The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-08-02
FARMERS IN GOOD CONDITION.
ALL A MISTAKE ABOUT HARD
TIMES, THEY SAY.

with Plenty to Eat at Home, Good
Snap Their Fingers at the Rest of
the WOrId-WelI Informed Judges
Say the Georgia Farmers Are in
the Most Prosperous Condition
They Have Ever KnOwn-Even
With 6-Ccnt Cotton They Arc In
dependent.
THE farmers of Georgia are in the most
prosperous condition they have ever
BEEN said a prominent business man,
and one who usually weighs his words
well when he speaks, yesterday.
Il have Travelled over the state consid-
erably within the last few weeks" he
continued, land especially the territory
tributary to Savannah. 1 have talked with
a humber of farmers and with others who
come constantly in contact with them, and
the general verdict is that the farmers are
in better condition than they have been in
years. The crops are generally good, for
above the average, both cotton and corn.
What is better still the farmers are liv-
ing at home and this years crop of cot
ton will come nearer being a cash crop
than any they have ever raised. The re-
suit is a general feeling of contentment
throughout the country. In fact, the con-
dtion of the farmers in Georgia and
doubtless throughout the south generally,
has been much better during the last
three or four years than they have been
given credit for. They have not had much
money to spend, but they have been reach
ing nearer to independence every year.
They owe less money than they ever did,
and there are fewer mortgages than in
any other section of the country. The
mortgaged farm is no longer the rule, but
a rare exception.
There was a little barbecue up at
Wadley, on the Central railroad, the other
day, given by Mr.. W. o. Wadley. I had
the pleasure of being present. Mr.. Wad-
ley has made it a rule to gather his
friends and neighbors together once a
year, after the crops are laid by, at a
barbecue. and these gatherings are al
ways very pleasant. We had one of the
finest dinners l ever ate and plenty to
drink, in the way of water and lemonade,
but nothing stronger. After the dinner
had been disposed of we sat under the
trees and smoked our pipes and cigars. 1
made it my business to inquire of those
present of their condition, whether it was
as good as in former years, or better and
whether they were holding their own
with the prices which have prevailed for
cotton. The reply invariably was that
they are in better condition than for many
years.
We do not get as much for our cot
ton as we did several years ago. they
said, but we find that a bale of cotton
buys as much as it ever did, whether of
machinery or supplies or clothing, or any
thing else the farmer requires. While
cotton brings less, it is raised much cheap
er than in former years, and the results
are the same. The farmers have found
that the first requisite to successful farm
ing is to live at home and to pay cash
for what they buy. This was the sub
stance of the replies of every one. AS an
instance of this sort of farming, l learn
ed that Mr.. Wadley killed 40 hogs of his
own raising last fall.
This reminds me that 1t is not the farm
ers who are talking hard times. This talk
of hard times has become chronic and a
sort of habit with the people. You news
paper men should get out into the coun-
try and learn the true condition of the
farmers. It's not right to go on talking
hard times when the turn has already
come. The harvesting of the crops will
soon begin and the people in the towns and
cities will begin to realize that prosperous
times are upon us. The only thing nee
essary is that everybody should go to
work and help make hard times a thing
of the past. With cotton, even al s cents,
we have reason 10 expect that the COM
ing season will be one of the most pros
porous the south has ever known"
From other sources come reports that
the crops all throughout this section are
in splendid condition, and that the farm
ers are all in the best of spirits. Cotton
is opening finely and the new crop will
soon be rolling in. The crop appears to
be only few days late If that, and not
three weeks late as was reported some
time since.
The Manufacturers Record in its last
issue reviews the condition of things in
the southern states, and its reports show
a generally satisfactory state of affairs
prevailing, with general tendency to-
wards progress and development.