PEOSPECTS OF EGYPTIAN COTTON IN THE UNITED STATES. 49 



of supply and demand are likely to continue and to have their nor- 

 mal influence on the prices. The present gtatus of the Egyptian in- 

 dustry is only one factor of the problem, but the prospects in this 

 quarter seem to favor the proposed establishment of an Egyptian 

 cotton industry in the Southwest. 



It need not be supposed that the culture of Egyptian cotton in 

 the United States will involve an injurious competition with the 

 Egyptian industry. The irrigated districts of Arizona and southern 

 California where the experiments with the Egyptian cotton have 

 been carried on are not very extensive, nor thickly populated. Settle- 

 ment is going on in a very gradual way, as irrigation facilities are 

 provided. Moreover, the opening of an additional source of supply 

 of Eg}^ptian cotton would be likely to improve the commercial pros- 

 pects of this type of fiber. The danger is already recognized in 

 Egypt that if prices remain too high markets may be lost by the 

 further substitution of inferior kinds of cotton in fabrics for which 

 Egyptian has been used. 



Recently published results of an investigation of this question 

 show that an extensive substitution of other types of cotton for the 

 Egyptian has already taken place and that there .has been a serious 

 decline in some lines of Egyptian cotton goods as a result of improve- 

 ments in the weaving machinery and finishing processes that make it 

 possible to use cheaper materials not previously employed for such 

 purposes. The plan of substitution seems to have succeeded beyond 

 all expectations, as the following statements will show^ : 



It is in these lower grade goods that the substitution of American for 

 Egyptian yarns has shown the most marlved development. The substitution 

 has talven place in various ways, but all due to the one cause — the great 

 dilTerence in price between American and Egyptian yarns. The high price of 

 Egyptian cotton has compelled the spinners to devote their attention to pro- 

 ducing a finer spun yarn from American staple than was formerly thought 

 possible. Until a few years ago 40's were regarded as practically the limit 

 of American spinning. Now by improved processes and the adoption of finer 

 methods of spinning (e. g., combing, which was formerly confined to Egyptian 

 yarns) 60's, 70's, and 80's of satisfactory quality can be spun from American. 

 Though perhaps not equal in strength to the Egyptian yarns of the same 

 count, these yarns have proved an excellent substitute in many branches of the 

 trade. * * * 



The secondary diflSculty of overcoming the dealers' prejudices against Ameri- 

 can cotton was of short duration. Most of the goods in question were well- 

 established stock lines which the dealers had sold for some years at fixed prices, 

 and to raise these prices was impossible. But the rise in price of the 

 Egyptian yarns was too great to be covered by any possible sacrifice of profits 

 on the part of the manufacturers or the dealers, and there was no alternative 

 but to abandon the Egyptian yarns. Had such a suggestion been made a few 

 years ago, it would have been ridiculed ; but the shopkeepers, more than half 

 persuaded by the obvious excellence of the goods, were compelled to try them, 

 and their success was immediate and astonishing. Customers showed no 

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