The Lafayette gazette. [volume] (Lafayette, La.) 1893-1921, 1900-04-28
ULYSSE POIMBOEUF.
COTZON MANLFA Curing
nv THE SOUTH.

COIZON MANCLFA CICR/NC
Nv THE SOUTH.
In a recent number Of the New
York Commercial Mr.. Joseph J.
Willet, Of Admission, Ala, writes a
very interesting article in which IS
given an idea of the wonderful in
dustrial development of the South
during the past decade. Mr..
Willet shows by facts and figures
that the South no longer depends
solely upon agriculture. The pro-
gress made in the development of
two industries-iron and cotto on
manufacturing-ha been SO great
that it almost challenges the belief
of the most enthusiastic Southerner.
1t is in the development of the cot
ton manufacturing industry that
Louisiana is interested. Unfor-
tunately this State has beeo slow
to realize the importance of es-
tablishing cotton factories, but it is
hoped that the success achieved in
the Carolinas and other Southern
States will have the effect of stimu-
lating our people to a more vigor-
Gus exertion H. this great movement
whose success means the industrial
emancipation of this section of
country.
Now that the vexed question of
racial supremacy has been Perma
nently settled the brain and Drawn
of the South will find pleasant and
remunerative employment in the
development of the vast resources
of this God-favored land. What
has been done in North and South
Carolina can be accomplished IN
Louisiana.
On the subject of cotton manu-
featuring Mr.. Willet says:
The development of cotton manufacturing
in the South even more remarkable than
that Of iron manufacturing. 1t is simply
inconcelvable even to those among whom
this development IS taking place, and those
who do not visit the South have no idea at
all of the wonderful transformation taking
place. But few years ago the South had
but few cotton factories, and their output
was negligible quantity. To-day there is
hardly a village that has not its one or
ten Or twelve in North and South Carolina,
and if 1 should state the dividends paid by
these cotton factories it would sound incred-
ulouS. 1t is estimated this year that South
Carolina will spin into goods all the cotton
raised within that State, and that North
Carolina will have to import cotton from the
other States to supply her mills. 1t will be
but a tew years until Georgia, Alabama and
the whole South will be found spinning all
the cotton raised therein. What will be the
result7 Instead of 1900, ooo-bale crop
of cotton, worth cents per pound and
bringing $275, ooo,oo we shall probably see
it spun into cloth and bringing about 20
cents per pound, or over 81 900, 100000.
AT the beginning of cotton manufacturing
in the South it was said that the South could
never make a success of 1t for several rea-
sons, of which in chief was the lack of
skilled labor; but here again, reasoning
from false premises produced false conclu-
sions, as in the iron business, for the wife
and daughter of the so-called tsSouthern
Cracker.5 have proved to be the very best
cotton mill labor in the wOrld-patient, care
full and Industrious without desire to Or
ganze labor unions and demand exactions
from their employers as in the New Eng
land States. Then it said that the
South could never make the finer grades,
but must contine itself to the coarser cloths.
Again, we see theory exploded, and find
the Dwight, Merrimac, New York and other
South with and improved machinery
and manufacturing the finer grades. How
did these marvellous transformations in the
manufacture of iron and cotton come
around?
What were the which produced
these results7 1t is the old story-as old as
history and the history of man. The strug-
gle for existence and the survival of the fit
test. Did you ever beehive when the
hive was full of honey? How lazily and
slowly the bees go in and out. Did you
ever see this same hive when it had been
stripped of its honey? How increasingly
and industriously the bees work until it is
full again. So it was with the South. I'm
til the civil war slavery was profitable
that all the South's earnings were invested
in slaves and land, and our minerals and
other natural resources remained unde-
veloped, but when by the fortunes of war
our beehive was stripped of its honey and
slavery was no longer possible, or even de-
sirable, it became necessary for to de-
velop what we had hitherto neglected, and
we applying the lessons have
learned from the bees.
Temperance Lectures.