Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1904-03-12
FOR GREATER MISSISSIPPI
Items Of Industrial Interest GleaneI From All Over the State.
Notes and Comments.
BY Fl. 7. BI4AKESLEE.
By Fl. Il. B~LAKESLEE.

There are more reasons than one
why factories should be located in
Mississippi tina: are worthy OF exploit
tation at the hands Of the press of the
State. The laws are liberal, indeed,
and offer inducements superior 70
those Of almost every other State IN
The Union. Conditions are unusually
favorable and with the proper interest
manifested would no doubt attract the
attention OF capitalists in the North
and West and wake up some dormant
capital in Il own State. The pres
ence of factories gives employment to
a large class Of orr people. notably
ONE and children who cannot make
4 living on the farm; has the effect OF
Increasing real esttte values in the
immediate proximity of such indus
tries: adds much taxable wealth, and,
above all, gives a home market for our
truckers and farmers generally.
Large pay rolls to factory employees
flow into the general channels OF
trade. TO merchants, truckers, farm
ers, and, in short. to almost every ave
nue. OF commerce. II should be re-
membered that monies thus dtstrib-
uted 10 employees necessarily comes
from abroad, due to the sale Of the
finished product Of the factory, and
hence 1t means an influx Of wealth.
The South is today the growing cen
ter OF the Union in this particular
line. and why should we not have II
pro rata of these industries that arc
coming South? 1t il because Our peo-
pie have not taken the matter actively
In hand. We are depending too much
on our agriculture, and that fact is
why we are not better off today. Di-
yersifed industry and the presence OF
factories to consume our raw material
will change matters very much for
our good. Mississippi has an abund-
ance of the finest labor In the Union;
we are not troubled with lock-outs and
strikes, nor are We troubled with labor
laws as are Northern manufacturers,
If these matters are called to the at
tention Of capitalists who are seeking
a place for investment, we would re
ceive a due proportion Of the many
factories that are coming in this direc-
ton. Capital is an extremely timid
thing and men are not inclined TO put
their all into an industry In a foreign
State without local aid and encourage
meDt.
An advantage possessed by Missis-
sippi over the States further north,
and one that ls we'll worth exploiting,
is the difference in the cost Of living,
The first cost Of making n home here
ia not only less. but it costs less to
support the home and the family than
it does in a country where winter Is
the rule and summer only the inter
lude. The three largest items OF ex
pense for every family are. buildings,
clothing and. food. Individual arti-
cles of clothing cost some less here
than in the North, and the total
amount Of clothing needed is much
less. and what Is needed is a less eX'
pensive article. The furs, heavy wool
ems and other expensive articles OF
winter clothing are not needed here,
and clothing of the cheaper cotton FAB
RIGS Is all that is wanted during the
greater part Of the year. undercloth'
ing of wool Is frequently worn, but the
heavy wraps and double suits worn in
the North are wholly unnecessary.
Fuel costs but little and little Is need
ed. Carpets are much less essential
to comfort than in the North and are
much less used. Parties first coming
here from the North will find their
heavy clothing comfortable for the
first winter from the fact that our eli
mate Is iamper than what they have
been used to, but after n or two
winters they will find no need for such
and 1t will never be replaced. The
same may be said in regard to the cost
of food. Meat, flour, sugar, tea and
coffee cost practically the same here
as in the North, but with our milder
climate we need less OF these and use
q larger proportion Of vegetables and
fruits, which are grown at home, and
so cost no cash outlay. From the ex'
perience of many who have lived in
both places, we are confident that the
expense here for the three items men
toned is not more than two-thlrds
what it Is in States north of the Ohio
river. With such small expense for
living, with our light taxes and cheap
labor. this Is one Of the best places in
the whole country for a man of en-
ergy, pluck and limited means to make
for himself a comfortable home.
While the good people of Charles
ton. Tallahatchie county, may not he
pushing" the whole State of Missis-
sippi so much, they are pushing their
town. and that is commendable. AT n
largely attended mass meeting held a
few days since, they decided to have
railroad connection at any cost ana
Eut enthusiastic men to work to get
the movement under way. The propo-
sltion is. to tap the Illinois Central
at Oakland with a branch road for
Charleston. When their movement
takes tangible proportions the Illinois
Central will no doubt come in and
help the matter along. The town
needs this road to make it n or the
best in the State, surrounding condl'
tons being favorable to a large com
mercial and manufacturing business.
The forests of Mississippi still con
trin large quantities OF valuable tim
Der that should be worked into the
finished articles right here at home,
Not a particle Of it should be shipped
out OF the State IN an unfinished state.
For the first time Mississippi is
making a little appropriation to adj
yertise her wonderful resources
abroad. Total appropriations of 500.