The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1907-05-17
LABOR SITUATION
Discussed at Meeting Of
Manufacturers
NEARLY 1000 PRESENT
President Lowe Delivers His An
nual Address
Devoted Considerable Time To Labor
QUcSiiOn-Criticiscd Efforts to Ham,
per Immigration To- the South-Dc-
clarcd That IL Was the Work OF
Labor Agitators and Politicians.

Philadelphia, May 15.-With an at
tendance or nearly 1000 members the
eleventh annual convention OF the Ma
tional Manufacturers Association op-
ened today in the ball room of the
Bellevue-Stratford Hotel. In connec-
tion with the convention, the cotton
men are exhibiting all the branches
of their business at the First ReGi-
ment armory. The association held
a session in the forenoon, the after
noon and evening being given over
the exhibition and to entertainments.
After the opening formalities had
been through with Arthur IL. Lowe.
president of the association, delivered
his annual address. He devoted con-
siderable time TO the labor question,
and said 1t was TO be regretted that
the honest tffortS made in perfect
good faith by some of the cotton man
ufacturers to divert the flow of immi-
grants from the cities where they are
not wanted, TO the south where there
is need for labor should have offered
opportunity to the goyernment OFF,
cials at the behest or the labor or
ganizations to prosecute the manufac-
turers"
81 have never heard a word" he
saidb or ''seen anything that would
suggest that any manufacturer OF the
North was in sympathy to- discourage
immigration to the South. firmly be
lieve that all the opposition that the
move has had came from the labor ag-
itators and politicians.
THE labor situation is the most
important problem before the cotton
manufacturers today. The shortage
of labor in the north is about equal To
the shortage in the south. This short
age is so great that cotton mill build
ing is almost at standstill compared
with what it is England"
E. J. Watson, commissioner OF i'm
migration of South Carolina, corroh-
Grated President Lowe on the scar
city of labor, and told OF the need of
a desirable class of immigrants. He
said the time has come for the "Amer-
ican manufacturer and the American
laborer, without regard to section to
Join in hands and eliminate the polit-
ical demagogue whose mission In liie
seems to be TO array labor against
capital, and section against section,
without regard to any other interest
than his own petty political advance
ment"
He suggested that desirable immi-
grants be brought directly into the
south through a southern port of en-
try. =
James W. Burke, OF the National EE-
port Association OF American Manu-
facturers, New York, in an address on
| the export OF cotton, said the United
States today furnished only five per
| cent. Of the worlds exports OF cotton
| goods, or about eight per cent. Of the
total quantity shipped by England.
The principal cause of the condition.
he said, lies in the fact that American
manufacturers have not been in direct
contact with the European markets.
in consequence Of which the National
Export Association of Americtn man
ufacturers has been formed whereby
agencies TO further American trade
in Europe are maintained
Among those who spoke at today'z
| session was E. w. Robertson. Of Co
lumbla, S. c., on Expansion OF Amer
can Currency"