The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-06-16
washington Post.)

In the multitude of government publica-
.. tiCns it would be difficult to find one
more instructive than the late report Of
the Agricultural Department on the pro-
auction of cotton in the United States
in the year 1S99-1900. The statistics are
alike suggestive and eloquent. They tell
The story of the continued ascendency of
the American cotton grower over all his
rivals New countries have been eX
plored for cotton fields, old ones develop
ed, capital and science applied to build
up competition, and still America leads
in the production of the cotton most
needed for the wants of civilized man.
It's cotton is indispensable to the worlds
industry. No other country can ever be-
gin to supply this demand
This, however. is hardly half the
story. In the manufacture of cotton
goods America is forging to the front as
she ought to have done long ago. Owing
to the great demand for American cot
ton goods in the year ended August 81,
1900, the United States consumed more
raw cotton than any other country in
the world, leading Great Britain, which
for the century previous held undisputed
supremacy. That this lead will be main
tanned is altogether probable when we
consider our possession of the best raw
product the inventive skill of our peo-
pie, and their superior intelligence as
operatives.
these two great telling facts would be
deemed by any political economist to pos
sess supreme Importance, but there are
other, features of the situation upon
which the report properly dwells. Among
other things, one reads Of the wide range
of prices last year, how spot cotton on
September 1, 1899, was worth Ga cents
per pound in New York, and on August
81, 1900 the last day of the season, sold
at 95s cents per pound, an advance OF
about 33s cents, but we find also that
the price in January, 1900, was only ~
cents, so that the planters gain was
only a difference of ~ cents. This fact
has not been duly appreciated in much of
the current discussion upon the advance
in cotton. Another feature is that this
crop thought 100000 bales less than
previous year, had a greater aggregate
value of 500 O0O
most interesting revelation is the
light thrown on the increased demand
for cotton by the Southern mills and
their remarkable development in the past
ten years. 1t is easy to recognize here
great industrial movement which once
began is sure to go on, it may be after
long years of trial and experiment, until
finally the problem will be solved, name
! ly, at what point or general locality the
raw cotton can be most easlv procured
economical and skilled labor secured, and
all the elements of cost in the mauufac-
ture minimized, but combined possibly
with equal facility Of distribution and
shipment for the finished product. Chea p
food, cheap fuel, and many other items
viii enter into this equitation. The
transfer of the cotton manufacturo To the
South and Southwest will not be aptd
movement, and possibly only the bulk Of
the manufactures will be in that section,
but that the trend is IN that direction
! is obvious. Nor does it greatly matter
that the first development of the South
ern mills is in producing the coarser
grades of cotton goods. The companies
which make large dividends by manufac-
turing coarse goods will push on to fresh
conquests by turning their attention to
the finer grades, and here they will COM