The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1900-07-04
THE SOUTH AND EXPANSION.
A Sensible, StatesmanIike Discussion
of a Great Question.

VI vi Cot VuSoHo''
Senator MeLaurin in Leslie's Weekly.
For the future, national expansion
is the hope Of the South. Her indus
trial development will be hindered
and finally circumscribed without it.
With the new markets it will create
and the power it will give her in all
industrial pursuits, it means the en-
richment of the South and the ma.
tion. The people of the South can
not now fully realize the industrial
progress made in that section in the
last two decades, nor properly appre-
ciate the transcendant advantages to
grow out CT expansion. The transi-
ton from a condition of business
paralysis, produced by a disastrous
war and reconstruction trials, to one
of marvellous industrial activity and
development, has been so sudden and
unexpected that it really seems to
them mirage. When they fully
awake to the true situation and real
ize the wonderful advantage made
and the industrial possibilities Of
/ the South, they will be able to see
what the South will gain by expan-
sion.
"What is the true condition of the
South, and what is necessary for its
continued improvement? She has a
monopoly of the agricultural staple
, of cotton, which is the world wide
Influence. No other country has
ever bad such a monopoly Of any
staple. In 1898 the cotton crop was
IL ,274,S0O bales. The cotton grow
ing region measures $4,000 square
miles. With the proper demand and
ether favorable conditions, there are
! cotton sells enough in the South to
produce 1O0,000,000 bales. There
are enough horses and mules on the
farms of the cotton growing States
today to make crop of 5O,O00,O00
bales. There are 1,50O,0O0,C0O peo-
pie in the world. Possibly 100000
are interested in the growing, hand
ling and manufacturing cotton, with
about 100000 interested in its sale.
The balance of the human family are
consumers. In addition to this, there
are $40, 100000 invested in oil mills,
an industry yet in it's infancy. There
is DO bi-product in the world whose
possibilities compare with those of
cotton seed.
"Tbe South is making rapid strides
in the manufacture of raw cotton,
In 1880 she had $4,000 spindles,
representing a capital of $21, 100000
Today she has over 100000 spindles
and more than $125,O00,o0O invested
in cotton mills. There are mills
now under construction representing
about S25,0O0,000 more, With the
same rate of increase for the next
twenty years land it will be accele-
rated), the South will have over
25,OO00O0 epindles, representing
over S6O0,O00,000 invested. 10 1899
ber mills consumed about 100000
bales of cotton. In 1920 they will
consume 100000 balee. With the
advantage of climate, cheaper labor,
coal and other supplies, she can COM
pete with the world in furnishing
cheap cotton goods.
"The demands for these goods is
sure to grow with civilization. Now
only about half the people in the
world are supplied with cotton goods
made by modern machinery. The
production Of manufactured goods is
now nearly double the amount neces-
sary for our population. New markets
must be found for this surplus, which
will continue to increase. In the
East is population of teeming mil
lions needing our cotton goods, which
are so we'll suited to theselimate and
people. Our Southern msnufactur-
ers have already reached this market,
and with an increase of our present
: trade and the opening Ct new mar
kets, we can find an outlet for all our
surplus products. The Orient furn-
ishes the only unexplored and unde-
veloped market in the world. The
field of trade everywhere has been
occupied. What a dazzling picture
it is to fancy the South raising
5O,OO0,0J0 bales of cotton and man.
ufacturing half of it and realizing
the rich rewards of disposing Of the
products in the East.
"The South has a workable coal
field OF $4,000 square miles, with a
development of only about 1000
square miles. The output at present
is only about 100000 tons. With
the entire area developed, the amount
,o,,lJ bo b,,rS ro1 q