The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1907-10-09


whole country for market. and 9TH
ers would be satisfied with a start
with $1,000. $1,000 or 10000
plants. so long as we got a start, feel
ing that there Is just so many more
chances of our getting hem and that
IL properly managed they would grow
into 100000 plants long before we
are ever likely to get one started at
100000. Some think that the only
plant Of any benefit to the city is one
that sells Its products away from
home. while others think that any
plant that produces what we need
and which we now send Of for is
equally as good, II not better for us.
I, myself. am OF the last opinion for
several reasons.
To begin with we are not familiar
with manufacturing and the handling
of large enterprises and the failure
or non-success of one, should we be
fortunate In getting 1t started. would
be hurtfui and prevent the starting of
any others, as we all know from ex-
perience by referring to onr lone or
phan, the cotton mill. II you ask the
first man you meet on the street why
Sumter, which Is the largest inland
cotton market In the State, has not
one large cotton mill at least, If not
more. he will say that the present
mill has killed all desire for that kind
OF enterprise on the part Of the citi-
zens OF Sumter owing to the losses
they sustained. not only once, but the
second time, after II failed and is was
reorgahized; and he will tell you fur
ther. that 1t not only killed all inter-
es. In cotton factories, but also in all
ether kind of factories. auI 1t was
only when af;er long years Of patien,
effort on the part Of Mr.. c. T. Mason,
who alone proved that telephones
could be successfully built in Sumter.
that the monied men OF Sumter
scrambled over each other to get its
stock. and they only did 1t then when
differences with his partner whom he
had taken In and who wished to re-
move the plant away from Sumter
revealed to them the soundness Of the
investment Do you suppose for an
instant that had Mr.. Mason at the
time he took In a partner and made
a stock company OF the old telephone
plant, offered stock to the citizens Of
Sumter he would have had his offer
accepted? think not. Why? Be-
cause Of their experiences with the
cotton mill. Now the manager Of
the cotton mill was just as desirous Of
making a success as Mr.. Mason was.
aad put In. as understand, a large
amount OF money and the failure was
not due to any act on his part. except
that he was not familiar with the
business, nor was any one Of the di-
rectors and before any of them got
the necessary experience to handle
and direct 1t with the proper intelli-
gence 1t had failed and was reorgan-
ICED and practically failed again.
Now, the facts Of the cotton mill
falling I am not stating from my own
knowledge, as I was not here at the
time. but / have heard II so often
from so many that have no doubt Of
its truth. but the facts about its kill
ing the desire to invest in other man
ufacturing ! know. because I have
been here and have heard parties
when approached To start something
In the way OF a factory reply. No.
perience in the cotton mill. Now. on
the other hand, Mr.. Mason plodded
along In quiet way by himself unit
he mastered each and every detail.
both In construction and cost and i.
an error OF Judgment occurred 1t was
discovered before the loss was great,
as he was hot making any one thing
I'm quantities, before 1t was tried, nor
had he a large pay roll, for the mis-
making of any piece or part to add to
the cost Of the material wasted by
such error and the result was that
when the citizens Of Sumter put in
their money he gave them that which
their money could not purchase-a
thorough experience and knowledge
OF what he was to manufacture, and
also that which was equally as inn
portant. q ready made reputation for
their product and market for the
same. Now the experience of the tel
ephone factory IL a good argument for
the starting OF any enterprise on a
small scale and let 1t grow with It's
success end also II Is a good argument
for the starting Of factories with the