The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1908-10-27
COTTON CONSUMPTION
IN THE UNITED STATES
New York Commercial and Financial

New York Commercial and Financial
Chronicle.
The preliminary report of the CEN
sus bureau on cotton consumption IN
the United States for the year end
ing August 81, 1908, recently issued,
showed that during the period cover
ed the mills Of the South consumed
2,256,613 bales, against 2,410,993 bales
in 1906-O7, or falling off Of only
154,3SO balse (6.4 per cent?, whereas
in the same interval Northern estab-
lishments exhibited a decline Of 255,-
ll8 bales (9.9 per cent?. This cen
sus bureau report, so far as it applies
to Southern consumption, is in ap-
proxitmate agreement with the
result disclosed in our an
nual cotton crop report issued
September 4, and shows, as President
Finley of the Southern railway in ef-
feet says, that the cotton mill indus
try of the South s4ffered less during
the period of general business de-
preston than the mills in ether sec
tions Of the country, and this not
withstanding the falling off in the
trade for China, upon which meny
Southern mills place large depend
ence. With good reason Mr., Finley
looks upon the report as furnishing
additional evidence of the superior
advantages Of the South as the loca-
ton for cotton mills.
The strides the South has taken in
cotton manufacturing in recent years
and the comparatively moderate de-
cline in the volume of consumption
last season is certainly cause for
satisfaction and qualification. From
an average weekly consumption Of
less than 5000 bales per week 80
wears ago-in 1877-78-there was a
steady and quite rapid advance, until
in the early part of l9O7-O8 it reach
ed nearly $4,000 bales and averaged,
for the season Notwithstanding the
general decline in all business in the
more recent months) almost $4,000
bales. In the meantime Northern
consumption, which in 1877-78 aver
aged 28,5OO bales, rose to an average
slightly in evcess of $4,000 bales in
1906O7, and according to our figures,
was slightly more than 41,00O bales
in 19O7-08. Or, dealing in totals rath-
er than averages, the South consumed
148,0OO bales in 187778, advancing to
443,373 bales 10 years Later, 1,227. .939
bales in 1897.98 and 2,234.395 bales
in 1907-08, the aggregate in 1906-O7
having been 2,487, ,088 bales. The e1-
cellent showing under adverse circum-
stances made last season led US to re-
mark in our annual report that
"Southern cotton mills have done re-
latively better than those at the
North, the decrease in the volume of
consumption having been compara-
lively moderate. It thus happens
that, for the first time since cotton
manufacturing became an established
industry of the South, the mills Of
that section used more raw material
than was consumed by Northern es-
tablishments.' The advance thus
far made, furthermore, can be taken
as indicative Of the progress yet to
be made when warranted by indus
trial conditions. And it is not with
out the range Of possibilities that the
not very far distant future will find
the South, with its natural advantage
Of contiguity to sources Of supply
outranking in cotton manufacturing
prominence most of the worlds cen
tres of activity in the industry.