Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-07-20

L. NJ. Rhodes, president Of the Ten
nessee division and chairman Of the
national board Of directors Of Oh,
Farmers Union, has just finished a
flying trip through Georgia In com
pany OF Charles 5 Barrett uatioua
president or the Farmers Union, and
J. J. Brown, former Commissioner ul
Agriculture Of Georgia. The follow
ing message 10 the farmers as deliE-
cred by Mr.. Rhodes abouuds In such
truth and fact not generally known
The marvellous grandeur ~ the
world q progress aStounds and amaZcs
as. yet the wonderful story would
never have been written had il not
been for the ever faithful farmer
Agriculture is basic Upon II rests
cities, commerce and civilization. The
people Of the earth consume 60,00O.-
900 tons Of food annually Five hun
dred and eiEhty-two million tons Of 70
come from the farm. Human beings
are clothed in the products Of the
farm from the time they are born un-
tn they embark for eternity. Yet ever
since Grandfather Adam made the
mistake that caused him 10 lose the
family estate the farmer has been a
failure IN business
Farmer Behind in Business.
In business development Of the
United States IN the last century the
farmer has fallen behind. In the pro-
cesslou of modern business methods
he has followed where he should have
led
When we became a nation the farm
er owned 80 per cent OF the wealth
In 1850 our national wealth was
$1,000, 600 600 and the farmer owned
$4,000, GOO 600, or four sevenths.
In 1913 our national wealth is esti-
mated at Sl31. 10000 900. and the
farmer owns $4,000, 0OO, 600 our farm
property is valued al nearly 100000
600 600. but S14 600, goo, 900 is owned by
other classes than farmers.
The above figures show that farm
ers are not holding their own. for n
they had kept pace with other voca-
lions since 1850 they would now own
s75 900. 600. 900 worth Of wealth instead
OF $4,000 O0O, 900 Their lack Of bust
ness methods and failure TO match
conditions have cost them $40. 00O,-
600 000 This would buy AN the farm
property In the United States AMI
have enough left 10 buy a half interest
in all the railroads.
In a score Of years the farmers of
this country have produced $4,000,
600. 600 worth OF farm products. or
enough TO buy all the property In the
United States. Yet this wonderful
amount OF wealth has not gone to the
farmers We have 10000 men I'm this
country who own an average OF Sl0,-
600 600 each. And their combined
wealth Is 100000, 5000 The other
1890. 900 people own $4,000. 600 600
OF our 1O0, 000, 900. 60,0O0,o00 are home
less
.trr,,,-a1,-. NO., g.,,t,..1 ~. tAFr9 ,
our wealth, and one man controls
nearly one-tenth of the wealth of this
the richest country In the world. AZ
the rate we are going capital will own
practically all our wealth I'm another
generation.
sixty three land companies and
rich individuals own an area equal
70 Tennessee, Mississippi Alabama
and North and South Carolina
Liberty can not long exist in a
country where the tendency is 10
confine the wealth 90 a few hands for
he who controls nations money
controls its people
Union Is Educational.
Knowing that our liberty was
bought with holy blood and sacred
tears, and seeing that We must or
ganize and change our present meth
DDS or surrender. we organized the
Farmers Educational and Co Opera -
tive Union Of America. Believing that
a lack OF practical knowledge is mans
greatest enemy We placed 'eduCa-
ton as the first word in our name
And knowing that "a people are never
strong when they are wrong. we Sc
leCted as our motto. Equity. Justice
and the Golden Rule our organiza
ton has steadily grown until now II