The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1906-04-25
N. {. COTTON
MANUFACTURERS
MEET At BOSTON

ton Manufacturers association. which
opened two days convention today at
the Massachusetts Institute Of Technol-
ogy
The presence Of n committee repre-
sentlng prominent English spinners. who
have come 10 this country To investigate
the growing of cotton and other ques-
tions connected with the raw material
was one OF the features of the meeting.
Among the important matters to be
bassed upon was "A proposition favored
by the board OF government TO change
the name Of the association 10 that OF
the National Association Of Cotton Manu-
flcturers.
After a welcome 10 the institute by
President Henry $. Pritchett and TO the
commonwealth by Lieut.. Gov. Eben ;.
Draper came the address OF the president
James r MacColl OF Providence, II. |.
Mr. MacColl spoke as follows:
PRESIDENT INGALLS, ADDRESS.
President MacCall discussed at length
the government reports on cotton over
which there has been much controversy
during the past few years. He said that in
three years the crop was underestimated
and in three years overestimated. Now
the present crop is again underestimated
by about per cent This however. was
good guessing. the president thought ana
there was no cause 10 complain as we
must either be willing TO have IL abolish
ed or 10 be content with an estimate that
may differ slightly in percentage from
the actual final account. The census bu
reau reports OF cotton ginned had. he
said been found remarkably accurate as
compared with the commercial crop
1T is IN my Judgment" President Mac
Call said. "a mistake 20 advocate the
abolishment OF government crop reports
t,.go then
he AT the mercy OF private estimators.
The geenral sentiment Is in favor or I'M
proving government reports so that facts
will prcdomnate and guessing VIII be
eliminated"
President MacCall declared that perhaps
the most important problem that the cot
ton industry has 10 deal with at present
relates to tho raw material. with the
spindles OF the world fully employed and
rapidly increasing in number an ample
supply OF cotton was essential.
He pointed out that the growers OF
cotton are entitled TO a fair and adequate
profit and that they believed that TINS
could be secured only by curtailing acre
age so that production would lag a littie
hehina consumption. But reduction OF
acreage Is especially dangerous 10 the
r,ttof,- -iHAtistrx-lhe speaker asserted be-
cause Of the uncertainty OF the yield per
acre which is so dependent upon weather
conditions during the growing season. lie
added:
Suppose that the acreage for the COM
Ing season is reduced 10 per cent as ad-
,.nca,od nv the southern Cotton aSeocia-
lion approximately 25.Ooo,0o0 acres would
| no nlanted which would yield S.To0O
| bales at the minimum and l2,0Oo.Wp bales
! at the maximum The minimum would
mean a famine. paralyzing our Industry
| and inflcting dire distress on millions OF
workers and their dependants: Anything
! less than maximum would be ade-
| dtttte5 - ---
| president MacColl pointed out that the
| business OF the manufactures was rem
| dered more precarious and less profitable
| than Il otherwise might he by the work
| OF spectators swinging the prices up ana
| down.
The SPECTATORS opportunity arose be-
| cause OF the close relation OF supplies 10
| consumption and tho uncertainty during
| the growing season as TO the final yield.
| lie made the point that the southern
| growers should heed the warning of COM
! ing competition and that they should
| place moro emphasis on the reducing cost
| OF production and less on securing high
prices.
He went on; European and Ameri-
| can manufacturers have been considering
| tho advisabilty OF growing their own
| cotton In the southern states This Is in
| line with what Is done successfully in
other branches of the industry. Is 1t not
a sounp and feasible idea for cotton
manufacturers 10 own cotton lands? Not
| only would manufacturers get their cotton
at cost. but by improved methods Of gin
ming and baling an enormous saving
would be effected in waste, freight and
insurance. The present methods are dis
gracefully bad and should be revolution
Zed
generally deteriorated as regards hand
ling. Poor ginning Injuries the staple:
baled cotton Is left uncovered and is DAM
aged by the weather; the bagging is the
heaviest and poorest that ingenuity can
devise ana n rs charged ut the same
price as cotton With the experience OF
Egypt and India to follow in ginning and
baling there is no excuse for a continu-
ance Of the present methods. II spinners
grew cotton they would quickly adopt the
very best system and effect a great econ
omy."
President MacCali stated that a recent
trip through the Southern states had con-
vinced him that there arc many millions
OF acres of the finest cotton land in the
world waiting the enterprise of manufac-
turers to utilize them and thus supply the
raw material for the future expansion OF
cotton manufacturing 10 meet the in
creasing requirements OF the world.
In closing he said:
"Our industry is in the midst OF period
OF activity and prosperity, but in my
opinion there are good reasons why the
resources OF mills should be husbanded
and not applied too largely TO dividends
Compared with our. American mills. for
eign cotton mills are on very low basis
per spindle because OF the original cost,
and also the system so generally prac-
tced OF writing off every year an arbi-
trary percentage for depreciation whether
there is profit earned or not We
would aim AZ getting our plants down TO
n basis nearer TO the foreign. for the
time will surely come when. in order 10
retain our market and do any foreign
business we shall have TO meet the com
petition OF less costly plants and lower
wages with diminishing advantage OF
labor saving Devices
p0l InE RlcERllI lclnllc