The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-07-19
WEALTH UNDER OH FEET.

It has been brought out at the sittiugs
OF the Congressional Industrial Comms-
sion that the farmers Of the Middle West
ern and Northwestern states are enjoying
a considerable degree of prosperity. while
those Of the South are experiencing very
hard times. The reason for this differ
ence is not that our friends Of the West
have better lands o. more favorable eli
mate, but, as we have before said, that
they are beating us at the business Of
| farming. Nature indeed has given us
the advantage. but we are not making the
most OF it. Our farms are open practl-
caHy all the year round. while in the
Northwest half of the year is winter, and
severe winter at that our lands are
capable Of producing two or three crops
each twelve months, while in the North
west only one crop is possible. We can
grow anything chat The Northwest can,
and many things that it cannot. There
is an abundance of wealth under our feet,
but we neglect to dig it Out
There should be an Improvement in our
farm methods. If the West can make
farming profitable, We can do it, too. But
We shall have to follow Western and
Northern methods. We can, and should,
profit by the experiences of those sections,
then, with our cheaper lands ana labor,
and longer warm season, we ought to be
able to outstrip them in the game The
South has beaten New England in the
manufacture of cotton cloths. and it has
beaten Pennsylvania and Ohio in the pro-
duction Of iron and steel. If We can lead
with our mills, mines and furnaces is II
not reasonable 10 suppose that we can
lead with our farms also?
What we need is a diversifcation OF
crops and scientific misunderstanding for
profit. We need also to devise some way
for bringing our idle lands and idle labor
together in productive combination There
are tens of thousands of acres of cheap
but good land in Georgia now idle, and
thousands of cheap but good laborers
both white and black, who are likewise
idle. These elements should be brought
together. 1t may take syndicate farming
to do it. That sort of farming has been
found profitable in the West, and it
could no doubt be made to pay well in
the South. 1t is probable that syndicate
farming will shortly be inaugurated in
Chatham county, and that special atten-
ton will be paid to tobacco. The soil Of
this county is believed to be well adapted
TO tobacco culture.
Indeed, there are reasons for believing
the light sandy loan of all South Geor-
gia will produce good tobacco in paying
quantities Mr.. Martin, editor of the Lib
erty County Herald, has recently spent
some time in South Carolina making
personal investigation of tobacco growing
in that state. and he returns convinced
that South Georgia is even better sec
ton for tobacco than South Carolina He
is going to plant some tobacco himself,
and is urging the people of Liberty county
to join him in the experiment The weed
has proved a mortgage litter in South
Carolina. In many sections the Affection
farmers were on the verge of despera-
ton, weighed down by debt But they
quit cotton and planted tobacco, and now.
notably in the counties of Marion. Flor
ence, Darlington, Horny and Marlborough.
the farmers who have become tobacco
raisers are practically clear of debt, and
many of them have bank accounts