The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1900-12-19
COTTON MILL WORKERS.
Live More Comfortably and Max Z
More Money than Do the Fariners
who Rent Land.

Live More Comfortably and Max
More Money than Do the Farmer.
who Rent Land.
In q stroll last Sunday along the big roat
we met up with Mr.. Scott Ham mOnd, weave
in the Aboeville Cotton Mill.
Without suspicion that he was being In
terviewed for publication in the Press ant
:. Banner, We applied our pump, and he talket
very freely and unequivocally in lavoE
cotton mill work, as compared with renting
land, and growing cotton. He has had three
and is enthusiastic in It's praises. In order to
hear bin talk we proposed that he. join US In
/: q walk. when we took in Cromers brick yard
and discussed the quality OF his brick. W G
looked At Mr.. L. T. Miller's pasture, which be
is breaking up with a four. horse plow, and
walked up the railroad track 10 the trestIe
across the tig road. We were pumping him
2 He SAYS the, operatives are living In com.
y Portable houses, and earning good wages
Under the supervision or direction OF kind
and considerable bosses, the people are gen.
s orally well satisfied. Because OF The respect
-fni treatment which is accorded 10 the opera.
J! tyes, the mill people are loyal 10 the mill,
Xad are pleased with their Jobs
SThereN&e pow many vacant houses on. the
mill groShass but as soon as the new machin
cry Is started many more operatives Will be
needed. and the houses will be flied. He
would like TO see the farmers in the, county
They ought not to rent land for next year
until they find out whether they can get en-
ployment In the mill. No man ought TO rent
land who can get g job In the mill. have
4 $perior nd vantages Of employ menLi in cotton
Z mill. We have all the help that is needed
! now, but In a little while there will be
!, force, and Tehope that our own people may
take advantage Of the opportunity which u
offered. ~ ...' ,ILFi ~
He says. the people In the employ Of
& the mill are as honorable, as we'll behaved,
and as deserving OF respect as are the citizens
OF any village, of the size Of the Mill Town.
4 While there maybe a few who do not measure
eup TO the highest requirements, yet the rule
Us, they are as good people as any one could
S;iWork can be had in the mill every day In
y the year, On the farm there are many days
4 when farmers cannot find profitable work.
1 During the rainy season, or when 1t is cold.
or when the crops are not ready, days are
lost. while the expense OF feeding mules goes.
! on with regularity. At the end Of the year;
( times pays bis lien In full. but he never has
much money left. After he and bis family.
have lived during the year In the most
economical aa manner ne has I reason TO con.
and clothing for the winter. s. ".
2S3 With the mill operative 1t is different. Ifia
single man or single woman works initbe
mili the @ earnings Of either would range rom
the head OF q family with half dozen chill;
'sdren come to the mill; some Of them will,
[ help earn money, and they together with
make anywhere from $40 to SIS q month.
less than, the farm liener. They live In good
bouses, near to the town, and enjoy, the
pleasures and benefits OF society, the schools
sIhs farms, live in secluded places FAR from
sthe centres OF population and business. Lack
Sof good vehicles and lack OF good horses, and
the eexisting bad roads, keep the families oI
,Sthe renters almost buried; They see other
people seldom, and have little ofthel enjoy.
4msnts resulting from social intercourse With
The farmer cannot dress his children as
well az the mill people. The farmer isiglad II
8 he can SQUARE his account at ths end. of, the
yesr,and give bis. children the scantiest Of
S'Si TBS earnings or a family In a,cotton mill
would range snywhere from two to four times
SRs much as the gross sales Of the crops ofSthe
same family II they worked onGa farm, and
then, yon Know; ~ the ssntiSakes & aSout.one; y ne
and shod all year, a wagon must be kept, and
Z this expense is TO be deducted from the pro
duct il the family ever coca anywhere, the
e snog os %na Rrgg taRsg 1Rfgy aP %Ss
!; ;whent say that, young people might nearly
!, as we'll be buried alive. as to be kept on Sc.
Scluded spot Of q distant farm, which is miles
well, then, ME-. Hammond, yop would
ADVISE renters 70 seek employ ymeht in the
b aes. sir; / would. Iregard II foolish act
sployment In the cotton millsis as pleasant
sand as profitable as II IL now. In the mill we
creed lose no time. In cold weather or any
other bad weather the, mills warmed for us,
without trouble or expense tons, so that we
i can work In comfort. Our wages is much
more than can ~be earned on the farm. We
live I'm community OF good people, and our
pleasant. pleasant we have as good and as cohsclen. D.
,uous people In the mill as can be found any.
'Fwhere. Their character ia all that anyone
could wish. In the mill we choose our asso,
i siates Just as do the people up town.. r.HE
Then, you think the workers In the mill
any other, calling? iZE&Y 3 n
t IhRve no doubt on that point now When
ciatee on the propriety Of going Into the mill.
some Of them said that The people looked
down on that kind OF work, and I expected,
went into the ill, bntlnp to this time no.
body has done so; on the contrary have
: been spoken TO kindly on the subject by some
mighty. good people. II any difference at all,
3Iwould say that my acquaiutances are even
4 more respectful TO me than before I went
into the mill. When earned q living at odd
Jobs Ididn' texactly eat dirt and 60 naked, but
{ No, sir !; nobody has shown any dlsrespect to
me on account OF my belngin the milk: am
earning more money than could make al
I anything else, and being able TO pay my
ssdsbts. or buy for cash, Inspires me with q
greater ne sen.respect than a man can possess
who has tnsbeg for credit, and then must
seek to eyadeyh his creditor, because Of Inability
= TO pay. tell you q man feels better when be
can pay cash, or IL he can pay his bills
4 when they become. due. a. ana proud OF my
Job and proIdof my ability to handle a sum
sof money every two weeks. It tis foolish for a
man to rent land, and then give hens, ,hwhen
7 he can do 30 much better In cotton mill. a
farmer scarcely has the privilege OF selling
This own cotton. $50 - '.. r..-.'.
Standing on the track of the railroad at the
parting OF the ways,a a handsome young man
z and D. pretty young woman came by. Their
genie bearing and Itheir modest demeanor
4 attracted attention, and we were told that
I thsy were husband and ,wife-the husband
7 holding profitable Job In the mill. q.
AN ECHO OF THE CENSUS.
TIE SmaIIer Cstiess and Larger Towns
OF south Carolina.
VI washington, December The popu lation
z OF certain Incorporated places in South Caro-
lty,a ha,vifO a n0rSJtpfi0n of rnnre Tho n mn