The Van Buren press., 1873-09-09
THE SOUTHERN FARMERS.
Speech of the Hon. BENZ. H. Hill at the
Fair at JonesbOio, Ga.
August s, 1878.
Little Hope for the South.
ATLANTA Constitution Report 4

s"e law sh"' hiaue 81 speech In THIS place
just eighteen years ago. That was on,
OF the first speeches of the first politica
campaign Of my life. What sad change,
have occurred since then, How man,
were present then WHO are absent now
How many OIL you VINO were rich chen art
poor now A terrible war grew out OF
the issues then discussed, ana one of its
saddest battles was iought and lost OF
lhis very spot
came here then pGrposely to make
speech 1 calne to-day only 10 hear on,
from cur excellent Governor. But yot
insist upon fearing from me, aud | vii!
give you Il ie" thoughts on your agr.cGl
turai condition ana prospects. An
shaii SPEAK 4ow as spoke then-pre-
clsely wilas believe tV be true, and with
oat ANY Halter, or panuerlng to please
you. For thls sly le OF public writing ana
, speaking l have been pronounced by
some 10 be wanting Ia good Judgment
Laugs be IL 80. 1t Is 4 Aablt
sl.ali never change uI abaud0A say ol
truth 10 "a, ,o-u&y, would Iot sur
fenaeI .le priv.lcao OF tMukag indepen-
Doutly ana speakin1 plainly my hoacst
convictions tO4 ali tae offices ia the oIlt
oi the peVFle.
a pcopic "AO Nili aut sea their danger
are not apt 90 pforue ior tuelr safety
aud people wAo prelsr uattely to the
t.as-,. wlii not be ap- ~ see tA~ir danger.
/ I.e5 VIii pass On, lac tne looli uuu be
| punlshed. A3te Sr4t..aiT Deen ncav
ny punisneu, and The oai s Vi our sorrow.
ieal, are not }eCn@mutreo was rais-
a.on I4rnl. A. -.tirl aas been !
passion witl ho nave lotDwed 1t 10
m1 cost ! ".ow hoie -begs II .aun
you mag ssr~, -iu A"'c p4Iu more 100
a.. .f.oi .. sea", .ltiAaps ANY othef
man Al. -.- SIC.
III. s., SAITH comes tuNat..y ,rou sLe
-,.a.a jA IS Nuu uecree. science /
shi4 aao %. may improve, reAne ana ADD /
to u.e ta.G1 q, thav 3,AIeA is Produced 1
Lom 1ue eare.. hut Tie producer s ;he or
Ign-thG primary soHIcu--0. all the I
wealth OF ,hls woriu, anu 80 nan could |
1--we, much less grow rlcu, but ior the
farmer
Aud yea, IS :. class, the agricultural
lVpulallon - tbs pores In all countries
" caltA--mOney - accumulates in the
..4..... A.i lr...IA> mas iA.r.saly thaa ia
illat those Vic; -pfoudce az weGIJn snouIu
be the poorest OF all people! We saw in
th. y.pers but . few daysag tha' Iner
chant IN New al X whc c0Mlnelcod t. ade
A moor boy, mauv ~ .4Nenloly OF his
,os,esslous, aud found Mmselt worth one
huudred millions OF uviIGls Think OF
mat! OAe man wOf5h half rs much as
tie eutlrc State Il Georgia, with ali her
lands. cities, luNns, factories, railroads,
securltl,s, ana all properly OF every KIND
ana vet tbat man never, perhaps, pro-
dar.t,.luu collars oi ms vast " nealth from
ground. He made 1t by trade. lie
managed e. uraw 20 u.mseH the wealth
.n,.,..,'g... .t.; otue,s, ana, dare say hon
Is $40. lAere are many others, 'fau'
ors and manufacturers IN that same city,
.,no count thei. aceumulations by mII-
lions. Where are your ailitionare pro-
ducers? Who eau tiuu one
Now, wby IS all tAis 50; Why IS II
that farmers Work hard anu keep poor,
ana nearly ali trades ihat Aaudlv mel
nroducts grow rich caa rot go to-
day into der lis, OGJ | viii give you the
ore. benera. reason: Iae whole ten
dencl OF les slat.on IL this country is to
enrcA ana buiid Vp every other interest
al the expense OF ia agricultural ANA
il has been and is SO IN almost. II not al
togcthor, every government on the Slope'
How docs It happen so Because the
merchant and the mannlacluIef take ui
rec and personal interest IN legislation,
and make II their business to study, 10
understand and to shape and direct the
legislation of the country Inc farmer
looks to Providence for rain to produce
his crops, and when ihe ram comes ne Is
content, while the trader locks TO Con
. : laws to masc masc h.- -. nrcils' and |
:, some form ur other, he is sure 10 g7'
INC laws and reap the prohts
Bat will not deal with general primer
ules prefer to talk about our condl'
ii N and prospects We, of the South
ar, YER, poer, With individual eXcep'
liops. we are all poor. fear we 90 not
know how poor we are am quite con
6dent we do not imagine how poor we
are going TO be. As people ihe agr'-
cultural population OF the South are poor
er 10. day than they over have been, anu
they are getting poorer every day! An
bnt YOU are making good crops this year
Yes God has mercifully sent good sea
sons or our fertile soils. Everything we
have planted has grown well The cot
ton fruits splendidly, too. Well this is
all true Now, let me ask you this ques
ton: How much will you make this
year? will answcr for you. A large
majority of the planters Of Georgia VIII
be poorer on the last day of December
next than they were on the first day OF
January last. There will be individual
exceptions 1t may be yon are better on
in this county than most OF our people III
other counties.
admit large profits, very large pro
fits, will be made by some people on th's
years cotton crop in the Sou'h ou'
what affirm is. that with indiVlouai eA
cenliops, these profits will not be reapea
by the planters and producers OF TINS cot
to-. ~, ,.ou will
Who will get the profits then, you wi,, WI,
ask? will tell you Wall street VIII
cot millioas of your profits Inc manu-
ssctures in New England will get many
m;lhons. The corn ralsers ana nog
GRO wer, in the West will get other mn ,
Rom, The lien merchants around yoaa
will get many millions inc oroSeIs .oh.rts "rs.
ctN M