The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1900-05-16
SOUTHERN MILL LABOR.
The Class Of People Employed at the
Mills-GastOnia Has Superior
Operatives.
Mill News.

The Class of People Employed at th
Mills-GastOnia Has Superior
| Operatives.
| Following up the subject of our editorial q
! last week on THE Southern Labor Problem
we are pleased to present our readers this weel
with the following excellent article writer
| by Mr. H. E. c. Bryant Of this city IN whicl
| he tells Of the good qualities ofthe Southern
| mill operatives and the advantages the.
have gained by coming to the mills:
I'm recent years many articles concernin
the cotton mill operatives of the South hav
appeared In Southern and Northern news
papers and magazines Some writer's hav
predicted that The cotton mill will prov
detrimental 10 health and character OF Int
| class of men and women employed there
Individuals who know nothing OF the actua
conditions have gone so far AZ to assert ina
the cotton factory is a curse Instead of q bless
ing to the Southern States. The most ready
takers on the subject are the men generally
who know the fewest facts. They are agtta
tors and would-be apostles of the workint
people.
But after all the best way to settle tint
question for yourself Is to go 10 the mills anc
make a personal investigation. There is {
ter OF the operatives. Once heard a promi
nent cotton mill man ask friend OF his tht
following questions: why are the opera
tives in the Gastonia N. e. cotton millt
are they more moral, more bealthful more
attractive aud more contented 2" =.
Neither OF the men could answer the Ques'
tion though both admitted that such was the
case. Soon after hearing these questions
made visit to the Gastonia mills end was
very much impressed by the appearance and
behavior Of the men and women and bows
and girls whom l saw working there One
between the operativ es OF the N lis and those
OF many other mills. There Is a cause ior NJ
81 sought to discover the secret. went !
la6orers. The history of the success
Of the cotton mill business in Gastonia
and scores OF other small Southern
towns and the story Of first securing and
then maintaining such q fine class Of help
is like beautiful dream.
II shall use the mills OF Gastonfa, as AN
illustration. In 1883 a subscription was taken
and the Gastonia Manufacturing Company
les increased to 5000 the following year and
now operates llO00 spindles and 140 looms.
This was the first mill for Gastonta. Ifwas
followed by the Trenton with 1000 spindles
and 200 looms; the Avon the Ozark the
Modepa No. 2. the Arlington and the, ,Loray.
when the first mill began work seleot
class OF help was secured. The management
laid down plan and carried II ont to- the
letter. Before family wasallowed TO work
In the mill or even move to the mill settle!
ment the officers Of the mill had TO be as
sured that the men were honest and sober
auu tuS Wonou Wolo tiItuOus. 5SNO M!uhiuS
was allowed around the mill. A drinking
man or an Immoral woman was discharged
as soon as discovered. Soon the operatives
fell In with the Idea and were as much oppos-
go 70 m imm0rtaiity and dTunEennsss as we're @
the Gastonia mili1tor all the mills there
have followed the. plans;ofx the hrst-were
taking none but the nest GLASS or work Ing
people II was no trouble TO secure good help.
Many parents were anxious tQ stop farmtog
rented land and go toR mill! where soberness
and virtue were the requisiiss for getting III.
To-day ia man is discovered drunk on the
mill property he isldfiyer ont as though be