Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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f p Ff i I. w \ I i tffl cLWTON CHRONTCLB CttnM, 8. €T., Thursflay, August S, 1987 e Industry Fight for Life from page 1) service and supplies to the order for anyone textile industry, or use its ite the South fabrics for end products, you Industry, it is can easily account for some it that they get 75 per cent of this state’s in- of its critical dustrial economy. When an economy of the industry is that big, it has to v its problems and think and act big. This one ;tt. To help you does! Idduatry in its prop- while the South Carolina in South Caro- textile industry has been Itt’i begin at the turn growing, it has also been e dlirtdry- At that time changing. New products, new . were 115 texitle plants techniques and new ap- higated in the state. Fifty proaches have marked our that number had progress in the post-war pe- >wn to In the 16 years r iod. The increase of nearly : 1960 through last year, 300 per cent in salaried em- number of textile plants ployees since 1945 reflects the vour 9t$te grew to 371. Many industry’s growing use of aming new plants — and computers and other tools of se Older ones which have automation. Not quite as n completely modernized graphic?, but more significant typify the progressive char- j n numerical terms, is a solid adter of South Carolina’s tex- 24 per cent increase in hour- tne industry. iy employees in the same 21 n^Our industry, located in all years. Does automation elim- bdt a few of the state’s 46 inate jobs. Not in South Caro- QUUnties, produced during lina txetiles. 1996 yarn and fabric worth The boom years of South tiuree billion, two hundred Carolina’s industrial develop- noillion. dollars. That’s a lot ment, it is said, began in 1959. # moner, and it represents a From that year through 1966, lt?t of textiles. In fact, it was industry poured 2.5 billion aff record. But records are dollars into new and expand- ifething new for South Caro- e d plants in this state. Diver- Jp’as textile industry. The sification became the biggest u»lue of its annual product 15-ietter word around. But of 3 s risen steadily for dec- this total, 1.5 billion or 60 per es. r- And although textile cen t was spent by the textile : Prices are lower now than industry complex: 27 per cent they were ten years ago, the by the textile industry, and 33 '9alue 6f the South Carolina per cent by allied industries tactile industry’s annual out- SU ch as machinery, fibers, "pUt has grown 57 per cent chemicals and apparel. That sfhce 1900. 33 p er ce nt knew something rj Just One year before Pearl when they came into or ex- -Hlarbor, our textile employees panded in South Carolina. < Sarned 74. million dollars in They knew about the sales po- mrjfy pay. Twenty years lat- tential of that 27 per cent. So thW annual payroll reach- they got next to the South 419 million dollars. By 1936 Carolina textile industry. De- ly 0 years afterwards, total spite the fact that standard in- iges had climbed another 46 dustrial listings put synthetic jfer cent to 612 million dol- fiber manufacturing plants in rs. Thht total represented 58 the “chemical” category, we sr cent of all the industrial should be mindful that Allied pages paid in South Carolina Chemical, Carolina Eastman, # Jist year. And when you add and Du Pont have located mppy firms which sell synthetic fiber plants right around Columbia, rather than a career opportunity for all in Utah or Wyoming, ’fhey .who have to earn a living, are here because their cus- With the textile industry tomers are in South Carolinai, playing such an important The same goes for textile iha^-role in the economic life of chinery plants—proximity to South Carolina I believe you customers being -a distinct will agree with me that what- and not-nebulous factor in h* -ever injures this industry will acting within South Cnroliijpv also injure the economy of the And again, investors contem- state. plating a new garment plant’; Today our industry is en- invariably consider the hear- gaged in a fierce fight for by sources of fabric supply;, survival. A rising Ode of im- As a businessman—just at P° rts from low-wage foreign you are busies* and profes- nations threatens to block or sionai members of the OivK*-Compietely curtaU the prog- tan Club— I am mprC than ress we believe lies ahead of casually concerned with prog- U8 » and we must fin d a s °l u ‘ ress. My progress happens to Hon to H 1 * 8 problem, be directly dependent on the Imports of cotton textiles textile industry’s welfare. But including apparel are now we are all interested^ With running at an approximate progress, aren’t we? annual rate of two billion As a matter of fact, you as equivalent square merchant, insurance m a n, When we said everything banker, or utility 4* acat l ve — together — cotton, wool, and I as a manufacturer—are man-made fibers, and so forth all concerned wj# 1 industrial — We find the rate to be ap- growth and tfaiife volume in proximately 3 billion equiva- the Greater Columbia area, l en * square yards, as well as in the Piedmont, The figure for all textile the Midlands and in the Low imports has tripled since 1960. Country. During this period of greatest I like doing business in increase, we have been ope- South Carolina. I find that rating under an international South Carolina in a sense is agreement called the Long just a big neighborhood, with Term Arangement which pur- a desire to be considerate of ported to place some limita- those who live down the street tions on cotton textile im- or