Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1905-04-04
We control the raw cotton.

We control the raw cotton, m
friends, but we do not control tn
worlds trade In cotton goods. TIL
United States must control the cotto
trade Of the world; nothing short @
that will give you fair price for tn
products Of your labor.
The export trade in cotton goods
showing steady increase; because
the great demand from China, 1t ha
been the greatest in its history for tn
past seven months, but 1t Is not be
cause of any special effort on our par
The truth Is that we were on the YER
edge of a cotton famine, and the de
mand for goods Is so great that Eu
rope Is unable to supply its customers
and the overflow has come to the Unit
ed States.
For seven months, ending In Janu
tary, 1905, our exports were about $25,
10000 against about S12,500,000 TO
the same period in 1904. This Is good
but It didn't come from the righ
cause. 1t only came because 1t coul'
not go anywhere else. The right poll
cy is to put the whole cotton trade ol
a stable basis. We do not want price
too high. This cripples the mills an'
decreases consumption and reacts ol
the producers. believe our cotton 1
worth ten cents a pound. I believ
that basis, but they wish to feel safe
You can't have raw cotton one year
cents pound and the next year 81,
cents. without demoralizing the who'll
industry. American products ant
manufacturers must unite to give 1t
stable, standard value, and work to
gether to control the cotton trade o
the world in all of its branches.
The general public has an idea tina
the United States Is doing wonderful
work in cotton manufacturing. Out
side of the development Of the hom
market, our record Is one to be asham
ed of.
In spite of the fact that we produc
rs per cent of the cotton, we are tn
smallest exporters among the leading
nations of the manufactured article
We do not compare with Germany Ii
exporting cotton goods: even the lit
tie country of Switzerland is ahead o
this country so far as the value Of cot
ton exports Is concerned.
Gentlemen. just listen at these fig
ures, recently given out by the de
nartment Of commerce, and reprinted
In the Cotton Manufacturer Of Char
lotte. N. c.:
| The total exports Of cotton goods 70
| the whole world last year was $50 mil
lion dollars: Of this the United States
only sent abroad $22,500.000.
| In other words last year we made q
per cent Of the raw cotton, but W.
only sold the world per cent OF th'
goods 1t consum d.
But my friends. that Is not all: W,
actually imported about $50,000,00,
worth Of cotton goods last year, nearl!
twice what we exported.
Just think Of tive exported las
year 400 million dollars worth Of raw
cotton. England took her share ant
after clothing her own people sen
abroad for sale about $50 million dol
lars: Germany 80 million; France
Switzerland and other countries near
ly 200 million more. These peopl
bought their cotton here, freighted 1
across the ocean and then sent fift!
million dollars Of II back here ant
old 1t where the cotton was grown, a
profit, after paying freight and tar
iff charges. The ability OF these for
eign nations to control the cottol
the unceasing efforts Of their respect
i've governments In developing an ex
port trade.
| transportation nONOpCiys
These countries control the oceai
transportation Of the world, and ther
Is no factor In commerce so potent a.
the control of transportation. You cal
/ let the railroads discriminate ever 81
and they can dry your town up. You
magnificent stores would close ant
grass grow in your beautiful streets.
The man who controls transporta
| ton stands between the producer ant
the consumer. He not only levies trib
ute upon the products, but he can turl
the stream Of trade this way or that a
will.
| Last year only three per cent Of ou
products went abroad in American
ships. We paid a tribute to thes
foreign steamship lines Of 300 milliol
dollars. Every dollar of this was car
ried abroad and distributed there. an
no industry contributed as much a
the producers of raw cotton. You pail
more of that tribute than any othe
class in the United States.
About one-half Of all the agricultu
raj exports went from the south an,
this was chiefly cotton. Sixty per cen
Of the vessels as shown by the report
of the treasury department that cam
into South Atlantic and Gulf ports en-
tered In ballast. while only six pc
cent that entered the North Atlanti
ports came in ballast. That simpl
means that the vessels coming int
Southern ports must charge enoug
one way to pay the expenses Of tn
voyage. That additional freight cam
out of the man who grew that cotton
II you want to know what a MONOPOLY
of transportation can do to hold mar
kets either for or against a country
look at the South American trade,
country right at our very doors.
That trade Is controlled by Englan
ard Germany. The American mer
chant flag by the foreign system o
subsidies or subvention has been driy
on from the high seas. A ship load
In South America with goods for Mo
bile or Charleston. She comes ther
and unloads. One Of our mills con
signs goods to, we will say to Rio d
Janeiro The ship instead Of goin
there sails direct for Europe and the
hack to Rio. crossing the ocean twic
completing the circuit Of a triangle
and thus holding at disadvantage tn
American exporter. / can find numer
Gus instances In our consular report
where the American goods were take
off and European goods substituted s.
as to keep the South American trad
under the impression that the onl,
rlace to buy cotton goods is In Flu
| rope.
The construction of the Isthmian ca
nal Is going to remedy this to som
extent.
The Isthmian Canal.
When God fashioned this country, h
ran its great river and mountain
ranges north and south and placed IT
natural gateways on the South Allan
tic and Gulf coast. When man tool
a hand in the development Of the con
tinent, he attempted to change thi
and the greatest monopoly on earth
our ns-continental railroad system
II has for years been forcing freigh
east and west. The products from ou
mills going to China, instead OF goint
the nearest route to deep water, trav
ell up the continent nearly thousan'
miles to one Of these ns-continenta
lines and then across the continen
1000 more before they reach q snip
You may be sure that the man wh'
grew that cotton pays his share or tn
added freight.
This powerful monopoly has Away
defeated every project looking to tn
building up Of a. merchant marine tina
would develop South Atlantic and Gul
ports, Just as II postponed for thir'
Of q century the construction or al
Isthman canal. do not believe tina
congress has ever passed any measure
of as great industrial importance Z
| tba soutb 90 tho canal hill and | d.