The Wilmington morning star., 1940-02-25
Editorial Comments
From Other Angles
RAYONIER IN THE SOUTHEAST
Charleston News and Courier

The Manufacturers Record says that the
South has scored again in attracting a rayon'
Ter plant to Fernandina, Fla. The manufacture
of Kraft, all kinds of white papers, liners and
other boards in the South has become common.
place. Cigaret papers. are being produced in
western North Carolina for the first time in
this country.
Newsprint from Southern pines is being
made at Lufkin, Texas. Now still another use
for the South's trees is assured.
Rayonier as a title gives little or no indi.
cation Of the fact that this mill represents a
great accomplishment and is the elimination
of years of research, for this will be the first
time that commercial rayon pulp has ever been
produced from Southern pine by means of the
sulphite process. Thus another step has been
taken that more closely binds the rayon and
pulp industries together and gives practical
evidence of the Importance of a Southern re-
source as a major source of supply.
1.-THE extent to which the rayon industry has
grown in the South may be gagged from the
fact that capitalization of the existing fourteen
plants is estimated in excess Of $150,000 900. AS
employers of labor this industry also occupies
an important place for there are nearly $4,000
people employed while the annual capacity Of
these plants amounts to nearly 400, 000, 600
pounds of rayon yarn.
eff the value of the pulp and paper indus.
try, where the present capital investment ex.
ceeds 5000, 600, 900 exclusive of forest land, are
dQuSu u tllO0C VI liO Aoo9I ~ VIII
be found that the total annual value of the
products of these two industries is equal TO al.
most one-third of the value of all the Souths
manufactured products in 1900"
Long years the South, treated by the federal
government as a tributary province, was held
back. But its natural resources, advantages
and opportunities were such that capital was
drawn into the section. Slowly, but steadily,
the South began to climb the grade. The pace
began to accelerate and in the last fifteen
years the advancing South has been causing
alarm in the East and in the Middle West,
sections long pampered by Washington's poll.
cies. 1t was the governor of Connecticut who
said that not all the nan-made barriers could
overcome the South's God-given advantages.
The establishment of a rayonier mill at Fer.
nandina is significant. 1t means that Charles
F. Herty's experiments with pine pulp for ray.
on are bearing fruit. The success of this mill
will encourage the establishment of other such
mills in the South. There is a great and hun.
cry market for rayon goods. Satisfactory ray.
on from Southern pine will augment the new
wealth coming into the South. Fernandina will
profit from the operations.
1t is not pleasant to remind that South
Carolina is not getting its share Of these new
in the South. 1t is not that North
Carolina, Georgia, Florida and Alabama have
natural advantages over South Carolina, but
that South Carolina has chosen to persist in
a course that causes industry to shun this
state. South Cardinals punitive damage law
and its system Of taxation have initiated
against the acquiring of new industries. Their
agents survey suitable sites, some Of them in
this Lowcountry, declare them satisfactory, and
then recommend a site in another state.
No state in this advancing South stands more
in need of new industries than South Caro-.
lima. The balance of trade is against this state.
Its migratory dollars contribute to the i'm.
poverishment Of the people of South Carolina
Surely, in this Incompatible Lowcountry, are
sites even better than that chosen for rayonier
at Fernandina. Coastal South Cardinals advan-
tages are being wasted as a result of political
policies. 1t is difficult to arouse a complacent
people, but some Roadway is making.