The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1873-08-08
EXTRACT FROM COL. =. @. HOW
ARDS SPEECH AT POWDER
SPRINGS FAIR.

geration, born Of self and foolish
State pride, to assert that Georgia
is one of the most highly favored
spots on earth. fit could be done,
and wall as high as heaven should
shut US out from the rest Of the
world, Georgia is an empire within
herself, Standing upon our sea
shore line, we look out upon waters
teeming with life; and with 3
months industry and enterprise, our
fisheries might be made easily t.
supply our people during the fall
and winter months with all the sail
fish that our consumption required ;
and yet, how many before me have
lived till this day without knowing
what a muIet was, and, still more,
who never heard Of nullet roe -
Upon the soil, from which we have
this outlook upon the sea, we may
produce cotton fine as silk and
worth, last year, eightysthree cents
per pound, sugar cane, sweet and
Irish potatoes, corn, oats and short
staple cotton, and III the breath Of
the salt-laded breezes we can ripen
by the first week in June as fine
peaches as ever delighted the eye or
palate. A days travel north brings
us to one Of the finest corn and cot
ton producing belts, with this pro-
duction supplemented by all the &C.
reals and esculent crops that man or
beast requires. Above this district
we have the garden spot Of wheat
culture, where corn, too, grows with
the sponsaniety Of 'sill weeds" and
whore apples and pears could furnish
crop with millions every year.
While it would be german to this
line Of remark to speak of our re-
sources in minerals, of the fabulous
wealth of iron, marble, lime and
coal that astonish all intelligent OBJ
servers who survey the upper por-
ton Of our State, we will con6ne
ourselves more strictly to the do
main in which the tillers of the soil
are Immediately interested. What
are we doing with our thirty millions
Of acres ? what with our fisheries 7
our water power9 What advantage
are We taking Of that boundless
range Of production with which God
has blessed US On more than
sixty thousand square miles OF terri
| tory we have about eleven hundred
thousand population we return on
" abouAeighty millions year fol
every sort Of agricultural produc
ton, including charges for improve
ments and additions to stock, W.
raise only about seventeen million
bushels Of corn, a fraction over two
million bushels of wheat, not two
million bushels Of oats, and little
dab Of five thousand bushels of that
splendid grain barley. With q
tier Of sugar producing counties on
the Florida line, which could easily
supply our consumption, we raise in
all the State the pitiful amount Of
about six hundred hogsheads of su
gar. and a little over half million
gallons Of syrup. ! hold, and hold
with undying tenacity, that a coon-
try to which good Lord has given
the COW pea and sweet potato, is bet
ter than any other country to which
he has denied these distinguishing
tokens of bis favor. We prove our
appreciation of this bounty by pro-
yiding ourselves with just four hum
bred thousand bushels Of peas, meat
ing up the beans with them, and Q
three months supply Of the banana
of the South, amounting TO Q little
over two and half millions Of bush.
els. When we speak Of wool and
hay, we do SO with the batod breath
Of one who is about to utter bitter
and risky personalities. With shame
let our farmers confess, and with
humiliation let our statesmen yield
the point, that our entire annual
production Of hay is only lO,0O8
tons, and that we clip but 800, 600
pounds of wool from the backs Of
over 40, 900 sheep. Think OF II,
farmers Of Cobb Four hundred
and twenty thousand sheep, yield>
ing about two pounds per head, tor
the entire State. When we are re-
preached with this showing, how
ever. we have never, failing re-
source Of apology and explanation,
for have we not our crop of cotton
Of 473, 900 bales, and our crop Of
NANCY ours Of more than 3 milton,
a moderate man might guess. Let
us admit the facts, confess the truth,
repent and reform.
Why will not our leading men see
-how can they fail to see--that
with the means at our command, we
are accomplishing less than any lead,
ing State in Europe. We are the
poorest economists on earth, wasting
what would feed a frugal people,,
| We are speaking more directly q
the South. for VIC confess our igno
rance of the people Of orr remoteI
empire. five are compared with
other peoples and sections, i will BE-
painfully apparent how awfully oui
Of joint things are with US as q
State.
Compare Georgis, il you please,
with France 10 the emulation Of TIL
- ..a ara f4fk II, the