down the highway—even if ports, although it places no the highway extends 60 miles restraint on man-made fiber from Clinton to Columbia. textiles or wool. It is an un- We, as citizens, have sur- derstatement to say that this prised and perhaps disap- agreement has been ineffec- pointed some parts of the na- ^ ve * as government rep- tion with our mature handling resentatives indicate, we don t of racial matters. But we did know how bad off we might not surprise ourselves, be- have been had we not had it. cause this is our way of doing 1 must confess, however, that things this does not offer much con- We as emplbyers are sin- solation to those of us who cere in our efforts to be con- have watched the figures siderate of those who work 80ar - with us, and .they in turn To make the situation even seem to express confidence in worse, the already-low tar- our ability to manage. This iffs which have been intended philosophy and posture of to impede textile imports, mutual respect and under- were cut recently at Geneva, standing, has resulted in Switzerland, an average of 13 many hundreds of new job op- per cent. This opens a vien in portunities, right here in the arm of an industry al- South Carolina. Jobs with ad- ready being bled under the vancement potential in pro- guise of helping developing duction, research, supervis- nations, while actually, most ion, finance, data processing, of oUr textile imports are sales and a host of other coming from nations like Ja- fields. The textile industry is pan which have been “devel oped” for quite some time. The only answer to this problem is some kind of regu lation or law which would strictly limit the volume of textiles which can come into pur domestic market, because with textile wages as low as 18c an hour in some foreign countries, the United States simply cannot compete. It is estimated that the American textile industry already has lost 100 to 150 thousand jobs because of imports. If we fail to attain some practical means of controlling the vol ume of textiles coming into this country, then we are go ing to see additional thou sands — perhaps hundreds of thousands—of American jobs go down the drain. We simply cannot afford to see this happen in South Caro lina. Already in 1967 the aver age individual textile work week in this state is down to forty hours, three less than a year ago. This has got to have an effect on individual and corporate earnings, and with that comes a reduction in in come and sales taxes collect ed by the state. All 8 members of South Carolina’s Congres sional Delegation in Washing ton are working constantly to secure some kind of answer to this problem. They deserve more than our best wishe. they deserve the support of everyone of us. I have attempted to tell you something of the South Caro lina textile industry’s heri tage, progress, and problems. I do not want to stand accus ed of crying wolf needlessly. But I am crying about a pred ator which is gnawing at the very fiber and fabric of this state’s economic welfare. “Flattery is a commodity that makes everybody sick ex cept those who swallow it.” Clinton, S. C. WHITE SALE TREMENDOUS SAVINGS ON . . . SPRINGMAID PERCALE p H ; SHEETS • 72x108 and Twin Fitted Buy Now On Easy LAY-AWAY! 81 x 108 and Double Fitted • Cases, pr 97c *2.03 STATE PRIDE • 72 x 108, 81 x 99 and Twin Fitted $1.51 A.A 11 C I I M * 81 x 108 and Double Fitted $1.71 fwl w O LI IN • Cases, pr. 81c BLANKET LAY-AWAY SALE ... STATE PRIDE AUTOMATIC ELECTRIC BLANKET ‘ With 9-Degree Selector ( Single Control Full or Twin Size 80% Rayon, 20% Virgin Acrylic. Asst. Colors. Z-'Yeai* Guarantee! Reg. $12.99 — NOW — =*10.77 STATE PRIDE 100% VIRGIN ACRILAN Soft-Napped BLANKET Featherlight Easy-Care, Moth and Mildew Proof 72 x 90 Asst. Colors Reg. $8.99 — NOW ONLY — $7.77 SOFT-NAP THERMAL WEAVE BLANKET 100% Virgin Acrylic Comfortable On Mid-Winter or Summer Nights Moth, Mildew Allergy Proof Moth, Mildew and Allergy Proof! Size 72 x 90 Asst. Colors Reg. $7.99 — NOW — $6.77 STATE PRIDE AMERICAN ROSE BLANKET A Prize Winner For Beauty ! Giant, Full - Blown Roses, Hand Screened On Fluffy High-Loft White In A Superb Blend of 94% Rayon, 6% Vir gin Acrylic. 72 x 90 Size Reg. $6.99 — NOW — $5.77 SHOP BELKS final summer Clinton, S. C. we're making way for new and exciting merchandise. PRICES CUT WAY. WAY DOWN! Fashion Center Ladies* Summer DRESSES Reduced! •A PRICE! Ladies* Summer Ladies* >■ Sport$wear SWIM Reduced! WEAR f UP TO . . . * - m Reduced! 50% 50% Off Regular Price Off Regular Price Children's Dept.—2nd Floor GROUP OF CHILDREN’S SHELLS Asst. Colors, Broken Sizes $ A" ■ ■ ' - T • . • f VALUES TO $7.99 CHILDREN’S SUMMER DRESSES REDUCED! 'A PRICE! Men's & Boys Dept. MEN* SHORT SLEEVE BOY’S SHIRT and jpOit JilliM SHORT SETS Reg. Values To $3.00 * • ■ ' i v • * • ■ r • , • l .v . . 4 - Reduced! SALE! *1.97 2.44 to 4.66 Shoe Salon—St. Floor | Ladies* | Group of Ladies* 96-Pair of Ladies’ DRESS DRESS and Dress and ! SHOES Casual Shoes Dress Casuals • Foot Flairs • Natural Bridge • Heiress m 3 , .V Sweetbriar and Flats • Hush Puppies • Connie Broken Sizes Values To $17.00 Values To $12.00 Values To $12.99 O O o $eo° O O </* Downstairs Store—Basement LADIES* FAMOUS BRAND DRESSES 1 * V Tents, Shifts, Cotton Jerseys and blends, Reg. Values To $19.99. SWIMSUITS Mostly 2-Pc Styles, Broken Sizes Final Clearance! Ladies’ SHORTS Asst. Plains, Checks Plaids Values To $2.99 n 57 or 2-pr. for $3.00 LADIES’ CASUAL SHOES Slip-Ons. and Ties Values To $3.99 57 $ 1 TENNIS SHOES Children’s Sizes 10-3 Values To $2.99 $ 1 22 BELK'S Open Fri. Nile Til 7 P. M