The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1912-10-11
SOUTH CAROLINA MILLS TAKE
HIGH RANK.
How the People May Help by Apply
ing Principle of Living at
Home" to Their Purchases
of Cotton Goods.
(The State)


tured, in as good styles, ETC., as for
eign-made goods of the same class,
and further that the mills of South
Carolina, will, and are making fab
RIGS, not excelled by any other manu-
facturers in the same line.
In line with this statement is a
communication from the New York
Times of September 80, and allusion
is made to the fact that these very
goods frequently go to the customer
as imported" whereas they are the
product of the skill of home people.
"Scotch ginghams," "French Mad
ras," and Indian and Persian Lawns"
as we'll as English longcloth" or tea
cloths, all are made in South Caro-
lima, and while these fabrics must be
made from staple cotton, owing to the
fineness and evenness of the thread,
this now is grown in quantities in
South Carolina thanks to the enter
prise and scientific culture and breed
ing of long staple by Coker of Dar-
lington.
Unfortunately the manufacturer
does not sell direct to the jobber or
retail merchant, and there is no way
of informing the customer of the
name of the mill or the locality ex-
cept in a few we'll known brands.
1t is fact that there is a mill in
Greenville that makes French ging-
hams and Scotch ginghams, and on
the shelves of the merchants of
Greenville will be found these goods,
but they were bought in Baltimore,
and somebody paid the freight both
ways and some more.
The Difference.
There is beautiful line of dress
goods, known to the trade as "Colum-
bia tissues" made in South Carolina,
and the mill gets about z or 8 cents
per yard, and yet fewer retail mer-
chants succeed than fail, and the fail
ure ratio is about 80 per cent.
1t ought to be a matter of loyal
pride to those of this State to wear
goods made in South Carolina, and
to know they were made here, and
glory in the splendor of the home
spun weaves-
It would be well for the manufac-
turer, where possible, to make his
products known to every person in
this State, by such method as will
commend itself to his judgment. A
real tariff wall can not be erected
around the borders of South Caro-
lima without demolishing the federal
constitution, but one more effective
can be made if the loyalty of its citi-
zens and "citizenes" can be reached so
their demands can be supplied by
home products.
1t is probable that one or two mills
making hese fancy products will
make an exhibit at the State fair, and
one has indicated an intention to have
some ten or 15 dresses made Of this
product and exhibit these as well as
the goods in7the piece.
If manufacture section could be
had with the cloths made into becom-
ing garments, it would be revelation
to about 90 out of every 100 citizens
of the State.
The article from The New York
Times is as follows:
Are Good Workmen.
Mr. Bok's interesting letter of Sep
tember %, is too much of a slur
upon our great American textile in
dustry for it to be passed over in
silence. Our leading manufacturers
are serious, proficient, working
men, who during the last ten or fif-
teen years have made great progress.
The reason that the majority Of peo-
pie are ignorant of the beautiful ma
terials made at home is that after
they leave the makers hands they, by
some mysterious process, appear be-
fore the wearers as imported fabrics.
"Many of our woolen goods, silks,
and cotton goods do match up to the
best foreign product Of the same
class. They compare favorably not
only in quality and style but in color
1t is largely because of efficiency in
production that our manufacturers
are able to compete with imported
fabrics. We turn out as meritorious
goods in less time than the foreign
manufacturer. A recent example is
that last autumn when the demand
for plaid back coatings was the doms-
mating feature of that market one of
the largest retailers in Canada came
to New York to buy such fabrics, per-
fectly willing to pay the higher duty
than English goods Of similar char
acter would cost him, because he
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