The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1900-10-08
PlUnk0tt' SL8ttor
crr,,,er for The Weekly Constitution,


too close-they called it crowded and
moved on to get "rOomance-
I wanted romance in Atlanta Monday,
but L couldn't move on The circus was
there and L would call the streets crowd
ed IL 1 was not afraid that nifty years
from now people would see how foolish
such a notion was The olctlmers or
fifty years ago that moved because emf
grants came within three and four miles
were lust as honest as they could be in
the belief that they were crowded, but
now | see how mistaken they We're, and
so il may be that ] am mistaken about
the streets of Atlanta being crowded
on circus day. But I felt like | was
crowded, and delusion or no deiusion.
came very near smotherlns- AZ last
got fixed up on a box by the wall and
from there I watched the crowd They
surged and pushed and made wild breaks.
never n one caring for the other. Room
was what they seemed to need, but
guess it is only seeming. 1t mas always
seemed that we needed room ana the
poor Indian was crowded out to make
room. but we can all see now how foolish
that was If We had only known II there
was room plenty for us anu 'he IN
dams. too. but these decisions are only
remedied by time and experience and
men will learn in no other way.
We have been lust as much mistaken
about other matters as We were about
room The effect of certain causes have
fooled us as much as the other. Inere
are a plenty of people yet living tnat can
remember how tedious ii used TO be to
separate the seed from the cotton Cot
ton had to be picked from the seed then
by fingers and we thought it such a
hardship that there was great rejoicing
over the invention Of the GIN This WAS
another deIusion. The cry of hard tunes
is still in the land and half the farm
crs of Georgia would leave the farm
tomorrow if they were to go according
to their feelings. The cry is everywhere
that farming is a failure, and TO the lac
tories and the towns is the place to CO.
This is now the delusion that has pos
session of the people more than IL ever
had before When the gin was first in
vented there was a great rush for the
unsettled cotton lands. Our cotton crop
has increased in the memory Of many
now living from a few hundred bales
to the millions, but there is no less OF
grumbling. more poverty than ever and
the struggle of life is more intense than
ever. | am very fearful that rush OF
peopIe from the rural pursuits to fill
places in the new factories will prove
blight Perhaps that this only appears
so TO me because we have n new factory
lust finished in our settlement and the
craze to quit farming and go there Is
only local, but l am fearful that the
desire will be widespread and we Will
lose more than We will gain by having
the factories.
have never been a boxer 70 the extent
of being against machines or the multi
tude OF inventions. 1 have always found
comfort in the hope that i'll the great
multiplicity OF inventions would be seen
the loving touch of kind providence,
in the fact that only a very few of the
human race would be required 10 do the
manufacturing work of the world, thus
allowing the greater number to follow
the pursuit of agriculture. If the new
factories that we have so much longed
for are to cause the Georgia crackers to
quit their farms, then l am against the
factories. / had never contemplated
such a catastrophe in my desire for the
factories Already the fields Of manufac-
ture and of commerce are crowded like
Atlanta on circus day. or they seem
crowded if il all be seeming-and the pro-
LESSONS seem crowded Siy hope i-2s
been that people seeing this seeming
would turn for relief TO the pursuit OF
agriculture. 1 feel in my heart that u
will be a costly delusion for the country
people to quit their farms to go 10 these
factories, but so is the trend in tnis sec
ION. ana is as much surprise as 1t IS d
subject OF regret. 1t is wonderful TO mo
mat any sensible man or woman can con-
template the great competitions and NOT
feel that the tention needs relief IN al
the pursuits but agriculture. In agricCi-
ture there is opportunity made greater BY
the approach of new factories, out they
VIII delay the prosperity OF our section 4
they draw our people AMY from ruFa~
pursuits. l say delay" There X moth
iue. that Will keep agriculture from even
tuaIly being the foremost thing Of the
south. / feel that there can be no de.u-
sion in this idea 4Ae danSer IS, anu
what l would regret, IS lnat HloHes
sharks may get the hand II there IS sun
decay after Ce-ay IN securing the pros
rerity that the south Is entitled The
glitter OF town lie deluded our people
some thirty years ago and now II thiS
working in the factory idea IS not stop
ped il WILL take Us thirty more years 10
learn that al country lie tnefe l. the
greatest pleasure and that the pursuit -
worthy our greatest efforts. Not one
cOuntryman III i thousand understands
the bless dness Of country life. Brown
behind his OK team grits MS teeth IS iEe
gentleman in a carriage dashes past MIN
and foreets that ne IS livinE without
much strain. He grOans, his wife gro4nSs
his children groan. Like ripple on the
water these grOans widen and spread III
IL has come 10 Zoe 50 common 10 .srQdA
that all the world is grooming. These
grUaus cmanate from deluslon thdt
there is no Use 10 strive with the country
man over but after they have Quit their
farms and tried these factories tnen J.
will he easy to make them see that il
was Il deIusiOn and a move almost as Sc
we're as the craze OF moving to town, but
the pi.y is that il viii then De too late 10
avert the evil that Is sure 10 come from
such a deluSlon.
But, despite the disposition to get JOBS
at the new factory. which L hope is only
a local craze. there 5 10 be many We'd
dirgs in cur settlement during this fal
and winter if me and Brown are not
fooled iii the signs. Il am pleased 1T THIS,
for besl1es always being glad 20 see the
Young folks marry. We are certain 10
come in for something good to eat l be-
Neye that the older a man gets the more
he likes turkey and stufiinG and pies and
cakes But some OF them are talking OF
taking a bridal tour. while some are 10
marry at the church. and this does not
strike us so pleasantly. Brown. especial
" objects to the tours" for our expert
ence is that there is no eating before
starting OF course | don't care for the
ca ting but | think that they could put
their money to a better use than going
on a tour" l think the good old way Of
marrying at home with general cooking
is the best. This strikes me as the best
way, and it so strikes Brown. and We 80
advise--BrOwn is urgent in this advice. |
like the old time ways in everything,
though L am thoroughly convinced that
the dasO can SO dress his stand with
fruit that IL makes a prettier show tnan
when hanging on the trees. The Wild
cranes of autumn that used 40 cumber
every old fence row and peep from among
the leaves OF yellow and green along
eyerv little stream struck my youthful
a matter of delight, but they
10