The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-08-02

recently made calculation regarding
the, cotton crop of 190a-3 which has in
terest In view of this crops economic
and social value He polled represen-
tative growers in 65S out or a total OF
IS6 6cotton-producing counties, the coun-
ties heard from representing 96Is per
cent. of the total producing area, ana
upon this basis figures that the total
will approximate 1O.T21,6aS bales. Two
years ago the bales averaged 5l13I
pounds each; last year the average fell
to 6O32S pounds. The average for the
coming yield will probably be some-
where between these former averages.
Consequently any one who wishes 10
guess at the total value has only to
| consult the market reports for quota-
tions on cotton by the pound and pro-
cced to figure.
Tn this general connection 1t may be
well to review briefly some Statistical
facts showing how rapidly New Eng
land Is losing its old-time pre-emi-
nence as the center of the cot ton spin
ming industry and how rapidly the
| South il learning to manufacture It's
raw cotton near the place Uf growth.
In the twenty years from 1850 to 1"oo
the capital invested In the textile in-
dustry I'm the United States increased
from Si12,721, ,49G to $1,1O1 O05,S15. or 1i2
per cent: of that increase New Eng
lands share was from S26lo6l,l4' to
1924. .S99. .3G2 or 10G per cent; while the
South's share rose from S25,379.14O to
S121 .461 .O15, or AIS per cent. the IN
crease in the value of products during
the same period was for the United
States, from $532 .6I3.4SS to $SS3.S92,oo9,
or G5 per cent: for New England. from
$31O,542, 49, to $412. .S75,915, or 80 per cent;
| for the South. from S25,63S,246 to S114,-
SS7, ,G6S. or 34S per cent In 1880 the in
vestments in the industry In the South
represented 6 per cent. of all in the
country, and in 1900 IA per cent. In the
same period the percentage of the value
of the product in the South TO the total
for the whole country advanced from
4 to 13.
These figures. which we take from
the Manufacturers Record, of Balti-
| more. presage an early revolution in
the social life of the cotton producing
states. The construction Of the 18TH
mian canal, assuring cheap and con-
venient transportation of textile pro-
ducts from the South to the Orient,
where the cOarser grades of cotton
fabrics are already in great and grow
ling demand, will inevitably stimulate
vastly the investment of Northern capt.
ltal in Southern mills. This, in turn,
will open new employment to Southern
ers now in the ruts of one-crop agricul-
| ture; bring into play a freer circulation
| of money helpful to all forms of busi-
ness exchange; lead swiftly to better
| schools. newspapers and tone of pub
lie opinion generally, and put before
the young men of the South something
of more Importance than cherishing
Iantiquated slavery-day traditions. In
cidentally, so far as the negro problem
can be solved save by the slow process
of evolution and natural adaptation, 1t
will contribute appreciably and bene-
ficially to reduction of the Souths
monomania on the subject of the color
line. For if the negro become indis-
pensable to industry and white mems
profit, he will, as in the better house.
holds during slavery times, be cared
for instead of eXterminated.