The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-11-13

Montgomery County Agricultural Club met at noon in the rooms of the Com mercial and Industrial Association and inaugurated amid great enthusiasm a campaign for a State Agricultural Fair | to be held next fall in Montgomery, and every year thereafter.
 | After recording the sense of the Club unanimously in favor of a permanent Fair Association, the members author ized President M B. Houghton to ap- point a committed to form a definite plan of organizing the farmers and merchants all over the State and en- listing their support. President Houghton will appoint this committee next week.
 | Before adjournment the Club endors- ed the meeting which is to be held next Monday night. November 15.. in the rooms of the. Commercial and In- dustrial Association on Bibb Street, for the purpose of forming a Poultry As sociation. The obje,t of this organiza- | tion Is to provide for poultry show which is expected to be held in Mont. gomery some day in January. Poultry l farmers from all parts of the State I have been invited to attend this gath | ering and success for 1t is predicted. To make the proposed Agricultural | Fair 2. success, the Agricultural Club IL be formed and that some shares be distributed in every county of the State. It is believed that this idea l would breed interest in all parts of the State. which is essential to annual fairs of much worth. The authorized capital of the Fair Association is I roughly estimated at $25,o00. The purpose of those present at the meeting of the Club was expressed to | Invoke aid from the State Department of Agriculture and Industries. J. c. Adams, of. the Department, who was | in attendance, assured the Club that Commissioner Poole would be anxious | to cooperate with the workers in this movement. It was noted that the ap- propriation of $25O per month to the Alabama Worlds Fair exhibit would cease at the end of this month Also there Is a monthly expense fund of $500 allowed the Department by the State, and this being almost intact. a specific amount might be given to the Fair As- sociation.
 If the farmers, aided by the mer- chants and other business men in Ala bama, can effect an organization and hold a profitable Fair next fall, the opinion Is expressed that the Legis- lature at the next meeting would ap- propriate as much as s15,oO0 to be used in the erection of suitable building on a purchased or leased site. This is all in line with the plan of permanent stock company for making annual ex-
 hiibts.
 Stirring speeches advocating this
 movement as generally outlined were
 made by President Houghton, J. R. McLendon, and w. H. Vaughan. The opening address of President Houghton yesterday summarizes the agricultural situation in Alabama with reference to labor and other economic problems of today.
 "There are some things necessary for continued and permanent prosperity in Alabama" said President Houghton. Diversity your crops, make all your home necessities and some to spare.
 Raise more live stock. build up and enrich your land. rotate your crops,
 irrigate where practicable, patronize home industries and the dealers who encourage it. improve the laborers' con dition, organize and hold annual exhi- bitions to show our progress and stim- ulate to greater effort.
 "The agricultural condition of Ala bama may now be described as pros | porous. The farmers are now compar- | atively out of debt and have some cap | ital to improve their farms and to pur | chase improved labor saving imple- ments. The manufacturing industries have not kept pace with the agricul- turaI and the field is open and a home demand for a great and diversified in | crease.
 "The lesson of the times is that we should achieve both our agricultural and industrial independence as soon as possible.
 'The best advertisement we can | make is to show the outside world that we are doing it and to invite them to share 1t with us.
 "The problem of securing and keep ing efficient farm labor is serious one. There is a demand for the best | farm laborers to work in the cities and towns, on the railroads. in the mills, mines and other industries at wages paid In cash or in the commissary daily | or weekly. The laborer does not value | a home, a garden, a pasture for his | COW, his poultry and free fuel for wa l ter in comparison with the privilege of handling a few dollars weekly and wasting most of 1t in dissipation. Con- sequently there is an exodus from the farm And again. the scohols educate | away from the farm instead of toward 1t The modern theory is to educate everybody so as to bring about so- lution of all problems. but the farms will suffer while the problems are be- | ing worked out.
 TWO educated peoples of diametric- ally opposite racial types will not Ions occupy the same territory on terms \of forced social and political equality. One or the other must go and there seems no part of our country where either would be welcome.
 The cheapest and most effective way for Alabama to advertise her re- sources Is to hold great agricultural and live stock exposition in Montgom- cry annually and for every interest to become interested and assure its sue cess It would advertise our lands. our crops our timber and mineral re- sources, our home industries and man | ufactures. It would attract hundreds l of home seekers. stock raisers and in- vestors from other States, who could see in a small space the wonderful pos abilities of our region. Every suc- cessful and progressive agricultural State or region holds exhibitions of their products and resources and ex-