanimity. have inclined
against New England" and that lit is
becoming clear that the lessening margin
OF profit in the Eastern manufacturing
cities is ominous to the cotton indus
tries" And it ADDS.
If the question is 10 be decided by the
preponderanoe of natural advantages.
the South will surely win. There the
.nill-owner and the operative are, so
to speak. at home In the cotton fields
and in the important item Of trans
portation have the East a a great dis
advantage. They have also abundant
water power, cheaper labor and little
or no Interference with freedom of con-
tract as TO working hours. The re-
naming factors which do not yet ap-
pear TO be in sufficient force are sufli-
cheney Of capital and skilled labor.
We are told. however. that Eastern
anu Northern men are going South IN
increasing numbers. building mills and
taking skilled labor with them. Recent
reports say that capital is being largely
invested there in manufacturing
enterprises. Capital and skilled labor
WILL OF course 30 where they can proht
most and II will be well worth observ-
ing whether the transfer now going on
shall increase. say within another year.
to proportions really significant A large
number of the mill-owners. superintsn-
dents and designers In the South have
gone there from the East. and their
convictions In regard TO the question
cannot fail TO influence others - fol-
low them.
The note Of sectional alarm and rival
ry Is. of course. heard. The immense
concentration of capital and specialized
skill in New England. especially in the
higher grades OF cotton manufacturing,
will fight hard 10 maintain what il has
won unless those who chiefly direct II
shall see that a change is inevitable. u
Is not a question which viii De settled
IN their favor by temporary revival OF
business: the conditions TO be dealt with
are vital and concern long periods of
time II is doubtful whether they can
now reverse the legislative changes which
IN some States have given their opera
tivcs shorter hours and thereby crippled
them in competition with the ten-hour
day of the South. They can only make
The best of these and other conditions
which are adverse. in the hope that in
creased skill In specialization will increase
the value Of the product In comparison
with that OF the South.
The Commercial Advertiser is Repub-
iican newspaper. and has never been
very much in love with the South. What
IL says. therefore. II the more imnortant