The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1912-04-04
THE NAN FOR THE THIRD
DISTRICT TO SEND TO CON
GRESS, HON. JOHN X. MERCER
lFrom the Dasuson Nerus.l J

~ Koou tnlnS LOT any country
whnn its farmers take a hand in the
affairs Of state. It is fortunate
thing for the Third Congressional
District that It's most successful and
progressive farmer offers himself to
Tie people for an Office in which he
can fairly and adequately represent
chem.
TIKI greater part, By far, Of the
voting constituency Of the Third dis
sFiet ID composed of farmers. South
Georgia Is the richest section Of the
State. and its possibilities have never
YET been half exploited. II is dis
tFict whose greatest wealth is not in
the fas-fakned fecundity and the opu-
lent bounty Of Mother Earth, but in
che splendid and progressive spirit Of
tls men who manipulate these resour-'
ees. The farmer today is doing more
10 develop the greatenss Of the South
chan any other man. He has shaken
the progerbial hayseed out Of his hair
81 has been watching the trend of
affairs. He has been blowing and
progressing. While he has been tend
ing his crops with jealous care he
has been studying the evolution Of the
public attitude toward his calling, and
has been making up his mind to a few
thinga on his own account.
Such 4 man is Hen. ]. r. Mercer,
who n now Offering himself to rep
resent the Third District in Congress.
Mr.. Mercer is q type Of the really pro-
gressive farmer. Dor nand bred on
his father's farm in Webster county,
getting . common school education at
Gid Cambridge Academy in Gooseber-
~ district, doing everything on the
farm from cotton chopping to general
managing, he knows the life from be-
ginning 10 end. He knows its strug-
elen "a well as its victories. His has
been the life Of the husbandman, fed
By the bounty Of the earth and sweet
erred by the airs Of heaven"
When rs years Of age Mr.. Mercer
married Miss Ella Perry Of Dawson.
Soon afterward he entered business
1or himself as a warehouseman, which
business he sold ii 1894. Since then
he has been the owner and manager
az Georgia's most beautiful farm,
a1'he Elladaie Estate, which is one
of the truly wonderful examples Of
farming III which modern ideas are
applied 20 the world-old truths Of ag-
xienlture.
"A suggestion Of Mr.. MERGERS pro-
gxeive spirit Is the fact that he was
che first man IN Georgia to offer to
pay cash prizes for the largest fields
al corn per acre. The first years
prize was won on yield Of forty-odd
hushels; the last years Of more than
enc hundred and sixty. Mr.. Mercer's
km showed a yield Of 116 IA bush
els AZ oats to the acre last year, and
&c Is planning to make it 300 this
Ar. Ne Is Ct present constructing
modern roller process wheat min in
oxdsr e. encourage his neighbors and
Is plant more wheat. Now,
e lne that counts in this old world
IS achievement. When you can do a
nx ven yourself It is good. But
When vou can get other men, by your
cement, example and cooper
cn, 20 do bigger and better things
fAnn they have ever done before you
are multiplying your usefulness to an
infinite degree. Surely, Mr.. Mercer
has done well If measured by this
andardl
So busy has be been with practical
things and the development Of the
material resources Of his section Mr..
Mercer has not cared greatly for pO-
lltical Office. True, he was twice may
81 81 Dawson. The first time he was
aieetsd over . strong and popular OPP
ponent; the second time without op-
position.
"a 1905 he was elected 10 the legis-
guture By his county. His record in
the house IS most worthy and inter
e.king one. The famous John Ran
dolph Of Roanoke on one occasion,
when he vVas elected to the constitu-
tional Conversion, was asked what he
meant 70 DO. aI'm going to vote no
"a every question: he replied. Some
one asked Mr.. Mercer to state his POI
alton on what he proposed as his
program for the Legislature. he re-
Piled: "T'm going to vote to repeal
every bad end oppressive Law ! can
lay my hands on-ana there's many |
one 81 that sort. AS q matter offact,
ar. Mercer's hard common sense and
lis keen intuition made MIN a success
full champion Of whatever measures
be favored. he was strong for the
repeal Of existing laws that were use
less and burdensome to the people.