The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1913-12-16
Things NOT as They Seem
ON the Oglethorpe Echo.

We don't want to be pessimistic,
but to be overly optimistic would be
fully as bad Nor do we want to be
overly alarmist, but to not give con-
ditions as they exist due considera-
ton would be as harmful.
Conditions at the present are not
what they might seem, or rather what
they have been made to appear, since
the marketing Of the new crop be-
gan. Certain agencies, mostly the
daily newspapers, took the conditions
that the good crop and prices ap-
peared to promise in hand, and we
feel sure overdid the prosperity howl.
People are mighty easily carried off
their feet and made to be incautious
by the cry of prosperity, and espe-
cialIy so when it is oyerdid. When
this is the case things are generally
made as bad as when there is no
excuse for the howl to be made. We
fear this has been the case this fall.
True we have made good crops in
this section and cotton has brought
good prices all the fall, which would
seem to indicate unusual prosperity,
but too many are forgetting what the
conditions of last fall were and where
they left. Had not so many of the
obligations of last year have had to
be Tapped over on to the obligations
Of this year truly would have the
crops and prices of this fall brought
US prosperity; but that was the case,
and we fear it is being too generally
overlooked.
The business world, especially that
at home, is feeling this to no small
degree, and it is hardly a secret that
many business concerns are about as
badly embarrassed now as they were
this time last year following fall Of
stagnated trade and poor collections.
This comes from the fact that ac-
counts and notes that had to be car
ried over from last fall and are now
due are not being paid as generally
as was expected Many parties ow-
| ing these notes and accounts find
| that they nave Overestimated the re-
turns from the good crop of the year
! and the good prices for cotton, and
are now finding that they Will not
meet the expenses of the year and
take up last years obligations. And
probably not a few have been too
much boosted by the prosperity howl
/ and been incautious in their eXpend-
itures during the fall, and find that
they are now unable to meet their
4 last years accounts.
At any rate, there is more embar-
irassment in business circles, at least,
! Whereabouts, than appears on the sur
face. We are exposing this secret in
order that those who are responsible
/ for it may realize the conditions and
do what they can towards relieving
them. and to urge all who owe debts
OF last year to strain every point to
meet them, just as if we had not been
led into the belief that times were
flush and everybody prospecting.
Earlier in the fall these columns
contained warnings along this line,
Had these warnings been generally
needed conditions would be in far
better shape than they are today
1t is not too late yet for many to act
upon that warning. 1t is more ap-
parent now that it was a well timed
and necessary admonition. Matters
can be considerably relieved yet by
acting upon it. The cry of prosper
ity will prove far more fallacious il
we do not.
Let's all who owe last years ac
counts put forth every effort ant
practice every economy to NEE
, them, as well as this years expenses
, Then if we should be blessed witt
crop and price conditions next yea
such as we have had this year We cal
, really and truly raise the pTosperit.
- Rowland conscientiously enjoy tn
o / prosperity.