The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-06-13
len PAGES TODAY.
"cmEAp LAnoR or TuE socru."

"cHEAP LABOR or The sOCrH."
t~der the above caption the Chicago
Record in a recent issue. has an editorial
in which Il seeks TO show chat the South
can no, compete with the North in the
matter of cotton mills. or even with far
away England. because Of a want Of skilled
labor
Tho Records article IS plausible enough
on It's face. but, in fact there Is neither
reason nor truth in it's assumptions The
Record seems 10 take 1t for granted that
;crsooth because we have much cheap
lrbor in this section We are al the same
tine utterly without the skilled article.
i stands to reason that a section Of couu-
Try hat has been engaged almost exciu-
syely In manufacturing for generations
should have more skilled labor in It than
one where such industries are compare
lively new but there is neither reason nor
truth in he ntimation chat the latter sec
uon should Doe entirely wanting in this
necessary adjunct to manufacturing,
That the South has an abundance Of
competent mill hands for the present fac
tory supply is evidenced by the excellent
quality OF goods her factories are putting
upon the markets OF the world and the
ready sale she finds for them. These facts
utterly annihilats tho seeming plausible
suggestions OF the Record and the selfish
Englshman from whom it quotes The
Records article is given below:
When cotton mills began TO be estabiisne'
10 the South II was commended mat the choal
labor there would give the southern states al
ADVANTAGE over their competitors tn the Nurtl
that must result, Ia transferring the cotton lh
curtry 10 the South unless wages ana la'o
conditions generally were lowered IN Sew
EuElaud. So much were sOmc persons I'M
pressed with these statements that the legia
lature OF Massachusetts was asked 10 Mlp'
out It's admirable system OF child labor ah'
factory legislation that had done SO much q,
preserve hlsh labor standards ia mat state
Such step was necessary, 10 was cohtehat'
- some, TO prevent the cotton mill tudusIr!
Of Now EEgland from being transplauted e
the south, whore wages are low and hours
labor LONG. and where there Is no interi,renr
dreu.
This reasoning oycrooks entirely the fac
tast low priced labor is not efficient labor
Massachusetts and the other cot'on-mu
Stgtes VI the NOrth refused to he stampede
by the argument Uut forth into abandoning
the progressive legislation that was an ovi
denco ne their superiority
II Is interesting To have the testimony nov
o. an observer Of good Judgment that tn
handicap OF the South In the cotton-mill IN
dnstry is the lack OF skilled labor. Il. For
roster manager u tho LopGou City and Mid
land bank OF Liverpool, has been In this coun
Try for some time making study of indus
trial conditions from the investment poin
OF view. When In Chicago the other day
fresh from tour OF Investigation in IN
South he said: "The Southern cotton mill
ctnnot hope to compete with the mills OF tn
North or with those OF Lancashire. England
until they introduce higher skilled labor
TIC South had many natural ADVANTAGES MI
Forester said, but rs cheap labor was no
orc OF them In other words. before tn
South can expect 10 take the cottoum mil IN
dustry away from New England IT must 4
as much for the Improvement OF labor eff
cheney IS the States OF the North have done.
Tho Records stress upon the cheap Ia
Dor" Of this section Is very notceahl
when In truth the common labor OF III
section is better paid than the same char
acter OF labor in New England.
Nor is this all The laborers OF tn
country-sklled and unskilled--are fra
men and can 40 where they please TIL,
as mills are built in this section skillC
labor to operate them can be brougl
from the North or even from England.
In evidence from the fact that II has a
ready been done. Our advantages in Il
way OF mild climate cheap homes an
easy living are great inducements to II
skilled laborers of the frozen North
come among us, and when good wages a.
offered they will do so in the future
they have in the past.
The Record showed great weakness
publishing what It's noted English frler
said sbout our natural advantages
These are great things. and can not
overcome by our shrewd friends fro
New England or the old world The
natural adyantsges' are Godgiyen, az
no human power can take them from u
With industry and intelligence added
these, who can keep US from prospecting?
The South will continue to build fact
ries and wills have all the necessa
skilled and cheap labor to operate ther