The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-08-16
HELPING McLAURIN.

AACbh 1ANANsF
Senator McLaurin of South Carolina
is not lacking in friends among the
cotton manufacturers of his state. AT
the meeting at Union last week there
were several speeches in support Of
the position occupied by him in
respect to the ship subsidy bill. AS is
we'll known McLauTin favors that bill
on the ground that greater merchant
marine is necessary to the proper de-
velOpment of the commerce of the
country, and that the only way to
build up merchant marine sufficient
to carry the country's commerce is by
means of subsidies.
One of the speakers at the meeting
at Union was Mr.. John B, Cleveland,
a Spartanburg cotton manufacturer.
Mr.. Cleveland, among other things,
said that this country produces 80 per
cent of the cotton of the world, and
manufactures only per cent. of It.
The reason ii does not manufacture
larger percentage of 1t is that 1t has
no market for 1t, the markets of the
world for cotton fabrics being prac-
tically controlled by European coun-
tries, mainly England, Germany and
France.
Mr.. Cleveland said that the South
American countries are far better mar
kets for the cotton goods of this coun-
try than China, and yet the United
States send a very small amount of
such goods to those countries. For in
stance, he said, the Argentine Repub
lie imported $4,000 900 worth of cotton
goods last year. OF this amount the
United States supplied only about $780,
600 worth. Mr.. Cleveland contended
that with plenty of ships the United
States would be able to get the bulk
of the cotton goods trade not only of
Argentina, but also of all of the other
South American states.
1t may be that Mr.. Cleveland is right
in the position he takes, but there are
some reasons for thinking he is not.
For instance, what is there to hinder
American manufacturers from shipping
their products to South American mar
kets by steamers already running from
American ports to ports of South and
Central America? 1t is certain that the
freights are not prohibitive. Without
knowing exactly what the facts are
respecting the freight rates, we ven
ture to say that, in proportion to the
distance, they are no greater than from
European ports.
We have seen IL stated many times,
and never once contradicted, that the
reason why our merchants and manu-
facturers get so small a share of the
trade of the South and Central Amer
lean states Is that they do not make
an effort to get it. They do not COM
ply with the requirements of the
trade, either in manufacturing or in
packing. If we are not mistaken our
minister to Brazil pointed out why our
cotton goods were not satisfactory to
the market of that country. but said
they could easily be made so. 1t
seems, however, that our manufacture
ers and merchants take the position
that IL the people of Central and South
America do not find our cotton goods
to be just what they want, they need
not buy them. AS long as that feeling
is dominant 1t is hardly proba-
bic that we shall get the cotton goods
trade of the countries to the South of
us away from European manufacturers
and merchants. The latter cater to
that trade.
Perhaps Mr. Cleveland has made
study of this subject, but 1t seems TO
us from all the lights before us that
the conclusion he has reached is an
erroneous one.