118
A similar antithesis is found within the United States . Heretho South, which produces cotton, appears to bo specially adaptedalso for further manipulation; the technical aids and capital areat hand as in the North; and water-power is also not lacking inthe South. In spite of these facts the North is the seat of thecotton industry, although it has to bear the carriage of the rawmaterials. There, however, is the seat of an old race of operativesof extraordinary productive capacity. The South, which dependedup to a short time ago on slave labour, has nothing to set againstthis race. It is true that the weekly wages in tho South are farlower, but the cost of labour is dearer. “ I have,” says Atkinson,” made a very accurate calculation of the proportion of operativesto the number of spindles, the number of looms, etc., and thereinconceded very much for the variation of yarns, the capability ofthe mills, etc., and still found that in the South there are twooperatives for one in New England . This calculation was con-firmed by observations on the spot” (3).
The most remarkable confirmation of our contention of reversedproportional conditions between weekly wages of the operativeand piece-wages is given by the reports of Mr. Janies Thornley,who travelled in the American cotton districts in the interests ofthe “ Textile Manufacturer,” an English journal devoted to thetextile trade (they were printed in the journal mentioned). Theirgeneral purport was, that the cost of producing plain calicoes washigher in the United States than in England . On the other hand,the cost of labour for the same production was less in America .In comparison with these facts it is known that the weekly earn-ings of the operatives in America and England are about as threeto two (4). But it is especially remarkable that the cost of labourin America , particularly in weaving, stands very considerablybelow that of England , but on the other hand that spinning ischeaper in England. Although this is the case the English weaverearns far less than the American ; the spinner, who is stillsuperior to his American contemporary, is, however, thehighest-paid English operative. For the production of a pound ofordinary printing calico, of a sort which the expert mentioneddeems specially suitable for comparison, the following figures are
3. Edward Atkinson: Popular Science Monthly (Jan.. 1890), p. 371.Compare further: “ Address of Edward Atkinson, given in Atlanta, Georgia. Oct., 1890,” p. 3.
4. Compare, for this, Atkinson: “ Distribution of Products,” p. 133.