The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1900-08-29

or brains and energy receive higher
wages than now. Our next advantage
lies in the character Of the mills in
the South. While those of the North
are poorly constructed and badly ven
tilated and having antiquated ma
chinery, in consequence of being built
from thirty to sixty years ago, the
mills of the South, being Of recent
construction, have reaped the benefit
and advantage Of their experience
both in the construction and equip
ment, and no better mills are to be
found in this country or Europe than
those in our midst. The greatest ad-
vantage, however, in my opinion that
we enjoy is our once dcspised opera
tives. While foreigners have almo t
entirely driven out the natives from
New England our people are natives
and "to the manor born,' with the
same impulses, traditions and ances-
try that the rest Of us have, they are
quick to learn, satisfied in their en-
ploymcnt and contcntcd The facto-
ries have afforded them refuge from
the hardships, exposure and poor
wages that the landlords could give:
they have churches for their moral
elevation and education, schools the
year round for their mental develop
mcnt, and social advantages which
they could never have enjoyed in the
sparscly settled country. They are
not all good nor arc they all industri-
Gus. but maintain that you cannot
find the same number Of laborcrs en-
ploycd in any avocation requiring con-
slant work, that has smaller percent
age of degcncratcs.
Coal is the motive power Of the
world, and few people realize the tre.
mcndous growth Of this industry in the
South within the last twenty years.
In 1880 we mined six million tons,
but II per cent. Of the bituminous
coal of this country; in 1893 we pro-
duccd 80 million, or twenty four per
cent. The coal fields of the South cover
fifty thousand square miles, and at the
present time less than one thousand
square miles have been developed. For
generations to come, when the other
supplies Of the world have been de-
pleted, we shall have plenty and
wealth will pour in our midstin a gold
en- stream. Virginia, w. Virginia,
Tennessee, Kentucky, Georgia, Ala.
bama, produce the best bituminous
coal found in the world, and is fur
nishing the motive power not only for
the South, but the North and many
countries in Europe. Carrying "Coals
to New Castle" in olden times was an
adage describing the greatest absur-
dity, but to-day the South is not only
carrying coal to 'New Castle" but to
Germany, France, China, Japan and
Africa.
While King Cotton is entitled to
prominence on the ground of being
the Souths greatest production, iron
will in few years bring us as great
returns. The wonderful development
Of this industry has attracted the at
teniion OF the world, and nowhere do
we find all the materials for its pro-
duction as conveniently assembled as
in the South. Coal with the greatest
coking properties, iron ore Of the
purest character, and lime stone in
the greatest abundance seems to have
been assembled by an Allwise Provi-
dence to insure the greatness Of this
section of our country. The use of
iron is sure barometer Of the condi-
tion Of the country, and If that is 80,
the producer must prospe; when the
world prospers.
Ancient history tells us that at the
completion of the temple Of King
Solomon great feast was given the
operatives, and by the side of the
King was placed chair for the most
worthy workman. There were hicker-
ings among the different artizans as
to who was entitled to the honor, but
the burly blacksmith pressed forward
and presented himself; objections
were raised, but be called the head
stone cutter and asked him how he
would have chiseled the beautiful
stones in this magnifcens temple hsd
it not been for his iron tools; hs went
20 the carpenters and asked .nem how
they would have squared tie splendid
columns Of Lebanon cedar but for the
teels he made; he next asked the
plasterers how they would have finish
ed their fresooes without his trowels
and other implements. When he had
finished the seat was accorded to him
because the work could not have been
done In its excellence without his
part. So one hundred years from now,
when this country holds les jubilee,
the South will claim its right to the
first place in that great gathering.
To-day she fxes the price Of pig iron
the world over. In 1866 the South
produced one hundred thousand tons,
in 1873 two hundred and thirty Eve
thousand tons, 1882 five hundred and
fifty Thousand tons, and in 1893 two
million tons, two thousand peg cent
increase in thirty years. Can you
realize what this means? And yet
che half has not been told, for We see
every day new furnaces built, or old
ones which have not been used for
years, Dnt back in blast; but tho most
encouraging feature is that We are not
shipping out the iron in it's crude
state, but are sepding it out as finish
ed product. Nowhere else in che
world can the production Of basic
steel be established so oheaply or on
so great a scale, and it is so much