Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1901-04-17

on tne farms had TO come IN direct
competition with the negroes, 80 that
they had great difficulty in making
more than bare living for them
selves and families. The cotton
mills opened to them new industry
in which the negro did not enter as
a competitor, and the result is that
they not only make much better
wages than on the farm, but there is
constant employment for those who
wish work, and all the advantages
of churches, libraries and social fea-
lures which they could not enjoy on
isolated farms.
1t has been said by many foreign
ers who have visited this country
that the purest type of Americans
can be found in the South, because
we have had very little immigration
to this section and very little ad-
mixture with foreigners. This fact
accounts for the help in the South
crn mills being in many respects far
superior to that in New England,
for they are natives and to the manor
born, with the same interests, tradi-
tions and impulses that all other
Southerners have, end while they are
not all good, as class believe that
they will compare most favorably in
intelligence, moral character and in
dustry with any other class of labor
ing people in the world.
New England has been cursed and
is to-day seriously handicapped by
labor unions which interfere in the
management of the business, and
stir up strife between the employers
and the operatives; they seek to put
every operative on the same basis
and stamp out all ambition and in
dividuality; they interfere in cleo
tions and have the politicians con-
stantly in fear of them.
We have never been cursed with
these organizations, as experience
shows that they have never thrivcn
except in communities composed
largely OF foreigners, and it is to be
hoped that they will continue to give
us wide berth.
The South is the only section in
this country which has never been
hampercd by labor laws, and | attri-
butte in a large measure the wonder
ful development of the cotton mill
industry to this fact, for New Eng
landcrs have put their money in the
Southern mills, rather than in the
New England enterprises, because
they feel that the officers who are
placed in charge of the enterprises
will have the management of them
rather than the walking delegate" :"
dcmagogues and socialists.
All Of the early mills in the South
were constructed for what is called
coarse goods, but as experience was
acquired and skin developed they
have gradually been built for finer
goods, and the majority of mills
built in the South within the past
two years have been for finer grades
of goods, many of them now running
exclusively on numbers SO to 40.
The principal advantage which the
South enjoys is longer hours and
consequently less cost per pound,
therefore, she has an advantage over
her competitors in the North, hence
that fabric which represents the
largest expense for labor is the most
inviting field for the Southern mills,
just at this time the cotton indus
try is in a very depressed condition,
owing to the wars in China and At
RIGA, the plague in India and other
disturbing causes ; large amount of
our export trade has been cut off.
Our production being much larger
than the supply necessary for this
country alone, goods have been piling
up, and have affected the market SO
that the margin of profit is exceed
ingly small, but these matters are
temporary, and when these causes
have been removed, trade will in
crease, prices improve and the hori.
zon brighten, for all kinds of busi
ness have fluctuations, and cotton
manufacturing is probably less sub.
ject to them than almost any other.
Our own people do not realize tho
immense strides which have beer
made in the last ten years, 80 it is
not rplsing that outsiders do not
know. But the South Carolina Ex
position will give the manufactu
rers in the State an opportunity tt
show the world what VIC have &C
complishcd, and it is most earnestly
desired and recommended that ever,