“The survival of the fittest” - Address of Walker D. Hines, President, The Cotton-Textile Institute - Annual Convention, May 17, 1928

Sep 21, 2026

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A 1928 address by Walker D. Hines, President of The Cotton-Textile Institute, examines the idea that industry-wide problems in cotton merchandising can be solved through the “survival of the fittest.” The speech analyzes what such a doctrine would require: reduced cooperation, limited information exchange, and reliance on weak mills failing while stronger firms control the field. It argues progress toward that future would be slow and questions whether the doctrine has historically cured the industry’s evils, using census statistics on mills and spindles.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages14

Reading Time35 min

AccessFree to download

“The survival of the fittest”

What the Expression Involves

Mills and Active Spindles Increasing

“Survival of the Fittest”

No Cure for Indu

98-84361-2Hines,Walker Downer # “The survival of the fittest” [S.1.] ## COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY LIBRARIESPRESERVATION DIVISION BIBLIOGBAPHIC MICROFOBM TARGET ORIGINAL MATERIAL AS FILMED-EXISTING BIBLIOGRAPHIC RECORD ### RESTRICTIONS ON USE: Reproductions may not be made withoutpermission fromColumbia University Libraries. ## TECHNICAL MICROFOBM DATA FILM SIZE: 35mmREDUCTION BATIO: 11:1 ## INITIALS: 距 DATE FILMED: TBACKING\#: 24037 FILMED BY PRESERVATION RESOURCES,BETHLEHEM,PA. ## BIBLIOGRAPHIC IRREGULARITIES MAIN ENTRY:Hines,Walker Downer … ………… ……… - - - a“The survival of the fittest …… ……- ## Bibliographic Irregularities in the Original Document: L.ist all volumes and pages affected;include name of institution if filming borrowed text. Page(s)missing/not available:_ Volume(s)missing/not available:_ Illegible and/or damaged page(s):_ Page(s)or volume(s)misnumbered:_ Bound out of sequence:_ Page(s)or volume(s)filmed from copy borrowed from:_ Other: before title page X Inserted material:_ ## “The Survival ofthe Fittest” 3692 福兰电 | NOTE
Is "Survival of the Fitest"an adequate way out
or are there more constructive policies which industry
may adopt in order to progress as a whole?
These are among the questions analyzed from the
standpoint of the cotton textile industry in a recent
address by Walker D.Hines,President of The Cotton
Textile Institute,Inc.,which is sent to you as a
matter of possible interest and information.
GEORGE A.StOAN,Secretary,
THE CoTTON-TEXTILE INSTITUTE,INc. | | --- | ## "The Survival of the Fittest" Address ofWALKER D.HINESPresident,The Cotton-Textile Institute,Ine.Annual ConventionThe American Cotton ManufacturersAssociationRichmond,Virginia,May 17,1928 一1D ## “The Survival of the Fittest” erl ROM TIME TO TIME I hear the com-ment that there is no use in cotton millstrying to cooperate and that the solution ofthe bad merchandising policies of the in-dustry wil have to be found in the survival of thefittest. I have been trying to analyze the idea and find whatis involved in the "survival of the fittest"in this partic-ular application of the term,and to get an idea as tothe extent to which and the manner in which this prin-ciple of the survival of the ittest would promise asolution. ## What the Expression Involves This talk about the survival of the fittest seems toassume that the mills should not join in an exchange ofnformaion as to production,stocks,costs,etc.,shouldnot encourage each other to try to balance their pro-duction with demand,and should not encourage meet-ing together in groups to discuss their common prob-lems and thereby acquire a better acquaintance witheach other and a better knowledge of what others aredoing and what their reasons are and what appear to bethe soundest reasons and the most trustworthy guidesfor future conduct. It,therefore,seems to be a necessary part of thistheory that each mill should be left to its own devicesand that as a result the weak and badly managed millswill fail and disappear from the field,which will thenbe left in control of the strong and well managed mills. Apparently there underlies this theory the assumptionthat somewhat later we shall see a situation where acomparatively small number of strong mills,all em-ploying sound manufacturing and merchandisingpolicies,will constitute the industry and that it will nolonger be subject to thedemoralizationwhich comes froman enormous num

FAQs

What does the “survival of the fittest” idea imply for cotton mills?

It implies mills should not cooperate through exchanges of information on production, stocks, or costs, and should not coordinate to discuss common problems. The theory assumes weak and badly managed mills will fail and disappear while strong mills remain in control.

How does the speech judge the likelihood of achieving that outcome?

It states that if progress toward the future it describes has been as slow as in the past, the survival of the fittest has a long road and is unlikely to be realized reasonably before the year 2000 or much later.

What evidence does the speaker use to question the doctrine’s effectiveness?

The speech cites growth statistics for the number of cotton manufacturing establishments and total spindles (and active spindles), arguing there is little evidence that applying the doctrine has appreciably cured the industry’s problems.

Sep 21, 2026

Uploaded by Aria