The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-01-20
FOR TRAINING
COTTON MILL MEN
The Prop osed Vance Textile
School,"
DISCUSSED BY MILL MEN
THEY ARE A UNIT IN ADVOCACY
OF 1T.
DISCUSSED BY MILL MEN
SHOULD ATTACH IT TO A. & M. COLLEGE
Able and instructive Speeches Before the Edu-
cation Committee. Another Meeting
TO be Held on Next Tues
day Niyht,

The establishment of a textile school
was the question discussed before the
House Committee on Education yester-
day. Not only was there full meeting of
the committee, but there were many Wis
itors present to hear and take part in
the discussion. Among them were the
following prominent mill men: VIM.
Entwistle, John Giligan, DIR. j. I'll. Nc
Alden, Geo. e. Wilson, DIR. Geo. A.
Mebane, Julian s. Carr, r. S. Rhein-
hardt, II. J. Brevard, G. T. Holt. E. l..
Mooring, Donald MacRae, w. III. Will
Hanson.
The bill immediately under considera-
ton was that introduced last week by
Mr.. Clarkson, of Mecklenburg, for the
establishment of the Vance Textile
School,"
Though Mr.. Clarkson was present and
briefly explained the bill, the discussion
that followed was upon the general sub
ject of textile schools, and the need
for one in North Carolina, rather than
upon the particular provisions contained
in the bill before the committee.
The first speaker was Mr.. George T..
Wilson, president of the Victor Cotton
Mills, Mecklenburg county. Among
other things he said:
II think this is q matter worthy of
the consideration of this General Assem-
bly,. The growth of North Carolina in
manufacturing has become most phe-
nomenal. Within the past fifteen years
it has become the second largest manu-
featuring State in the South. A few
years ago we were told by Northern
manufacturers that we could not hope
to compete with them, because of the
unskilled labor of the South. That the
DRY has now been abandoned. We have
in the State about one and quarter
million spindles in the State, represent
ing about $25,000,000 investment, or
about $50 spindle. Therefore think
I was warranted in the statement with
which began my remarks-that this
is q matter that is worthy of your at
tentiOn and careful consideration.
sIn North Carolina there are about
200 manufacturing plants, employing at
least 10000 operatives. At the head of
each one of these mills there is a
superintendent This superintendent
must be q man conyersant with every
one Of the machines and the workings
of the mill. If anything is wrong with
one of the machines and the machinery
emit passing through the mill must be
able, even by the clatter of the machine
to direct and remedy the trouble. Again
this superintendent must have around
him a staff-heads of departments. BY
one incompetent boss the mill may lose
more than it can make in a week.
In this State the superintendent and
bosses are. as rule, men who came
from the Northern States. For this work
a man must be educated, just as you
would educate a man for a lawyer, doc
tor or other learned profession.
ssThese professions. however, arc
crowded. and there is no field that today
offers greater inducements to the youth
of this land. There is no reason why
the young man who has gone to Wake
Forest or Davidson or the University
should not turn his attention to manu-
featuring. He has got to abandon
the idea that there is anything in labor
incompatible with education. But he il
not prepared. when he leaves college
to take charge of one of these mills-nC
matter how skilled he may be in Greek
Latin, mathematics or science. He mus
be specially prepared for this mill worl
as he would for any other profession
1.-TWO of our neighboring States have
established textile schools-South Caro-
lima, which has more mills than we have
and Georgia, that has fewer mills. Ant
we. too, must come to it. There must
be skilled labor, if we would so on oui
career of industrial progress
"Now the question is this: Will tho
great State of North Carolina compe
it's sons to go North, to GO to Georgia OF
South Carolina to prepare themselves
to take charge Of our mills; or will she
establish school within her own Dor
ders?"
Mr.. Wilson was followed by Maj. Z. ]
Hale, editor of the Fayetteville Obser-
yer. Major Hale was several years age
United States consul to Manchester
England. and he talked most interest.
ingly of the textile schools in that great
cotton manufacturing centre. Conclud
ing his remarks Major Hale said:
sWe have come to that point where
q man who calls himself a gentleman
need not hesitate to grapple with those
things that once concerned only those
who did not call themselves gentlemen
And we have certainly arrived at the
point in North Carolina at which we
mood not hesitate to do what Manches
for which manufactures over half the
cotton of the world. found it necessary
to do"
A most excellent argument in favor of
the establishment of such schools in
North Carolina was made by Mr.. ID. A.
Thompkins. of Charlotte. In the course
of his remarks, he said:
sIf we've got any resources let us do
something TO get them on competitive
bosis with those who've got the same
sort Of resources. Whatever money we
spend now in the development Of cotton
manufacturing will in time come back
TO MS increased many fold.
ssNot to build this school means that
the foreigner and the alien will come
down here and get the premiums on
knowledge, while the native will work
for the wages. All the profits will go