Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-02-16
MERCHANTS CD
HOME AT TER
Bic DINNER
Successful Week to 1900 CuImi.
mates in Banquet, Where
Noted Men Speak,

Five hundred Southern merchants
are leaving Atlanta for their homes
Saturday, after being guests at the
annual Merchants Week" of the At
lanta Merchants and Manufacturers
Association, one OF the most success
tul weeks In the history of the city.
| 1t is estimated that during the week
more than 1000 out town mer-
chants and BUYERS. hailing from all
parts of the South, visited the city
and purchased their spring stocks.
The visitors have been royalty en-
| tertained by the local association, the
festivities OF the week coming to
close Friday night with a monster
banquet at the Auditorium, at which
more than 500 dealers, statesmen and
visitors feasted and enjoyed the flow
of oratory that followed.
The dinner was undoubtedly one of
the most notable feasts Atlanta has
seen in recent years, with an excellent
menu prepared and served under the
direction OF J. Lee Barnes of the
Majestic Hotel The hall was deco
| rated with flags and bunting hung
| from the rafters and the sides of the
| balcony and gallery. A cabaret per-
, Torrance by two young women and
| two men during the dinner helped to
enliven the affair
| Public Hears Speeches.
The doors of the Auditorium were
! thrown open at s O'Clock, when the
| speaking began, and several hundred
people who did not attend the din
ner came in and heard the speeches
| Several of Georgia's most noted ora
| tors made short addresses. among
| them Postmaster Boiling III. Jones,
| who served as postmaster; Senator
| Hoke Smith, j. w. Vaughn, OF Car
| tersville president of the Southern
| Merchants Convention; John Skel-
ton Williams. who represented the
| National Regional Bank Board, and
Mayor James @. Woodward.
All of the speakers predicted a new
, era of prosperity for the South, and
| pledged their cooperation in any
movement the merchants of this sec
| ton might inaugurate to better their
| condition and the condition of the
South generally. The recent legisla-
| ton enacted by Congress was also
| referred to by the speakers with the
declaration that the new currency
| act is destined to prove a godsend to
all lines of business.
Williams Optimistic Over Business.
| John Shelton Williams was particu-
iarly warm in his praise of the new
laws and was optimistic concerning
the future of the South.
we hope that in working out the
new currency act" said Mr.. Williams.
I'VE shall be able to make the dollar
less of a curiosity than It has been
to many Of our people. believe none
J of us are likely to overestimate the
tremendous good that will flow from
the enactment of this law.
"The splendid piece OF constructive
legislation which the country now ad-
mits is likely to be the solution of the
veXatous financial problems that
have confronted the nation for the
past half century is spoken OF as a
miracle, but it is no miracle; 1t is the
| logical and natural result and product
of men who have devoted to its crea-
ton and development brains and en-
ergies which for many years have
been dedicated to the study of great
} problems OF government, political
\ economy and social progress from the
| altruistic standpoint"
Senator Smith Given Ovation.
| A startling array of facts and fig
ures proving Georgia's claims to
greatness were presented by Senator
| Hoke Smith in his speech. He was
| given a tremendous ovation.
| I'VE produced last year" said Sen
ator Smith, cotton and cotton seed
worth approximately two hundred
millions of dollars. We had. in round
| figures 100000 acres in corn. This
land. cultivated up to the highest
standard for three years, can be made
! to average so bushels to the acre and
| without increasing our corn acreage
we can raise in Georgia one hundred
and seventy-five million bushels of
| corn.
Along with this immense corn pro-
| duction we can increase our oats and
our hay. Following this logically will
| be a production of beef cattle and
! hogs, not alone sufficient for home
consumption but amply sufficient to
| supply many other markets.
There is scarcely a limit to the
| capacity Of Georgia's soil to produce
| fruits and vegetables Raising food
stuffs to supply our own people. and
marketing in the East a large part
| Of our products. a handsome net re-
| turn should come to the State.
Add to this two hundred millions
of dollars from our cotton crop, and
| the agriculture Of Georgia in a few
years will make this one of the rich
! est States in the world.
| we must raise our own foodstuffs.
! We can easily produce corn and oats
and hay to raise horses and mules
! and cattle and hogs for our own use
and to sell. And then il cotton and
! cotton seed were our only surplus
| agricultural products, the rapidly
! with which wealth would accumulate
J would broaden the opportunity for
I every citizen while il would make
! ours the most powerful section Of the
| world"
| Senator Smith referred to the work
| of the Boys Corn Clubs and the Girls
| Canning Clubs, to the farm demon
| stration work and the other activities
that are aiding in the work OF MAX
/ Ing Georgia the greatest State in the
| Union.