The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-01-09
REDUCE THE COST OF LIVING.

REDUCE THE COST OF LIVING.
Now that we are beginning to talk OF
! encouraging manufacturing here in earn
est. a matter that ought to be given some
attention is the cost of living in this city.
It is doubtful if the cost is very much
greater than in other coast cities, but
! there is no good reason why 1t should
be az great az 1t Is. Staple groceries are
sold at about the same prices as else
where but poultry. meats and vegetables
command higher prices. The reason IS
| that the meats are brought from the West
and most Of the vegetables come from a
distance Many times we have pointed out
that the county Of Chatham ought to
supply this market fully with chickens,
eggs, fruits and vegetables. There are
thousands of acres of excellent farming
lands within the county's limits wholly
unoccupied It is somewhat remarkable
that this land Is not put under cultiva>
ton. II it were situated close to West
ern town every acre Of it would be made
profitable to its owner.
A thing that ought to be done, there
fore. in connection with the movement in
behalf of manufacturing, Is to take steps
to have the lands of the county brought
under cultivation. 1t was predicted that
farms would be opened oil along the new
ly constructed county roads. Thus far
this prediction has not been fulfilled. There
are signs, Of course. Of agricultural ac-
tlvty along these roads, but they are not
sufficient to justify expectations of large
improvements in the near future.
1t is a matter of interest That New Or
leans is becoming aroused on the subject
of manufacturing. There is a Manufac-
turers' Association in that city, and it Is
discussing ways and means for getting
factories established there. 1t believes
that New Orleans has as many advantages
as any other city in the South for manu-
utilized.
The Picayune of that city, in comment
ing on the movement in behalf of fac
tories, says:
The reason why New Orleans has in
creased in the past few decades so very
slowly has been that there were no man
ufactures to speak of. 1t is impossible 20
have a large population without employ
ment to support the people. A purely
commercial city, where products are mere
ly exchanged and shipped, gives employ
ment to no skilled labor 1t employs a
certain number of office men, and all the
balance of the help is made up of labor
ers who are engaged in loading and I'M
loading ships, cars and wagons. That is
all commercial city, pure and simple.
can do in the way of supporting a popu-
lation; while manufacturing, on the con-
trary, employees skilled labor of various
grades, many of them requiring not only
great dizziness of manipulation, but tech
meal, mechanical and scientific knowl-
edge. Crude muscular labor receives only
the lowest rates of wages, while skilled
workers command the highest. Thus man.
ufacturng dignfies and eevates labor by
enlisting the intellectual powers along with
handskin
The Picayune takes a view of manufac-
turing in that city similar to that taken
by the Morning News of manufacturing
in this city, namely, that it IS mistake
to think chat because the city is largely
devoted to commerce it doesn't offer adj
vantages for manufacturing Manufac-
turers will do as well in New Orleans and
Savannah as they will in Atlanta or Co.
lumbia Let the people take hold of man
ufacturing enterprises in the right way.
putting capable men in charge of them.
and there will be no trouble in making
them prosper. The trouble in this city
has been that the experiments with fac
tories have been made under the direction
of incompetent men. 1t Is said that if
the cotton factory here had been in opera
ton during the last year it would have
made enough to pay 80 or 40 per cent. on
its capital stock.