The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1900-08-31
A TEXAS MILL SHUTS DOWN.

IT IS not calculated to encourage the
cotton mill movement in Texas TO ind
the mill at Galveston suspending opera
lions Just at this time. The alleged cause
for this shutdown Is the disturbed con-
dition OF the Chinese trade" in which the
mill. II seems has been chiefly engaged.
Il IS easy TO understand that such dis
turbances might seriously hamper our
cotton manufacturers. but what's the
matter with the home market, the Texas
market. in the meantime? Has this mill
been looking only to the Chinese trade?
Has 1t been neglectlng to Manufacture
such lines Of goods as are in use and de-
mand in our own State and in the West
ern States? Has 1t neglected to properly
advertise and push It's goods hero at
home? Is the machinery modern, thor
ouRhlv up-to-dste. so as to enable It to
successfully compete with other South
ern mills2
These are all pertinent and important
questions in this connection and The
Post regrets that the meager account OF
the suspension Of the mill does not enable
the public TO understand fully what the
real secret of trouble is with this Gal
weston enterprise.
The mill Just recently started at Deni-
son WAS reported the other day by the
DenIson Herald to be doing we'll. The
Dallas mill seems to be paying, and, in
deed. sixty OF the operatives of the Gal
weston mAl have secured employment in
Dallas. having been sought for by the
Dallas factory. There must. therefore,
be some decided local cause or reason for
the shutdown in the island City.
In striking contrast to this news from
Galveston touching the Southern cotton
mill industry. is tho following from tho
Charleston News and Courier, OF late
dates
The pleasing information was published
yesterday that the Pelzer Manufacturing
company OF pelzer. S. c., has received notice
that It was awarded last week. at the Paris
exposition. the grand prize and gold medal
for the best cotton goods OF its class eX-
hblted u 4 competition when was open to
the warld.' the goods In question AS ex-
planned. being "a full line of products such
as are generally put UP for the export trade
by the company" While this news will be
gratifying to all South carolinians, OF course.
It will not surprise any OF them who are in
formed as to the general management OF the
Pelzer mills and of their successful record
since their organization. There is no rea-
sou In the conditions in which they work
why they should not compete successfully
In their lines OF manufacture with any mill
IN the world-but the important fact ia that
they have won and received the highest
prizes In competition with all the mills In
the world for the best goods" offered In tho
contest
The Post has never yet been able TO see
that South Carolina had any advantage
over Texas as a cotton manufacturing To-
cality. Machinery and building material
would cost no more here. fuel is about
as cheap, labor is OF the same kind, prac-
tically. the homo market is as large, tho
foreign market as accessible and the cot
ton field Just as close 10 the mill sites.
Nobody who is at all posted on current
events will deny that the industry In
South Carolina Is fsourishing, that many
of the mills are making big money.
Is there any solid business reason why
Texas mills could not do as we'll as these
Carolina mills? II there be. The Post
can not call It to mind. In fact, this
very South Carolina paper. the Charles
ton News and Courier. which has given
great attention TO the subject generally
Of cotton manufacture In the South. do
clared not long ago that Texas was des-
tined to become enc OF the greatest cot
ton manufacturing communities in the
world
When Texas mill suspends. therefore,
while Carolina. Georgia and Alabama
mills are running Overtime" there il
bound TO be some ''screw loose" locally
the trouble is in the mill and not in the
locality. We must admit, however. that
Galveston island is not exactly an ideal
location for cotton mills. for several rea-
sons