The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-01-27
HOW TO MAKE CHEAP COTTON
PAY


PAY.
Mr.. ID. A. Tompkins. large cotton
manufacturer OF Charlotte. y. c., pub
fishes In the Raleigh Morning Post most
sensible and practical article with refer
once 60 the cotton industry in that State.
Mr.. Tompkins starts out with the pro-
position that cheap cotton has come 10
stay and says that the people OF ihe
South might as well make up their minds
10 Il and turn their attention in the
direction OF making the most Of the con-
dition as II exists We believe that that
proposition is substantially true. with
a short crop of cotton naturally the price
would advance and II this country pros
pers. as We believe it will prosper raw
cotton will bring higher price, even
though the crop should be as large as
IL has been the past two years. Indeed
there has already been a rise in the price
of raw cotton and that staple seems to
be going up 10 a higher figure yet. But
we don't believe that the South under
FORMAL conditions can count on much
more than six cents per pound for raw
cotton. and that is the price which Mr..
Tompkins suggests.
But in spite Of that, ne goes on, there
is relief near at hand for the people OF
the South II they will only improve their
orportunities. Don't send the raw cot
ton out of the state. Don't put 1t IN
bales for shipment to Europe at six cents
a pound but put it in cloth for shipment
at twenty cents pound That is MI
Tompkins idea in a nutshell. and he then
proceeds to elaborate as to detail. He
thinks that with proper knowledge and
skill raw cotton can be turned into stuffs
that viii sell on the market not at twenty
cents. but at thirty cents, and even at
fifty cents and dollar a pound. 1t all
depends on the quality and character Of
the stuns into which the raw cotton Is
| manufactured.
MIR. Tompkins supposes case, as fol
lows: Putting the crop I'm the South at
10 10000 bales Of 500 pounds each at 6
cents per pound, this would give in the
aggregate $500 oo.ooO. while the crop IN
North Carolina would yield about $1,000
900: but at % cents per pound the North
Carolina crop would yield $4,000 900, and
Mr. Tompkius. who. as we have said, is
a practical man. believes that such re-
suit is altogether attainable But TO be
safely within bounds be puts the price
OF the manufactured product at ~ cents
per pound on the average, making the
total yield OF the finished product in the
State 100000 instead OF $1,000 O0O for
cotton sold in the raw.
But in order 10 this. concludes Mr.
Tompkins. there must be skilled labor
and in order to skilled labor there must
he training schools and he heartily re-
commcnds a generous supply Of textile
schools in the old North State. This is
"a subject on which we have many times
touched i'm these columns. The South has
many advantages over the North as q
manufacturing community. but it must
bee confessed that On the matter OF skilled
labor We are deficient and I'm this a
day of sharp competition. every success
rul industry must have educated work
men.
Educated men are needed in all depart
nients Of industry and by educated men
we mean men whose minds have been well
trained I'm the schools. men who have not
only trained their minds but acquired a
knowledge of science and OF all things
necessary 10 sklful work in that depart
ment OF industry which they may have
chosen for their occupation. Go into any
of the shops of the country to-day and
you will soon ascertain that the men
who command the highest wages, the
men who really furnish the brain work
for the establishment are the men who
have had technical education. The
South is deficient in such schools. We
have not paid the attention to practical
education which we ought 20 have done.
and in that respect We are not fully
abreast Of the times.
We commend the sensible views Of Mr..
Tompkins to thoughtful men. Mr. Temp
/ j,ins. we repeat. IS himself a man Of prac-
tlcal education and a manufacturer lie
| does not deal in theories. but he regards
conditions. and his views are we'll worth
the consideration Of the Southern people.