The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-02-25
MANUFACTURING CENTER
ENGLAND AND THE NORTH FIND
KEEN COMPETITION.
F02 THE RAW MATERIAL IS GROWN HERE
This Gives the Manufacturer in tie South ar
Enormous Advantage, South Destin d to
Hold the Manch ster and Lowe of
the World in the Near cutura.
the World in the Near euiurs.

SAN - CfNly 1CdSOll " pbIICNe tldl III
the course of the next few months the
Manchester and the Lowell of the world
will be located in the South The old
theory that the cotton mills must come
to the cotton fields is working itself out
with u rapidity hardly dreamed of and
certainly not expected even by the most
sanguine friends of the South a few
years ago.
1t IS not difficult TO understand how the
mills of the South can afford to pay half
cent round more for cotton than
spots bring in New York. A state
ment made at Mobile a few days ago is
both interesting and significant. English
buyers paid nine cents for cotton hale q
cent above the local market price The
explanations was that the Manchester
mills would pay two cents Il pound more
for COTTON than the staple was quoted
at IN Mobile that day. It is not gener-
ally believed that the difference in price
was so great. yet, at this time, there Is
no reason to doubt the truth of the state
ment made in Mobile.
MERE QUESTION OF TIME.
Two cents per pound is SO bale. If
the Manchester mills have to nay so a
bale more for raw material than the mills
IN the South pay it may be accepted as
only question of thine before the South
ern mills run the English mills out of
business. To carry out the comparison.
take the case of one Of the large mills
i'll the South. Some of them consume 80
bales of cot-on daily. With $40 bale diff
ference this means an advantage of $3.50.
a HifQrnYna in, or Of to,,ioI :,
favor of the mill in the South, as com
pared with a similar mill at Manchester,
England. This may be an exaggeration,
hut at the same time it will serve 10
make comparison OF advantages that
can and viii accrue in favor Of the
Sou.he;n mills if it does not already ex-
list to the extent of the diifa 'ence Ct TWO
cents a pound III the price of cotton. In
other words, if this great difference does
not NOW exist, it will soon be brought
about by forces already IN sure and ac-
tive operation.
Take the case of North Carolina TO-
day, for example. The minis OF that
State already consume practically every
bale of cotton produced il. NVrth Caro-
lima, and are drawing on other States
for'a portion CT their supplies The cot
ton congresses of North Carolina have
been forced into idleness, for the reason
that there is no neei for congresses
where the cotton is consumed by home
mills. This means a saving of 80 cents
per bale in favor OF me SenthCra mills
that mUst be figured in the cost of cot
ron consumed by the English mills for
all cotton exported mis- be compressed.
AN IMMENSE SAVING
Another large saving will be brought
about by the shipment of cotton from
the fields direct to the Southern cotton
mills In this way all warehouse and
storage charges weighing. insurance,
etc. will be saved to the Southern mills.
These charges are not less than 81 per
bale. and must be figured in the cost of
every bale of cotton exported and con-
sumed by British mills, Throw dn the
profits Of the middle men. which the
Southern mills. getting their supplies di-
rect from the field, will not have to pay,
for good measure. Aside from the pres
ent actual difference in the price OF cot
ten TO the Southern mills, and the cost
10 the English malls, here is a prospective
difference Of at least $1.50 per bale
Ncrth Carolina and the mill towns like
Raleigh and Charlotte are already in
H1>itiOi1 ~ tdlJOS tIlS fANiN IN part
if not i'll full. Capitalists are only just
beginning TO understand the advantages
OF the South as a location for cotton
mills. The rapid growth of the industry
in the past two years is really nothing
compared to the strides the South will
make along industrial lines in the next
decade North Carolina already con-
slnnes more cotton than she can raise,
in 20 years, at the outside, Georgia mills
will consume every bale of cotton produc-
cd in that State. South Carolina mills
in 10 years will be drawing on other
States fer large part of her supplies of
cotton. The cotton mills are indeed com
ing TO the cotton fields with rush.
BRITISH PRESTIGE LOST.
The last claim Of advantage to the
Manchester mills has already been eX-
ploded For years the British spinners
refused to regard the South as a possible
rival. They asserted that on the coarser
grades of cotton goods alone the South
would have an advantage over them.
They took the position further. that
skilled labor. was unknown in the South
and would never equal the labor III the
Manchester mills. These positions are
no longer tenable The leading mills of
this State compare favorably with the