The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1910-12-16

the mill men and those owning stock
in the mills.
Mr.. Parker has been at work for
two years or more on the merger
scheme which he announced yester-
day, and he stated that he was conf
dent Of the success Of his plan, and
hoped that the matter would be ar
ranged early next year. The plan, If
put through, will save a large amount
of money each year for the mills, this
amount reaching possibly dollar a
bale in the buying Of cotton.
Will Make for Finer Goods.
Mr.. Parker emphasized especially
his opinion that the proposed merger
would make for the manufacture Of a
finer grade of cotton goods by the
South Carolina mills and consequent
ly for the raising of better cotton in
South Carolina. In the early days, he
stated, shirtings and sheetings, a
rough class of goods, constituted the
output of the South Carolina mills.
This sort of goods was not used for
domestic consumption and practically
all of it was exported. Later the mills
took up the manufaatlra Of print
cloths suitable for conversion into
longcloth and similar white goods.
Now there is a very noticeable ten
dency toward the finest class Of goods,
such as dimities, nainsooks, lawns,
etc. Several of the Parker mills have
been pioneers in the manufacture of
this class of goods. The Ester mill,
a new plant at Greenville, now being
built by J. /. Westervelt, formerly of
Charleston and now president Of the
Brandon mills, will undertake the
manufacture of an even finer grade
of goods than those which are being
turned out by the Parker group Of
mills. The Ester mill will manufac-
ture a class of goods known an Indian
lawns
Sees Benefit for Farmer.
The manufacture of finer goods by
the mills means the raising of better
cotton by the farmer and the paying
of better prices to the farmer. Some
of the finer grades Of goods, for ex-
ample, require a grade Of cotton
known as staple cotton, the propaga-
ton of which is being encouraged by
the government and by the Manufac-
turing Association of South Carolina.
During the past year, the Parker mills
have bought many bales OF this COT
ton, costing twenty to twenty-five
cents per pound. The development OF
mills fitted for the manufacture OF I'M
er goods will lead to the planting OF
q greater acreage of this special grade
of cotton.
Charleston the Distributing Point
Mr.. Parker believes that Charleston
is the natural Southern centre for the
distribution of the output of the South
ern cotton mills. The cotton mills OF
the United States must resolve them
selves into two groups, he stated, a
New England group and a Southern
group. The New England mills will
supply the East; the Southern mills
will supply the South; and the West
will be left a neutral territory to be
SUPPLIED by both groups Of mills.
There must be a Southern centre OF
distribution, said Mr.. Parker, and
Charleston is unquestionably that CEN
tre, It is with this view that the
mills are now seeking lower rates on
cotton-piece goods ito Charleston, he
stated. He had every hope, he said'
that the recent hearing before the
railroad comm ission in Columbia
would result favorably for the mills
and that the railroads themselves
would recognize the broadness OF the
claims there presented and bring
about a readjustment of the rates, US
ing Charleston as the base.
Mr.. Parker stated that he would
visit Europa during the next summer
to urge upon the manufacturers OF
England and the Continent the ad-
visibility of adjusting the goods to a
higher basis of cotton. He recently
delivered an address, in which he put
forward this view, before the Ark
wright club, of Boston, an organlza-
tion the membership of which is made
up of all the leading New England
mill men.
Saved From the Grave.
"T had about given. up hope, after