Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1909-05-11

OIL tNo idW, lhdl Poitioa va oA
ton which is most inclined to violence
and crime would become more rational.
The Trend of Development.
Comparison Of the present progress
and PROSPERITY of the Piedmont section
with conditions that existed twenty or
twenty five years ago, generally re-
solves itself into feeling Of amaze
ment that so much could be accom-
plished in so short time.
There are in the industrial field to-
day principally as managers OF big cot
ton manufacturing enterprises, men
who twenty-five years ago, thought the
country had reached the limit Of COM
mercial and industrial stagnation, and
who could see but little encouragement
for the future.
Although there are those who Will
disagree with US, we are very decided
ly of the opinion that the cotton manu-
featuring industry has done more than
any other thing to bring about the tre-
nendous change that has been wrought
In conditions. AS to whether the bus
mess has been profitable in itself, there
is much room for doubt. This doubt
will be strengthened rather than weak
ened, by the consideration Of the long
string of bankruptcies and receiverships
that Is to be traced through the mill
business; but in spite of this the In
dustry must be credited with the ave-
nue. 1t has furnished for the concentra-
ton of energy and capital, and the in
ffuence 1t has exercised In stimulating
the talents of the best men amongst US.
While 1t is not to be denied that
many Of our spinners have accomplish
ed wonders in a business way, there
really is a great deal Of question as
to whether most Of them have been
working along the most advantageous
lines. It Is hardly to be denied that
from the competition standpoint most
Of our spinners have been squarely
down. to brass tacks basis. That Is,
that they were only followers In lines
in which others, both abroad and at
home, had already worked the margins
of profit down to a bedrock basis,
and the fact that they could live at all
in the face Of such long established
competition and such ripe experience,
Is Of itself remarkable.
We would not be understood to sug-
gest that our spinning business is not
On solid foundation. On the contrary,
we believe that our spinners have long
since established their ability, not only
to hold their own; but to make prog
ress, and we believe also that with a
little more time they will be able to
outstrip foreign and northern competi-
ton. The thing that concerns us Is
that having started originally in the
worst crowded and most difficult branch
of the cotton manufacturing business,
that of making staple standards at
close profits, and frequently at a loss,
for others to turn into finished products
at greater profits, is it not time for us
also to begin to strike into lines that
offer better returns?
1t seems to us that the cotton manu-
facturers should be more ambitious.
OF course, one can readily understand
how those who may be working more
or less precariously at standards
should be slow to change into other
lines requiring more investment, more
skill and more ability. The bringing
about Of such a change is almost as
great a matter as the original hesitat-
ing dip into the business; but the nee
essity of the change seems to be be-
yond question.
But II is not Of cotton manufacturing
that we started out to speak more es-
pecially. We regard that business as
being here and being here to stay. Not
only that, the trend OF investment hav-
ing already been fixed in that direction,
it is likely to continue that way until
1t is thoroughly overdone.
This country, however, has reached
the point where it can well afford to
| investigate the attractions Of other lines
of manufactures. 1t will be objected
Of course, that the north and west are
already so far ahead of us, in the mat
ter of established business and exper-
ience that 1t Is not worth while to start
| in the face Of such a handicap. But
there is very little force in this argu-
ment. Whatever this section has ac-
complished in cotton manufacture has
been accomplished in the face of as
many obstacles and difficulties as are
presented in any other line, and the
same intelligence, energy and industry
that has been applied to cotton will
likely succeed in numerous other lines.
The south furnishes the best market
in the world for manufactures of all
kinds, and 80 per cent of the manufac-
lures we use, come from the north
and west. The principal reason why
we cannot ourselves produce at least
80 per cent Of the manufactured arti-
cles we are now buying from abroad, is
| because we do not try,