Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-05-16

TRAY schools reported in the National
Educational Report for 1896 and 1897.
textile education.
MOST VALUE FROM RAW
MATERIAL
Mr.. ID. A. Tompkins has recently
written an article on the way to get
the full benefits out of the raw article.
referring to cotton. he said: Shipped
as raw cotton in bales, the Southern
crop is worth $500. 100000. The cotton
crop or North Carolina alone is about
oOO.O0o bales. This at cents would
Weld S15,o00,000 If manufactured into
the average of mill Products now made
IN the North Carolina mills. it would
Eleid S45,O0OoC With as good school
facilities for textile work as the State
mas Tor agriculture the value of this
crop would be increased to an average
value of so cents n pound, at which
IL would yield $4,000, 600. Therefore.
IL may be seen that it is within easy
reech OF the State of North Carolina to
make Its cotton crop worth as much as
the crop of the entire South, if the lat
Ter is sold in raw state
In 1898 the spindles of Great Britain
were 45,5o0,000 and in 1898 they were
44.soo.Ooo. showing half million de-
crease In the face of rapidly increas-
ing cotton crop In the South. and an
enlarged worlds consumption of cotton
AT THE MERCY OF THE FOREIGN
BUYER.
From these facts deduce the conclu-
sion that our Southern cotton-growinC
farmers are at the mercy of this foreign
Duyer,with forty-tive per cent of the
worlds spindles. Our Government has
stimulated the cotton crop through col
leges and experiment stations with sci
entlilc processes and lessons, while the
English purchasers have decreased
their consumption and their spinning
~ M lane
this is the national Governments duty
TO develop at home the industry by
erecting III the Southern cotton belt n
Sl.00O.o00 textile university, where the
greatest textile skill may be taught
and our American operatives may learn
TO manufacture cotton into the finest
fabrics into which 1t can be fashioned
Our Senators and Congressman should
be requested to take up this matter.
and all Southern representatives should
be urged by the cotton growers to HELM
the measure through. With low priced
cotton the people West. East and North
suffer immense loss in trade with the
South. and would doubtless Join heart
lily in any movement promising to re-
gain to the South her old time prosper
ity. Let each State have its textile COL
lcge. and let the national Government
erect the greatest of the worlds tex
tile schools. The National Univer-
sity."
The national Government Is spending
large sums on levies and fabulous
sums on Western sections in erecting
reservoirs for irrigation purposes to
develop wheat and agricultural inter
ests of the West, and now owes it 10
her eight Southern cotton growing
States to grant this $1,000 600 to erect
the National Textile University"
Mr.. Hargrove introduced n resolution
asking an appropriation by the general
government for this purpose.
He was followed by P. b. Swaney. of
Chattanooga. who made an eloquent ap-
peal for textile education.
The discussion was very general.
Secretary of Agriculture Wilson par
ticipated.,
The matter was referred to the Com
mittee on Education. and the conven-
stfon adjourned till p. m.
Francis b. Thurber. OF New York, adj
dressed the convention upon the subject
of trade expansion in the South at
the night session. Mr.. Thurber said
that circumstances were now propitious
for the South to make an effort for
expanded trade. and the rersults only
depended on the effort to put forth He
prophesied 4 brilliant trade future for
the South.
He was followed by Vlce-President
Edwin B. Robston. of Georgia, who de-
livered an address on THE Southern
Industrial Convention and its Possibili-
ties of Usefulness"