The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1889-03-21
Words to Farmers.


Words to Farmers.
Every Southern State can be made
entirely self-sustaining if the farmers
would only farm wisely. Georgia could
produce all her food supplies from her
own soil if the farmers would but turn
their attention to diversified farming.
We can grow corn, wheat, oats, rye, bar
ley, millet, sorghum, clover and the
grasses. We can raise hogs, sheep, cat
tie, horses and mules. We can raise all
kinds of poultry, make butter and have
eggs in abundance; also vegetables and
fruits of all kinds, and Nth such advan.
tages, aud a market at our doors for all
such things, Georgia is q large importer
of all the above supplies. Perhaps the
farmers are not aware of the large
amount of money that goes out Of the
State, and out of their pockets for food
supplies; and horses and mules that can
and should be raised by the farmers of
Georgia. We will take our County as 8
sample, Floyd County, that is considered
one among the richest Counties in Geor-
gia, and considered we'll adapted to
grain, grass and stock raising, with an
intelligent class of farmers, and see the
amount of food supplies that are imported
in Rome for the people that trade in that
city, including farmers, and when ascer-
tained from facts and figures, it will be
seen what an amount of money leaves
this County for food supplies that should
be raised by our farmers. Six million
pounds of Western bacon sold every year,
81 ,25O barrels of -four; the meat import.
ed is worth from s4SO,0OO to 100000,
and the -four s127, 500, making s727,5OO
that should go into the pockets of our
farmers, this money goes to the West to
enrich the pork and -four dealers and
farmers. This amount of money is from
the city of Rome alone, so what is the
amount paid by all the towns and cities
in Georgia for bacon and -four imported
to feed the people of this State 1t
amounts to millions of dollars for only
these two articles, bacon and -four; in
addition mules and horses are imported,
also corn, hay, butter, poultry, eggs, veg
etables and fruits, when all such should
be raised by Georgia farmers. Is it any
wonder that Georgia farmers are poor
when they are among the purchasers OF
all these things, instead of being pro-
ducers and the furnishers? The farmers
of Georgia, if they farmed wisely and
economically, should feed themselves,
and supply our cities and towns in part,
at least, with fresh meats, poultry, butter
and eggs, vegetables and fruits, aud stop
this large amount of money being sent
West for such supplies.
Our system of farming for the last
twenty years has been perniciously
wrong. We have farmed for the benefit
of others and to our injury and ruin. We
see it and are convinced of it. Will We
continue doing so, or change and farm
for our own benefit? That is the ques-
ton to be decided by the farmers them
selves. have shown you the money
the vast sum-that goes West annually
from one city, Rome, from your earnings
for merely two articles, bacon and flour,
s727 500; no wonder we are poor when
you see how our hard earnings are spent,
and how easily it can be stopped if We
would only change our system and raise
our own corn, wheat and hogs, and sup.
ply ourselves. The year 1888 is now at
an end; the new year 1889 is now on
hand, SO in preparing for another crop,
resolve on raising your own food supplies
ia abundance, and let your cotton be q
surplus crop. l have heard many say,
"I would farm as you suggest and raise
my food supplies, but am in debt and |
must raise cotton" My answer is, you
have been on that line twenty years, and
you are still in debt as ever; does not
that convince you that your system of
farming is wrong, aud you are only farm
ing to keep yourself in debt and bondage?
So change from system that keeps you
in debt and bondage, and try another
where your chances are much better to
get out of debt. Ifyou can do no better
sell half your farm and pay your debts
sud take fresh start by changing sys,
tenn that keeps you in debt and try the
system OF raising your own food supplies,
and cotton sufficient as your needs may
require. Some place much nope on lne
Farmers Alliance. The Farmers Alli-
auce is great institution for the farmers
if they live up to its constitu ion and rit-
ual. One Of its chief OBI c;s is = Ii:'se
the farmers become self sustaining, and
buy all they need for cash, avoid debt
and keep out of debt and bondage; and
the only way of doing so, is to raise all
your food supplies, your horses, mules,
cattle, hogs and poultry, and live as q
farmer ought to live, a free and indepen-
dent man. I recollcct the time when
farmers farmed and lived that way, they
were the most independent of all classes,
their barns and smoke houses were full
from their own raising, they went TO their
own focks for their meats, their own gar
ners for bread, their own yards tor poul'
try and eggs, their own dairies for milk
and butter, and their own orchards tor
fruits. The earth is the same, the sea-
sous are the same, they lived by the
sweat on their brow, they labored hon
cstly in their fields and God blessed their
,1 -,.Jod thar ofortu ar6