Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1900-02-07
to his influence and example, and to
Inspirations born of his public ulteran-

ces.
"There is nowhere in the world a
people more open 10 conviction than
those Of the sOuth-none more respon-
sive to sound doctrine or honest argu-
meni. never fully realized this un-
til made my canvass for election 10
the senate on issues which were pro-
nounced heretical from a party stand.
point. In that canvass I never stood
before an audience that was unwilling
to listen 10 reason and to be convinced
of truth.
The pending treaty with France
seems to have been negotiated with
singular regard for southern interests,
and 10 be more in harmony with the
idea of an interchange of those pro-
duets which neither France nor the
United States produces at home, and
therefore less likely to work hardships
on existing interests than any measure
heretofore proposed for the encourage
ment Of commerce. 1t involves so
many items requiring time and study,
that do not feel prepared to under
take an explanation even of its advan-
tages fr' IN southern standpoint; but
with what attention l have been so far
able to give 10 it, should say that its
ratification ought to be urged by every
southern man, if on no other ground,
because il insures to the south the re-
tenlion Of the French market for at
least one of the products of the south's
CHI, f staple, namely, cotton seed oil.
OF this France now buys more than
81 100000 worth, the loss of which,
or any considerable part of it, under
the suggested scheme to bring Egyp-
tian seed to be converted into oil at
French mills-a scheme which, it is
said, could be made practicable and
profitable if the French duty on Amer
lean cotton oil were raised-would
ipjuriously affect every farmer in the
cotton states, and the poor tenant far
mers more than the large landowners
in fact, the loss to US of the French
market for this one product-and it is
predicted that if the treaty be rejected
the duty will be promptly raised
would result not only in disastrous
drop in the price now paid the farmers
for their cotton seed but would cause
large percentage of the oil mills to be
shut down. And this would become a
necessary step first of all to the small
independent mills which are spring
ing up all over the south, built and
operated by men of small means. 1t
is always the weak concerns which
suffer most when profits are curtailed;
so that the loss would fall most heavi-
ly upon these and upon the growers of
cotton seed, the sale of which now
brings into the farmers's pockets mil
lions of dollars annually which they
can lily afford to be deprived of. 1t
might ultimately bankrupt the trust :
but the people of the south are not of
the kind that are willing ito cut off
their noses to spite their faces Here
is one case where the interests of the
people and a corporation called trust
are identical. 1t would also seem that
when this treaty shall be ratified our
southern cotton mills will be enabled
10 sell to the French several million
dollars worth of the coarser grades of
cotton cloth now imported into France
from England, Germany, Belgium and
Switzerland.
"In the item of lumber the French
treaty will make possible an increase
in Southern exports of lumber products
TO France, and if the treaties with the
British West Indies and British Gui-
ana, now before the Senate, are ratified,
it is thought that these colonies will
get their entire supply of yellow pine
from the southern states, and that it
will there supplant white pine, now
imported from Canada. Iron products
will likewise constitute an important
exportable item under the operations
of these treaties, and number of 9TH
er things produced in the South. So
soon as I have time to study the sched-
ules showing the existing duties and
the new ones under the minimum
rate l shall gladly take advantage of
the columns of The Manufacturers
Record to communicate to the South
ern people whatever may succeed in
discovering of interest to them.
"This question wider market is one
that deserves right now the thoughtful
attention of the Southern people. An
other matter of vital Importance, now
that mills and factories are springing
up SO rapidly, is the danger of misdi-
recled enterprise. 1t is worth while
to impress upon the public mind that
The construction of mills and factories
does not necessarily mean a betterment
of local conditions. 10 the organiza-
ton of industries the question of fitness
of location, capabiity of management
and steady market for their products
should be intelligently considered in
advance.
"Unsalable manufactured products
are of no more value than were the
iron deposits of the Birmingham,
(Ala..) district before the iron-buying
public was educated, first at the north
and later in Europe, 10 realize the high
quality and fitness for their needs of
Alabama pig, which was for years dis
credited mainly through ignorance and
partly through misconceptions created
and kept alive by the ironmasters OF
other districts. Hence am in favor of
national encouragement of some sys-
lem like that now employed by Ger
many for the introduction OF our ex-
portable products into the four quar-
iers of the globe. The lesson taught
by the expectation of Alabama pig
iron, which was laughed at when first
suggested, is one which ought to arouse
all southern men who think, and upon