The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1917-10-16

A few years back the very names
Dawson, and Terrell county, suggest
ed "all cotton" with warehouses over
flowing and the principal streets
fanked on either side with bale upon
bale of the one product to which our
time and energies were directed from
January first until the very last day
of the year. If prices scared, every
body was in clover, but when, with
a sickening thud, they dropped down,
down, the spirits of the people fell
accordingly and nobody ever knew
what was going to happen. We had
our smokehouses in the west, and
freight cars all during the year were
bringing our foodstuffs, while our
good money found its way to thriftier
sections to enrich more progressive
tillers of the soil By and by the boil
weevil came along. Then it was we
were compelled to 'sit up and take
notice" Everybody dropped what
they were doing to fight with both
fists this invader, but his march was
steady and unbroken, the farms were
laid waste and the people moaned
with mighty howl up and down the
land. At last it dawned upon the
farmers that to continue the policy
of all cotton was suicidal, so like a
hot potato the plan was dropped
When once you convince Terrell
county folks they are wrong you
have them ready to try something
better.
With the same industry and push
that made this one of the leading
cotton counties of the South, they
set themselves to the task of diver
styling, and 10 a gold mine was dis
covered right under their feet The
change has been marvellous. Food
supplies are still passing through our
freight depot, but they are going
out and the money coming in all the
while for Terrell county products
The more we ship, the better we like
the idea, and everybody is falling in
line, Now that actual war is in pro-
gress there has been another shaking
up, and the citizens are wide awake
to the fact that our food supply must
be increased so that we can feed our
selves absolutely without outside
help and have greater surplus for
emergencies. We realize that every
body cannot live in so good a county
as Terrell and that we must meet the
duty of helping our less fortunate
neighbors. The spirit in which our
people have shouldered this burden
is admirable. Town and county have
joined hands in the deepening and
broadening of a community spirit
that argues well for preparedness and
fosters the highest type of patriotism.
Terrell county is now a shining
example of what diversified farming
can accomplish in the upbuilding of
every industry. To develop a we'll
rounded and complete agricultural
preparedness the farmers have taken
hold of the situation with a determi-
nation to utilize all the available
ground, for we have come to realize
that our big problem right here at
home is the food problem
Except for some unforeseen disas-
ter, the crops of foodstuffs this fall
will be astonishingly large. Full time
has been put in cultivating the large
ly increased acreage in corn, peanuts,
velvet beans, etc. A greater acreage
in sweet potatoes were gathered this
year than ever before, and there is
tremendous grain crop. 1t has been
demonstrated that wheat can be sue
cessfully grown in Terrell county and
the high price of flour has turned
attention to this important product.
Flour Mill.
We are fortunate in being able to