Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1916-12-17


Southern Commercial Congress, which
was a feature of Southern life, the
sessions being held in Norfolk, Va. All
of the press dispatches carried ex-
tensive accounts Of Mr.. Clay's address
and in full, 1t is:
Members of the Southern Commercial
Congress, Ladies and Gentlemen:
/ am deeply sensible of the oppor-
tunity you have afforded me in coming
from the Empire State of the South,
the land of my nativity. to Virginia. the
cradle of American history, to take
part in the deliberations OF your great
Commercial Congress.
From the time that God said, Let
there be light" and created man in
His own image" agriculture has rock
ed the cradle OF civilization.
| Around the agriculture is webbel
the threads Of every industry in the
world, and these industries practice
the "Watchful, Waiting" policy. Wait
ing to see if the Master In his myster-
ious way will bestow upon us boun-
tiful season, and watching to see If
the agriculturalist is taking advantage
OF the opportunity that the Guiding
Hand has seen fit to give him, and
with trained minds they are quick to
perceive the result, while the humble
farmer, exhausted from his toll and
content to lead the simple life, which
is the sweetest and mobiles, from Gus
tom fur generations, he leave his prod
ucts to be sold by the other man on a
profit-sharing basis, where the farmer
only exists while the others wax rich.
But the dawn of new day has ar
rived, the constant changing Of events,
the advance Of the dreaded Mexican
boil weevil into our territory, and the
pouring out of life blood on European
battle fields, has caused US to awake
from our long slumber.
We are beginning to realize that
diversitication is the keynote to our
agricultural policy.
/ The beginning of this dreadful con-
tiict between the nations of the East
ern Hemisphere caught the Southern
farmer with bumper crop Of cotton
on hand and ready for market, and by
the sudden change in financial condi-
tons for one time cotton was without
value.
How little did we dream that the
heritage that God gave the Southern
people could not be sold at any price
! Standing on the brink Of financial
ruin, with our notes falling due to our
supply merchant, his turn falling due
to our banks, and our banks who had
been collecting heretofore with meth
odical precision, in their desire to do
more business, hal borrowed large
sums from eastern banks.
This was the channel through which
cur commerce was regulated, primar.
lily due, however, to the deplOrable
conditions that existed after the war
between the States.
But the calamities that befell our
people in days gone by, and throttled
cur agricultural system. and the fact
that the South was endowed with
such wonderful diversifcation at the
. beginning of creation and livelihood
was so easily secured, that we neglect
eG to acquaint ourselves with what a
land of richness we we're dwelling up
on, is but history to the new born
generation.
And as we are now on the verge OF
the greatest agricultural era since
Columbus discovered America, and
IT. the last few years simplified scien-
tifc research to such an extent, that
the farmers have not only startled the
people of our state, but the entire ma
ton is wondering at the great posi-
bilities that are awaiting US in the
future.
This new period that is dawning up
on US may well be called the Epoch OF
Prosperity in the Southland's history,
as our farmers are now educated to
that high standard of eciency that
will compel the nations of the earth to
bow at her shrine and bring a sub
sidy in the shape of profits that we
have SO long neglected to secure.
In discussing the possibilities OF
agriculture in the South, let us say.
that we have labored zealously in the
promotion of the live stock industry,
and we now have packing plants es-
tablished, so that all the live stock
we raise will have a ready market at
home.
With the cooperation OF the Federal