Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-07-20
|. M. Rhodes, Of tennessee Divi-
sion, Brings Message of Cheer
to Planters Of Georgia.
MUST CHECK CROP WASTE
Profit of MiddIeman Is Declared
Out Of All Proportion to the
Work He Does.

L. NJ. Rhodes, president of the Ten
nessee division and chairman of the
national board of directors of the
Farmers Union, has Just finished a
flying trip through Georgia in COM
pany of Charles S. Barrett, national
president of the Farmers Union, and
]. ]. Brown, former Commissioner of
Agriculture of Georgia The follow
ing message to the farmers as deliv-
cred by Mr.. Rhodes abounds in such
truth and fact not generally known:
1.-THE marvellous grandeur of the
worlds progress astounds and amazes
us, yet the wonderful story would
never have been written had it not
been for the ever faithful farmer.
agriculture is basic. Upon it rests
cities, commerce and civilization. The
people of the earth consume $4,000,
600 tons of food annually. Five hun
dred and eighty-two million tons of It
come from the farm. Human beings
are clothed in the products of the
farm from the time they are born I'M
til they embark for eternity. Yet ever
since Grandfather Adam made the
mistake that caused him to lose the
family estate the farmer has been a
FAILURE in business.
"5ut it is not my right, it is not my
place, it is not my duty, to WELD the
lash. I had rather weave a rose gar
land than a crown of thorns. We can
always see notes easier than we can
feel beams, but I know the farmer;
have endured his hardships; l have
felt his griefs: l am acquainted with
his disappointments, and !. am anxious
to point out a more excellent way.
Farmer Behind in Business.
'In business development of the
United States in the last century the
farmer has fallen behind. In the pro-
cession of modern business methods
he has followed where he should have
led.
when we became a nation the farm
er owned 90 per cent of the wealth
In 1850 our national wealth was
$1,000, 900, 900 and the farmer owned
$4,000 100000, or ur-sevenths.
In 1918 our national wealth is esti-
mated at $131, OOO,O 900, 900, and the
farmer owns $4,000, 900, 900 Our farm
property is valued at nearly 100000
600. 900. but $14 1000, 100000 is owned by
other classes than farmers.
"The above figures show that farm
ers are not holding their own, for if
they had kept pace with other voca-
lions since 1850 they would now own
$4,000, 0O0,0 worth of wealth instead
of SIG, 5000, 600, OOO Their lack of bust
ness methods and failure to match
conditions have cost them $4,000
100000 This would buy all the farm
property in the United States and
have enough left to buy a half interest
in all the railroads.
Others Get Wealth.
In a score of years the farmers of
this country have produced $135,O0O,-
100000 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 in this
country who own an average of $10,-
100000 each. And their combined
wealth is 100000, 100000 The other
$4,000 people own $31, 100000, 900.
OF our 100, 900, OO0 100000 are home
less.
Twelve men control one-third of
our wealth, and one man controls
nearly one-tenth of the wealth of this
the richest country in the world. AT
the rate we are going capital will own
practically all our wealth in another
generation.
"Sixty-three land companies and
rich individuals own an area equal
to Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama
and North and South Carolina.
Liberty can not long exist in a
country where the tendency is to
confine the wealth to few hands, for
"a urhn controls g nations money
controls it's people.
Union Is Educational.
S7owf1g thas 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
Continued on Page 2, Column 8.