The Republican journal., 1922-11-30
SOUTH AHEAD
OF The NORTH
Consumes More Cotton in Mills
Every Year Than Does
New England
GREAT INCREASE IN CAPITAL
Capital Goes Where 1t Can Secure
Best Returns and South Is
Winning

The following special dispatch to
the Christian Science Monitor ap-
peared in a recent issue of that news
paper:
Chattanooga, Tenn.,-The south is
becoming more and more the cotton
consuming center of the United States.
1t is not yet clearly recognized by
the mass of the people Of the country
that the states south of Mason and
Dixon's line are now consuming more
cotton in their mills than those of the
north; yet statistics prove this to be
the case, and also that the balance is
becoming more and more favorable to
the southern mills. +;
Last year 1888, 900 bales were used
by southern mills, compared with
2,178,O00 bales in the rest of the United
States. The total investment in
southern cotton mills in 1920 was
$3.50 100000. Forty-two years ago lin
1880, it was only $21,976,OOO. The
$50 mills Of that day have grown to
about $40.
The rise of southern cotton mills
is one OF the romances of modern in
dustry. And what is more important,
it gives promise of great increase,
with an easy possibility of becoming
the center Of fabrication of cotton
for the world.
Great Natural Advantages
Several factors make it likely that
the south will become the cotton
manufacturing center of the world.
Unsurpassed climate, abundant water
power, a growing skilled population
to man the mills, raw materials close
at hand, eliminating long freight
hauls-mills in the section have many
material advantages. These are being
recognized more and more by the
manufacturers of other sections
Many New England mills are moving
bodily to southern locations; many
others contemplate doing so.
Last April President Robert Amory
of the National Association of Cot
ton manufacturers addressed the con-
vention of that body in Boston, and
pointed out the alarming prospects
in this line. He said, among other
things:
I'VE have the skill and the capital,
but Capital will always go where it
can get the largest return, and it can
move easily. Skilled management
moves more slowly, because these
men like to live in New England, but
they, too, will eventually go where
there is the largest opportunity, and
they have been going faster thanSis
generally realized"
Southern cotton mills on Aug. 1
numbered 966; there were 957 in 1921,
and 945 the year before that. There
are 16,232,000 spindles in these mills
(active, idle and not completely, an
increase Of 341,0OO over the previous
year.
Immense Increase In Capital
According to the last census, capital
invested in cotton goods manufacture
in the principal southern cotton manu-
featuring states was: North Carolina
$26S,322 1884. South Carolina $248,327,-
APT, Georgia $150,191,4 ,479, Alabama
9,673 ,49S, Virginia $33, 731,7 ,79S, Ten
nessee S21,064,6S0, Maryland $16,441,-
00S, Texas, s10,1SS, ,4S7, Louisiana S.
757,221, Mississippi $6,6S0,362, and
Kentucky $4,107714.
Increases in spindles and looms in
the south has been equally rapid,
compared with that of the rest of the
country. Figures on spindles show
that in 1900 the south had 4,467,OO0
active spindles, compared with 1853,
900 for the rest of the country. Esti
mates for 1922 placed the south's spin
dies at 15,613,632, while those for the
rest of the country are fixed at
16,SS5,692.
Estimates for 1922 give the south
100000 looms, compared with 445,155
for the rest of the United States. The
south increased the number of looms
in the last % years by 165 per cent,
while the rest of the country in
creased it's looms by 80 per cent.
There has been more careful plan
ming of complete cotton mill proper
ties in the south, with model villages,
recreation centers, etc. Dirty, muddy
streets are being done away with;
operatives cottages are being SO
designed as to offer greater comfort
to the occupants. The madern mill
village with its clean painted houses,
paved streets, and inviting parks, is
a good index of the new industrial
south.