The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1900-10-04

slS.5Si. In that rear we exported the
rTedi g,nas total Of 50 -, FOG, GO OF bread
suTfs. q figure witch we have not
reacned since. In rte matter of cotton
exiiocss, howevsrs There has been de-
citloe improvements; and il contains
valuable hint to the south, for during
tae pAssl2 months we received s24i,-
6i6.165 for our cotton. or $32, O5S ,a3f
more thans for the previous year; al
though we shipped over 2,OO0, 900 bales
less. Tho farmers got more for short
crop than they would have received for
a large one, and it is needless to point
out that the cost Of harvesting, market
ing and shipping the crop was materially
reduced. This is on the right line. Our
people should always so manage as to
have the balance of trade in our favor.
The wonderful progress made by the
south in cotton manufacturing still CON-
tinueS According to figures collected
by the Boston Textile World, the north
had in 1880 exactly 1s,72is34l spindles.
while the south had 1,S28,9s2. 4. Now
the north has l5.242,554 spindles,
while the south has 5,8i5, APO. The in
crease in the south for the last decade
is, therefore, 2l7 per cent, and for the
north 1913 per cent. South Carolina
comes third in the Union, after Massa-
chusetts and Rhode Island, with l, 794,-
667 spindles; North Carolina is fourths
with l.420,540 spindles; New Hampshire
fifth, with / ,34S, 923, and Georgia sixth,
| with 1918, 504.
II The Textile World is correct in its
| figures, then South Carolina stands first
among the southern states in the nuns
Der Of spindles; North Carolina, which
we know is first in the number of mills,
stands second in the number of spindles;
while Georgia is the third cotton manu-
featuring state OF the south, unles the
| product of her mills exceeds in value
| that Of either of her Carolina sisters,
which was the case in 1890 Bat what
should especially please every member
/ OF this convention is the fact that the
whole south is marching on to the goal
of industrial independence. For the sea-
son Of 1899 and 1900 the south, for the
first time i'll its history, fixed the price of
cotton. If the growth of the cotton mill
industry in the south continues at its
present rapid rate, with the consequent
increased consumption by the southern
mills, we may confidently expect that
the south will henceforth be able to fix
the price of her own great staple. There
Is, as yet. no sign of check in this de.
velopment, which, even in the time of
business depression, was marvellous. OF
course am most familiar with my own
state. There the growth of the cotton
industry since the beginning of the pres
ent year is beyond all precedent.
Twenty or more new mills are now in
process of construction. One of them is
the great cotton factory at Gainesville,
Ca, which. when fully equipped, will
represent Gu investment of $1,000,000.
The possibilities of the soil and eli
mate of the south arc such that ours
ought to be the richest section of the
Union. Considering the overwhelming
disasters that were the outcome of the
great civil war, and the difficulties that
have beset our people since its close, the
farmers of the south have done well.
For their long and heroic struggle of So
years, and for the difficulties which
they have overcome they deserve all
praise. But the success of some up.to-
date southern farmers, where the best
methods have been employed, has been
hardly less phenomenal. This is a day
of progress on all lines. The farmer
connot afford to be behind the manu-
facturer. Old methods must give way
to better and newer ones When some
enterprising farmer proves that soil of a
| certain kind can be made to produce 40,
| 90 and over 60 bushels of wheat to the
acre, and with largely increased profit,
, after deducting the necessary expense
of bringing his land up TO such state of
producdveness. no other farmer with as
good soil should be satisfied to pursue
old methods, or be content with yield
or from 10 to Is bushels to the acre
Let US hope for active, vigorous, persist
ent competition on this line among all
the farmers of the south. A friendly
rivalry will do much to increase our az
ricultural products, and build ND the
wealth of our section. In nearly all
sections of the Cotton States the greater
proportion of the beef and butter con-
sumed in our towns comes from the
north and west. So long as this is the
case, there will be an urgent cell for
improvement.
In view Of the fact that the per capita
production of the farmers of the south
is only SIT, while in New England it is
1917, and in the west $5l9, we venture
the suggestion that there must be some