The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-11-07

both TO the produceE and the con-
sumerA q
An allusion, in this connection, to the
need Of uniform classification is not in
appropriate. Some years ago repre-
sentatives of various cotton exchanges
met to consider this question. Its i'm
portance was appreciated. but the ef-
fort signally failed to accomplish what
was desired. It should be revived and
interest not allowed to lag until def
mite results accrue. It is an absurdity.
apparent TO every one, TO have the
ciasslncatlon OF one market
differ from that of another,
and that one from still another, a con-
dition which probably exists in
no other commodity of world wide dis
trlDution. This Exchange might credi-
tably assume the initiative in such
move and would probably meet with
an immediate and cordial response
from similar bodies at other ports.
savannah's Position strengthened.
Analysis of the crop statistics for
the past two years shows that Savan-
nah's percentage of the total receipts
increased and that its position as a
cotton port has seemingly been
strengthened and not weakened by the
mergers and consultations of railroads
having their terminals here. In sub
serving their own interests these larger
corporations have also assisted in
building up Savannahs commerce and
we may confidently expect to profit
by their policies as far as they have
been determined
The crop for 1901-02 was 10,6S0 $50
bales, or 297, 258 bales in excess of that
of 10000, an increase of 2.S3 per cent,
while Savannah's net receipts were
l,l5S,14S bales against 1,079, 435, an in
crease of rs, 713 bales, or 1923 per cent
The takings of the American mills for
the year we're 1881. 900 bales, of which
2,O51;O0O. bales went to the Northern
mills and 1,936.000 to those of the
South.
The Stride of Manufactures.
No fact in the industrial history of
our land stands out so prominently
as the vast strides cotton manufac-
lures have made in the South In the
twelve years from 1890 to 1902 their
requirements of raw cotton grew from
$4,000 to 1,936.000 bales, or $50 per cent,
while those of the northern mills in
creased from 1,799,000 to 2051 900 bales
or IA per cent. 1t is apparent at a
glance that in year or two the con-
sumptive requirements of the South
ern cotton mills will exceed those of
the Northern mills. This result, it is
seen, has been obtained not through
the manufacture of cotton goods in
the North falling off, but by the
South's meeting the enormous increase
in the worlds consumption.
The proximity of the mills in the
south to the raw ST 0plies, the abun-
dance of quickly trained white labor,
the absence, as rule, of strikes, and
the superior advantages otherwise Of
fered by this section must continue
to draw capital into this industry.
Look Ten Years Ahead.
Ten years from now the South will
be the great cotton manufacturing
section not only of the United States
but of the world and Savannah, if
we continue to assert ourselves, will
be the chief gateway through which
the products of it's many millions of
spindles will flow to the uttermost
parts of the earth Our harbor
improvements, soon to begin, with the
adequate provision made by Congress,
will create a channel twenty-eight feet
deep at mean high water and from $50
to 500 feet wide, greatly strengthening
our position as a port competing for
the business of both shemispheres.
Capt. Gillette, the United States en-
gineer, expects to begin operations at
and early date under two contracts, ag-
gregating about 100000 worth of
dredging, and will push them with the.
greatest expedition possible. The Pan
ANA canal now seems assured and will
Undoubtedly give the South the con-
troll of the cotton traffic with the East,
and Savannah with deep water and
unexcelled position must share proper
tionately in the stimulus that will be
given, not only to the cotton industry,
but to all other branches of trade.
Products of the Mills
When we consider that the greater
number of the TIC cotton mills in oper-
alton in the South are within a radius
of 300 miles of Savannah, are, in fact,
in the area from Which Savannah
would naturally draw the cotton. and
that, despite their increased takings
OF the raw product Savannah's re-
ceipts show such a handsome percen-
tage of increase, it is at once evident
that the transportation companies have
not been inimical to this port or disin-
clined to avail themselves of its su-
perior location and unsurpassed ship
ping facilities.
While we believe there are discrim-
nations from which we suffer, and
which your transportation committee
will seek to remedy during the next
year, we must recognize however
much we may deplore the continued
amalgamations of great corporations
as pre9udiclal to the highest public
interests, that the tendency among
railroads to unite is likely to be ac-
CELEBRATED by the success of the yner-
gers which have already taken place.
The effect, judging from the results
So far apparent, has been in Savan-
nah. favor, and the benefits to this
port will probably far more than
offset any minor losses or disadvant-
ages we may meet. Business. it is
said, follows the channel of least re-
sistance.
A Natural Export Point.
Savannah is the natural export point
for the entire territory from which
II now draws cotton, and there is
little likelihood, with the members of
this Exhancge critically studying each
new phase of the changing transporta-
ton situation and prompt to act in be-
half of Savannah, that we shall lose
our hold on the business we now con-
troll. There is no reason why any
Savannahian should look pessimisti-
caily into the future. To me 1t seems
bright with hope. Our city must
steadily grow in population, in diver
sity of business, in widely distributed
wealth, and in all that tends to ele-
vate its people and conduce to their
we'll being, material and otherwise.
While the actual production of cot
ton during the past year was greater
than for the previous year, the aver
age consumers value per bale was
lower. S4l.01 against $47.63, giving a, to-
tai less money value for the crop of