The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1897-06-28
fire Farmers PROSPEROUS?

] would be pleased to have your inter-
esting discussion of this question made
broader.
Farming is a worldwide business. ana
It's products fnd the worlds markets and
prices IN spite of unwise tariff legislation
Indian wheat completes with American. ana
Australian meat with that Of our west
First then: How does farming N the
south compare with that in the north. ana,
second bow does the business of farming
compare with. say. merchandising or ran
roading? Il refer to the owners or stock
holders of railroads)
Twenty years ago | bought a good farm
nifty miles from New York city, paying Si'-
eco or 500 per acre. Last year SOFA IL
in better condition than when bought, TOT
5000. This is the rule rather than the
execution in the north and older vest
Farms have deprecated about one-half-
Twelve years ago l bought a large farm in
southwest Georgia. which l would not now
sell for what l gave for 1t.
| think IL Is generally true In the south
that agricultural lands have not senSlbly
deprecated for a number of years.
Does any Georgia farmer want 10 ex-
change, his farm for railroad stocks |
think he can do it, acre for acre in many
cases.
Does he wish to trade for a store? He
can do il II he will shoulder the merchant
debts and take his book accounts at the:r
face or even considerably less.
At least. the farmer can live well on
his farm If he Is willing TO work. But the
railroad stakeholder can't live on his
worthless stocks. nor the merchant on his
bad debts They very indisestible Tor
stomach and brain. Hog and hominy.
bacon and greens. even 'kush' Is better
IL Is true that the price of our great
staple. cotton has fallen. as have all other
commodities. but II has fallen less than
hos nINFNa
corn and oats and, indeed. of many things
than II would in 1851. We produce two
thirds of the worlds cotton. II We see tit
TO produce more than is needed we must
De content Co take a lower price. There
seems to be no mystery about the low
prices.
How does American farming com
pare with other countries? The Enshsh
farmer is far worse off. His land has de
prcciatcd far more than ours. even at tho
north His farms now rent often for al
most nothing. Why? Because American
and Indian and South American wheat can
br sold in England cheaper than the Eng
Ish farmer can raise il. Because Ameri-
can. Australian and South American meats
have almost driven English beef and NUT
ton out of English markets, and 50 on
through almost the entire list of foods.
Farming was 50 pleasant, profitable and
attractive a business some years ago ms
pnintcd out by YOU that too many went
into il. not only in this, but in all other
countries The business is simply over
dome there is too much produced. Besides
of late new railroads in all countries and
now steamship lines on all oceans have
brought the products of all the farms OF
the, world where they are most wanted
that is where there are the most people
and Driccs Of firm products have conse-
oucntly fallen. Just as the prices or an
manufactured articles have fallen through
out the world.
Steam and iron in the hands of invention
are causing a worldwide Industrial reVo-
Iution and on the whole there is no class
hotter off today than the American farmer
and especially the southern farmer. The
trouble can't he cured at Washington.
Radical LEGISLATION may slightly oett"r it,
but will probably make it worse About all
nur legislators can do is to keep up their
munGccnt appropriations TO our agricul-
tural experiment stations. to our asricul-
turoI colleges and similar institutions for
tho farmers benefit. When our farmers
Icarn ia avail themselves of the teachings
nc thasa institutions there will be less oc-
c,sinn To complain of hard times No
f,rrnors in the world have more done for
t6rm an these lines than the American,
snd / doubt if any highly civilized farmers
rs n whole pay less attention 10 slich
teaching. -, ,o-