A 1898 magazine article arguing that New England cotton manufacturers face real competition from Southern mills because of cheaper labor, lower cost of living, lower taxes, and longer hours. The author disputes economists who held that cheap labor is always inefficient, citing wage and rent statistics for the Carolinas versus Massachusetts, and comments on Southern mill workers, the prospect of employing Black labor in mills, and labor relations. It is economic and social commentary on the textile industry rather than technical weaving material.