The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1905-11-01
gprroN TRADE INCREASING.
;ss.,sssh Manusaceurers Have Steadily
5areased Their Production and as
.E4st rs One Outlet Was Closed TO
Them They Opened or En-.
larged Others.


uuraturally, these reports have gain
ea considerable authority from has :
3ng been published with a sort Of qua
N government sanction through the
bulletins OF the department Of COM
znerce and labor, and an impression
seems to have gained ground in many
uuarters that the British cotton man
ufacturing industries are really in a
had way. So far is this from being
the case, that the past season is justly
regarded by all who are at all famil-
5ar with real conditions as one Of the
most satisfactory in the recent his
tory of the British cotton industry.
The misleading reports arose frohi
the efforts OF Mr.. Chamberlain and his
followers to convince the British elec-
sprate that foreign tariffs are gradual
IL destroying the outlet for English
cottons. In the report Of the tariff
commission instituted by Mr.. Cham
berla1n which was published July 10
and which was naturally widely dis
cussed by the British newspapers, it
was asserted that the British cotton
industry '4is suffering in every direc-
6onl from foreign tariffs, and from
the competition which they stimulate,
and that profits are steadily diminish
ing in it, while employment is becom-
ing more uncertain"
According to the London Times
this report showed that Mr.. Chamber
lain was right in his warning cotton
Is going.'' AS a matter of fact the re-
port, while it undoubtedly presented
many facts regarding the development
of cotton manufacturture abroad, and
OF foreign competition in this line IL
neutral markets that may have SEEM
ed disconcering to those who had not
poted them before, failed entirely to
indicate that British manufactures
are losing business except in limited
number of markets, or that their po-
sition was in any vital respect un-
sound.
Fifty years ago Great Britain en-
5oyed an almost complete monopoly
of the manufacture OF cotton goods
for all the world. It was not to be ex-
pected that other nations would rest
content to permit such a state OF
things longer than was necessary, and
the more progressive have, one after
another, found means Of establishing
their own cotton manufactures and
have come to supply, first their own
local markets, and then to limited
extent the markets adjacent to them
or in which their products for any
reason have proved specially popular.
One of Mr.. Chamberlain's support
ers complains that Fifteen years ago
Great Britain consumed 100000
hundred weight more cotton annually
than did the continent, whereas 1t
consumes 100000 hundredweight
less. Fifteen years ago it consumed
5.e0e, 900 hundredweight more tnan
did the United States; today it con-
sumes 5000, 200 hundredweight less"
This is true, but it states a change
that was in sense inevitable and that
IN no way implies any discredit to the
energy and ability Of the British man
ufacturers. On the contrary, with
amazing skill and entire success, they
have steadily increased their produc-
lion, and as fast as one outlet was
raosed to them they have opened or
enlarged others, with the result that
In practically every one Of the SOCIAL
ed neutral" markets British cottons
are virtually supreme, being uniform"
y so far in the lead as to render the
position of competing nations mat
ter for humiliation rather than boast
ing.
Exports of British cotton yarns and
twists for the calendar year 1907
amounting to 1884, 800 pounds,
valued at s43, ,525,e74. Compare this
with our own exports Of yarns for the
same period, which were valued at
s23s,671, and better idea can be OF :
tanned as to just how decadent the
British industry is. In quantity the
British yarn exports for 1904 fell be-
low those for 1902, but in value they
considerably exceeded the totals Tor
the former year owing to advanced
prices.
The number of spindles running in
Great Britain last year was 4S'4oV'-
900, against 47,5Oo,Oo0 the preceding
year, while s,5oo.0oo additional art
projected or in course Of construction
In point of fact the great danger te