The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1905-08-02

States ars very much interested in
the progress Of cotton manufacturing
in the South. The development IL
the South has been 80 rspid az to as-
tonish the New Englanders and it aI-
pears that they have had some fear
that the entire industry would come
South. For the Massachusetts, bu-
reau Of statistics, of which Chas.
f. Pidgin is chief, has had experts in
the South studying conditions.
Mr.. Pidgin has prepared report
which will be very interesting read.
ing to the cotton mill people of the
South. Some Of the information is
incorrect, 90 might be expected, and
some Of it is remarkably accurate,
showing that the agents who were
sent out analysed conditions. aptly.
The difficulty which the mills in the
South have to face is the lack Of
labor. New England has had TO- face
that crisis and now that the South 10
going over the same grounds, Mr.
Pidgiu's comments will be Of interest.
At the beginning he makes the fol-
lowing observations:
The chief interest Of the progress
Of cotton manufacturing in America
in recent years lies in its rapid growth
in the Southern States. Before the
Civil war there were few mills i'll that
section of the country, because, for
we'll known social and economic rea-.
sons, organized manufacture could
not flourish in the mids. Of slavery.
There are now single establishments
in Massachusetts which pay annually
larger sum in wages than the entire
cost of labor in Southern mills in
1870. The mills then were small,
equipped with antiquated machinery,
engaged in spinning the coarsest num-
bers only, and in producing from cot
ton grown in the neighborhood the
stout fabrics used for clothing by one.
half Of the population Of the South
ern States. It is probably no exag-
geration to say that prior to 1870 there
was net mill South Of the latitude
Of Washington that could be GLASS;,
ed as an efficient cotton factory, even
according to the standard of that
time. -,
In 1870 there Wis till consider
able remnant Of The domestic hand
loom manufacture in the mountains
Of Kentucky and North Carolina
where it had long been extensively
carried on. 1t was the last survival
Of handioraft industry once prevail
ing throughout ;he South, and from
the descendants OF these laborers the
operatives Of the Southern cotton
mills have been drawn. The people,
all whites, having acquired the deft-
ness necessary in the handling Of
threads, supplied . suitable class Of
labor for the mills. The number. Of
| operatives, however, did not increase
very rapidly until 1875, but since
D then their ,nrogress presents one Of
4 the mos; remarkable incidents in the
history Of the world 9 cotton trade.
This development may be traced to a
i Concurrence Of forces. Until 1876.
Il the spinning mills were largely en-.
q gagged in producing yarn for the hand
q looms Of the South. then gradually
4 disappearing, as well as Cor the power:
A looms which were sup ling them,
and were requiring. more and more
liberal supplies.
After the war, Che leading men took
a hold Of the problem ia earnesS and
evolved 9 scheme for. loesl develop:
nsnt which has grown rspidly ever.
|since. The ootton exposition In Att
anta in 1881 gsve sthe iadgstry an
impetus which Sc & has mes ssr sinse5
lost. The possibi bilisies Of the region
sere shown when The governor of,
aeorgia appeared as the fair dressed.
In suit of oottonsdle q dle nanufa faotureds
eO the grounds from cotton which had
esen PICKED rom the sta IL that morn.
eng, in thessigh ghtso sofS visitors to the
@ air, That the local product cf cat..
on could be- work kGd up into I; dashed
sloth with stranrsf,o ort tationt 10 q dis
ssot hsssss.ssssis ling ng q town, together
aith the fact tkass the lresio ad an
Guidance of fspnempl yed labor Sof5 a
Pass similar 90 l that Rkiah in the
nly days opsr sst.s mills sof
! level, altman and Mall Sas 81. lar
tdght before the Ssush hsrn people
]as fact os Is NV isonrce of Individual
3nd public asnlth of which they had
fevioulslly besn unaware. Some of
ae sorkers Asne, as alrsad stated,
m aia ~ the mon untaiD districts aff IL Ken.
Aeky and ri "a ii; ~ sn i, 4 as,