The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-06-06
THE SOUTH FOR Expansion.

Some time ago the cotton manufacturers
of South Carolina sent memorial to their
senators and representatives in Congress,
in which they said that they We're opposed
to imperialism (of course), but that they
wanted the door to the trade of the East
kept wide open, and urged upon the con-
gressmen to cooperate with the admins
tration to that end. Senator John D. Nc
Laurin, of South Carolina. is now out in
an article in Leslie's Weekly explaining
why the cotton manufacturers of his State
have taken this position. He starts out
with bold assertion that for the future
national expansion is the hope of the
South, and that her indus trial development
will be hindered and finally circumscribed
without It. He points out that the South
has a monopoly of cotton which is OF
worldwide influence. He points out thai
in 1898 the cotton crop was L, $50 bales
but that the area of the cotton growing
section is 550. 900 square miles, and with the
proper demand and other favorable condl-
tons there are cotton soils in the South
enough to produce 100000. 600 bales. He de-
clares that there are enough horses and
mules on the farms OF the cotton growing
States to-day TO make crop Of 10coc,Oco
bales
Senator McLauris then gives figures to
show what rapid strides the South is
making in the manufacture of cotton
goods. and makes the prediction that
within the next twenty years the South
will have 25o0o.0o0 spindles, representing
over 100000 900 invested, and will consume
0,Oo0 bales of cotton annually in making
cotton cloths with the advantage of
climate, cheaper labor, coal and other sup
plies says he, ''she can compete with the
world in furnishing cheap cotton goods.
This fact does not need any further de-
monstration. ii has been proven beyond
peradventure that where the raw cotton is
made here is the place to manufacture it,
The Souths cotton industries of the fu-
ture will be limited only by the demand
for cotton goods and Senator McLaurin
thinks that this demand is sure to grow
with civilization. He says that now only
about half of the people of the world are
supplied with cotton goods made by mod
ern machinery, and that the East is the
field to which the South must look for a
broader market. 1t is in the warm coun-
tries of the East that cotton goods are so
desirable and 50 necessary, and Senator
McLaurin says that Southern manufac-
turers have already reached this market.
and that with an increase of their present
trade and the opening OF new markets they
can find an outlet in the future for all
their surplus products. The cotton manu-
facturers of South Carolina ar now ship
ping a large portion OF their product into
China, and that was the explanation Of
the memorial which they sent TO their
congressman. What dazzling picture Il
is to fancy" concludes the Senator on this
point: THE South raising 50,000,G00 bales
of cotton. manufacturing one-half Of il,
and realizing the rich rewards of the pro
duct in the East.''
He next comes to speak Of the 1900
square miles Of workable coal fields in the
South, with a development of only LOCO
square miles There has sprung up of late,
as everybody knows, brisk demand
abroad for American coal, and the South
is in position to supply all Europe with
coal, yet have an abundance for her own
purposes.
The Senator makes reference to the Won
derful development of the iron industry
in the South and that this industry is only
in its infancy Alabama coke, he tells US,
has gone to Japan; the Richmond Loco
motive Works are competing with the
world in exporting locomotives, and the
American Steel Company has been furnish
ing steel rails for the Siberian Railroad
In view of these facts Senator McLaurin
concludes:
With the staple raw materials of cotton,
coal, iron ore and timber, The production
of which will in the near future far exceed
the home demand. the South will need new
markets. Nothing can furnish these but
national expansion. The acquisition OF the
Philippines has opened up opportunities
Cor creating and preserving trade IN the
East. Nowhere else can the same adVan-
tages be found. If there is no national
expansion. which necessarily includes and
leads to commercial expansion, the South
will reach her utmost limit in industrial
development when the home demand IS
supplied, and this means the curtailment
of her production OF the raw and manu-
featured materials, and the vanishing OF
her splendid possibilities.
To oppose national expansion is for the
Southern people to oppose further indus
triG development, TO oppose the opening
of new markets for their surplus products,
and to invite the loss of millions of dol
lars to the producers and manufacturers
of raw staple materials The South Is ca
pable Of infinite expansion from the fer
tilisy and versatility of her soil and her
undeveloped resources and manufacturing
industries in the production of what the
entire world needs. This expansion can
only be hindered or prevented by an UNI
wise opposition to the policy of national
expansion. The South has everything to
gain and nothing to lose by favorins it.
The South is essentially the Democratic
section of the country. and the Southern
people are not disposed to depart from
the well established principles and policies
upon which the republic has rested from
the beginning, but, as Major Dooley said
at the. Seaboard banquet the other night,
without regard TO questions of politics.
the South is in the field for business The
Southern people understand that in order
10 be great they must be progressive.
They are not money-Ioving people, but