The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1903-10-28
The BRITISH COTTON CRISIS.

Three Million Persons Affected
by the Depress;on--0nIy Hope
in Empire Grown" Cot
ton---Bury's Grievance.
Definite figures showing the full ex-
tent of the burden Of the cotton crisis
in Great Britain have been obtained.
They emphasize an extraordinary story
of loss and suffering.
Mr.. Smethurst, the general secretary
of the Federation of Master Cotton
Spinners said in an interview that TAX
ing Lancashire and towns in the sur
rounding counties engaged in the cot
ton industry the operatives number
about 500, 900.
cit is safe to say'' he added "that 80
per cent Of these have been seriously
affected for something Like three
months. cat an average of 81 week
each the total weekly wage bill in nor
NAL times is $500, Oo0. It is hard to
say by how much this has been reduc.
ed since the crisis began. [ should
think the total loss in wages during
the last fourteen weeks figures out at
not less than e700, coo. It is very pro-
badly more and it is pretty certain
that before the depression is over cot
ton operatives will have lost nearly
e1, 900, 600. .
MI. Smethurst also pointed out that
5O0,00 operatives means five or
six times that number Of people actully
dependant on the cotton trade for a
living. Wives, children, tradesmen
and railway employees to the number
of something like 5000, 600 have been
affected by the depression. Many rail-
way men have been working short time
owing to the shortage in the carriage
of cotton between the towns.
.There is no doabt," he added, that
mill owners have been hit very hard.
Some say the mills are running at
losses varying from G200 to $500 a
week. I should think that 80 per cent
of the mills are running.at loss.
SHORTER AND SHORTER TIME.
est is impossible for anyone in the
American trade to see his own money.
Short time is increasing every week,
and has been general since the middle
of July, when the federation decided
that mills should not work more than
forty hours weekly. Many in the Old
ham district are now Of sheer necces-
sity compelled to work only thirty
hours week, owing to the increasing
scarcity of cotton.
To do any good cotton should now
arrive at Liverpool at the rate of one
boat daily, Sundays included, but we
are scarcely receiving one cargo a
week. Since last Thursday night only
1a 600 bales entered Liverpool; this is
scarcely a third of the normal weekly
consumption in Lancashire and sur
rounding mills.
Speaking of the future, Mr.. Smeth-
urst expressed the opinion that the
outlook is as gloomy as ever, and that
distress in Lancashire will probably
grow still more acute before things
brighten. ''We are living on faith, -
he said.
"The new American crop is reported
to be a heavy one. Some place it at
10 per cent, but it is very late and will
| now ran the risks of frost or other bad
weather. Should frost come and
take off 1000, 0c0 bales. (such disas-
ter is not impossible.) I dare not
think what will be the result to
Lancashire AS it is the present suffer
ing will last for another month.
In my opinion not man who
| knows the industry can deny that
Lancashire's only hope for the future
rests in empire grown cotton"
4 Tho 1occnc hv troHocrnop ~,
the various towns affected is enor-
| preventative has investigated the
distress have tradesmen estimated the
decrease in their takings at less than
| so per cent, while several, such as
general dealers and tobacconists, state
! that their takings are about quarter
Of the normal turnover. Those who
know the towns and the ways Of the
! people best say that scores of small
tradesmen will be ruined through de-
| creased takings and giving too liberal
| credit.
There is scarcely trade of any kind
| that is not affected in some way or
other. Depression is written deeply
| over the whole cotton spinning area,
4 but there is great and growing con-
| viction that Mr.. Chamberlain is the
| strong man who will in some way set
things right.
What the way will be people of all
classes are waiting to know. The cam
| paign of speeches is eagerly anticipat-
ed everywhere. Peopla who have been
among the bitterest local opponents
of Mr.. Chamberlain now do not hesi-
tate to declare that they are in favor
of an inquiry.
No fewer than seven mill owners in
the Oldham district, who admitted
being so far pronounced free traders
said this yesterday. Their minds are
open to be convinced if Mr.. Chamber
lain can show that distressing times
like the present can be avoided by his
scheme of fiscal reform. The Tradi-
tional devotion in Lancashire to free
trade is, in short, relaxing on all
sides.
A typical instance is afforded by
! D., onIiopooe 30