The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-10-27
W. 1903.
SILENT
-aFFERING.
Acute Distress AnF
ton GFhons English Cot
POWERS.
SILENT SUI
}"
FFERIN

The suffering ami
ners at Bury cons SOng the cotton spin
| age of material t~equent on the short
cotton Corner drought about by III
of New Orleans. afR6nqfd by Mr.79r his
fellow gamblers grows more dcu-e
every day.
With Il exception all the mills in
Moorside and eastward are closed. The
others are working half time. Abso-
lutte poverty and starvation stare nun
dreds of families in the face.
The case is desperate at Bury. and
will soon be equally desperate in the
surrounding towns unless the situa-
ton is quickly relieved.
Recently the mayor of Bury started
a relief fund, which has reached S4S
pounds. Tickets emitting the holders
TO one shilling's worth of food nave
been handed to clergymen and other
| prominent people in the various wards.
a soup kitchen has been started, and
500 meals are being distributed daily.
These meals consist of one pound Of
bread n a pint of III n in many
cases " or three members Of a FAINT
ly share this. the only meal of a day.
Dean Walsh. speaking to an EX-
press representative recently. empha-
sized the tremendous task the reIiev-
ing officer has in locating the distress.
The haIf-famished people are proudly
reticent. They prefer to suffer in ST.
lence.
When hungry and crying children
can no longer be denied. the women
come with tears in their eyes and ask
that they may be given the shilling ln-
stead Of the ticket. They cannot bear,
famished though they be, to face local
tradesmen without money.
Some of the cases are h~eartrending.
The short wages, consequent on work.
ing half time. leave next to nothing
for a weeks food. One large family
We're left with a single penny last Sat-
urday when rent. coal. etc, had been
paid for. One or two others are
known to lave lived for a whole day
on boiled potato pealings.
The distress is growing more acute
daily, and yet so close are the people
keeping the secret of their sufferings
that the outside world is practically
ignorant of 1t, n it has been at a
painful stage for nearly two months.
Yesterday Mr.. Wilson Barrett. who
is at present in Derby, sent the fol-
lowing message to the mayor of Bury:
Have read with much pain account
of great distress prevailing among cot
ton workers of Bury. In remeIn-
brance of kindly treatment I received
during my visit three years ago L beg
to offer to pay for 1900 twO-pOund
loayes to be equally divided between
the clergy of all denominations for
distribution by them to most deseTV-
ing cases. I undertake to repeat this
offer in one weeks time on condition
that two other gentlemen VIII be re-
| SpOnsible for a like amount"
a representative of Mr.. Barrett saw
the deputy mayor last night. The gift
was gladly accepted. and arrangements
for its distribution were made forth
with. Lord Derby has contributed 100
pounds and the Hon. Harry Lawson
80 pounds to the relief fund.
A local printer IS doing all the
necessary work free of charge, and, in
short, Bury is doing its utmost for
the population which the American
cotton gamblers are trying to hound
to death.
An important conference was heiI
at the colonial office yesterday to con-
| slider the question of cotton growing
in the West indies.
he Duke of Marlborough presided.
Sir Alfred Jones stated that the move
ment in the West Indies and other
parts of the empire to grow cotton
was meeting with the most cordial ap-
prevail. The government vas lending
it's support, and Mr.. Chamberlain was
taking a great personal interest in the
subject.
AS a matter Of fact, there IS really
no reason why Great Britain should
not. in a few years time. get all the
cotton she requires for home con-
| sumption from her own possessions.
At the close Of the eighteenth cen
fury the British West Indies supplied
20 per cent of the cotton imported into
| Great Britain, but America eventually
obtained a monopoly. and in 1902 the
| cotton imported into Great Britain
| from the United States amounted to
G29, 2S3, 929, while the value of the IN
| ports from the West Indies was only
c1,175.
for supposing that the West indies
| will regain the position held a century
| g as a cotton producing country.
The total value Of the cotton I'M
| ported into Great Britain from foreign
countries last yea was S30.616, 1873, as
against $40, 523, 003 from British colo
MES.
The possibilities of cotton growing in
West Africa appear to be absolutely
unlimited. and it will undoubtedly be
able. when fully developed. to supply
the needs of the whole of Great Bri-
tain.
With the West and East Indies,
Egypt and West Africa to cater to her
wants, there is every likelihood of
American cotton being eventually
ousted from the British market.
w. <. Love ocated in a Western
Town.