Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1911-05-30

line CnlCdBO COuSeuIH Will We TIC NCA-
ter of the exposition.
element that must not be overlooked in
farming Recently when 1 took my wife
for a day at a farm l have and as we
viewed the beauties of it, l felt great
satisfaction overwhelm me, and l knew
in my heart that l wouldn't change
places with any politician.
81 felt sorry for President Taft and
President Diaz. / also felt grateful to
Governor Smith and to Governor Brown
for having shown me my error when /
thought a year ago that 1 had call to
the governorship of Georgia."
He concluded by insisting that farms
must be beautiful and pleasing if men
are to continue to live in the country
He said that live stock adds as much or
more to the farm than anything else.
ADDRESS OF MR.. BARRETT.
The conference concluded with an adj
dress by Charles S. Barrett, of the
Farmers union, on IAN Offensive and
Defensive Alliance Between the Town and
the Country for the Upbuilding of Geor-
gia."
"God grant" he said. that be able to
conclude this address without resort 70
! platitudes. The theme of the farmer and
the farmers real and imaginary woes
has been so often harped upon by politi-
cal or we'll meaning imbeciles as to make
it farce comedy in the mind of all save
the very thoughtful. So that l run the
risk of telling you what you may have
been sick of hearing when 1 say that
every man before me here tonight is di-
rectly dependent upon the farmer, in
Georgia or elsewhere for his livelihood.
or for his wealth, and for the comfort
and for the dreams and ambitions he
cherishes for Himself or for his children .
He spoke of politics and showed how,
under certain conditions the farmer has
fallen prey to INSCRIPTIONS politicians.
"And as a matter of fat" he eontln-
ued, "tLe demagogue is today the chief
obstable between a common meeting
ground for town and country"
He said he had recent instances in mind
where politicians who had been elected
to congress on the country vote. threw a
cheap sop to the farmer and used his
real efforts to concilate the city.
! sI ask you candidly as reasoning bust
| ness men, what chance on earth there Is
of bringing city and country more close
ly together as long as we permit this con-
dition to continue? If you want to help
US and that means helping yourself, you
have got to repudiate this especial brand
| of politicians. 1t has long been fashlon-
able to denounce the representative or the
senator who assumed to answer the voice
of the special interests. veil, great
many of our statesmen, north, east
| south and west serve special interests all
r,gbt hut these special interests are
| themselves, and they are prosecuting
| their ends upon the theory that playing
| town against country is short cut 70
success.
Hs smoke Of the Emergencies of the
| town and the country, then Of their COM
mon meeting ground.
sWe are all interested in good roaos.
do not share the prejudice that puts
down the city's enthusiasm over gooo
roads as one of joy riding origin.
credit YOU with the intelligence to know
that the fundamental function OF gooo
roads is to facilitate and cheaper the ex-
change of commodities and the enhance
ment of acquaintance.
| ANOTHER MEETING GROUND.
"Another common meeting ground Us
| that Afforded BIZ the Improvement OF IA
cilities for distribution and marketing ana
for the maintenance of decent prices
Let me cite the cotton crop as an illus
| ration that will suffice for every money
bringing crop of Georgia soil In the
majority of instances the cotton crop
now goes on the market in its entirety
within a brief period of four months,
| that is. from September through Decem-
Der. 1t is physically impossible and eco
nomieaIly absurd that either mills or con-
sumers can take care or the cotton crop
in only one-third of the entire year. what
is the result? The market is often seri-
ously glutted. Prices are inevitably de-
moraIized and depressed, the gambling
element which we have always with us.
is given free play for its blood-sucking-
and, what ought to interest you as hard
headed business men, the farmer is ike
ly to get anywhere from IL to 3 or
cents a pound less for his cotton than
its real worth. If you will multiply, say
an II 200, OOO-bale crop by s. bale you
will see the possible loss that could be
visited-upon the humblest wage-earner
as we'll as the business man-through the
system of marketing that is more that
| of mad men than of sane business. In
Mississippi the Farmers union has per-
fected a warehouse system that tends to
distribute the marketing of the cotton
crop over the entire year and that en-
abIes the staple to follow the laws of
supply and demand Warehouse certifi-
Gates are negotiable. Hypothecated for
debts incurred in the raising of the crop,
they enable the farmer to pay off his
pressing obligations without forfeiting
the cream of his labor. The advantage
works just as much to your benefit as it
does to that of the farmer. for what
ever influence keeps money in the south,