The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-04-24
Alabama Spends S12,0O0,000
 Yearly for Imported Corn
COULD BE RAISED AT HOME
Congressman Says People of the South Cannot Control Cotton Prices When They Send So Much Money
 Away From Home.
By WALTER HARPER.

Berry, April 22.-(Special. )-Every
 store, office and almost every home in the town of Berry was closed for four
 hours today while the people turned
 out to hear Capt. R. P. Hobson and his party of agricultural experts.
 9rhe meeting began at 10 o'clock and lasted until 2. The large school room
 was crowded to the doors and win dows, while scores of people gathered about the grounds in hearing dis
 tance.
 Through the four hours of speech
 making the people kept their places
 and hung on to every word. The in
 terest is intense.
 The region round about Berry is
 noted for its agricultural possibilities
 and the farmers as whole are pro
 gressive and intelligent. They seem eager to improve their fethods and
 gave close attention to the addresses
 of the department men with Captain Hobson.
 A feature of the meeting today was the address of J. A. Wade, in charge of
 the farm management and demonstra tion work in the southern states. He
 has spent some time in the story of
 farm conditions in Alabama and gives
 some surprising figures on the annual
 waste on the farms. He declared that
 Alabama consums about $12,000,00
 worth of imported corn alone every
 year. This estimate is based on ac- tual figures gath cred from several of
 the largest counties of the state. He
 said that this is not only a great waste
 to the formers of the state in finan
 cial way but that the commercial corn is inferior and unfit for food purposes
 The price paid for this imported product Is from 70 cents to s1. The sepaker pointed out that practi-
 cal demonstration had proven that corn
 can be raised in Alabama at from 161a cents to 25 cents per bushel. Mr. Wade declared that 1t is nothing
 less than a public shame to the state
 that $12,000,000 is sent out of the state annually for staple that can be raised
 at profit at home.
 He argued that by raising corn and hay the farmers of Alabama can raise mules, horses and other stock more | oh eaply and at the same time improve 1 the lands.
 | MT. Wade pointed out a number of | other items for which the farmers of 1 the state export large aggregate sums
 annually and pleaded for more inde- | pendence among the people of this sec l tion.
 He said that the people of Alabama
 could never prosper so long as they | send to other states for foodstuffs. The
 state is losing money when it goes west to buy $12,000,000 worth of corn, | $6,000000 worth of meat and oth CT food products in proportion. Captain Hobson, in his closing re-
 marks, stressed this point by showing 1 that 1t Is impossible for the southern | cotton planter to control that market so long as he must pay such large food bills. The congressman dwelt at 1 length upon the south's monopoly of | the cotton crop and it's shortsigh ted 1 ness in not handling 1t at home instead | of allowing it to go to the east and to | Europe for manufacture. He said the | south has the power to dictate the price of cotton, but we will not use It. He was loudly applauded when he de- clared that the hope of the south lies in the proper training and education of l the boys and girls. He said that in the proper education of the youths of this
 country the people have the opportunity of an investment that will bring one thousand per cent in return. The party went from Berry to Carbon 1 Hill, in Walker county, where meet
 ing will be held tomorrow morning.