Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1919-03-07
The Tractor Demonstration;
Il Great. Southern EUen
~HE savant of old who said that mans
mightiest conquests are those made

" HE saVant of old who said that mans
mightiest conquests are those made
with the pIow would realize that he
spoke even more truly than he knew could
he witness the preparations now going for
ward for the great motor farming demonstra-
tion to be held at Macon during the week Of
March the tenth, and could grasp the far
reaching significance Of that event. For it
ID a matter of fact that the blowing and
kindred operations there to be demonstrated
represent conquests that give fresh and in
oalculable power to mans dominion over the
earth They will be operations of kind that
not only make two blades of corn grow where
only one grew before, but that also make the
labor of one day more effectual than was that
Of five or ten before. They will be of absorb
ing interest to the public as we'll as of mate
rial concern to the farmer, the merchant the
banker and to everyone whose fortunes are
furthered by the country's upbuilding
The Dixie National Motor Farming Demon
stration, as 1t is called, will show the South
what substantial wonders are performed by
the tractor and by other motor-driVen farm
machinery. 1t will demonstrate blowing,
narrowing, rolling, pulverizing and every
other process in the preparation of soil for
planting. For this purpose an expanse OIL
land few miles south Of Macon has peen
cleared and provided with all things needtul
to the success of the demonstration ana the
comfort of the spectators. Three hundred
carloads of tractors and other farm ma
chinery are either on the way or arrived,
promising at once the most extensive and the
most diversified exposition of the kind Amer
lea has known. The nations leading manu-
facturers will be represented by exhibits OF
all manner Of farm implements, particularly
those which are operated by motor power,
and in charge of the exhibits will be experts
to explain the mechanism and uses OF the
machinery. In this connection the actual
demonstrations will be supplemented by mo-
ton pictures of the power-driven farm ma
chimes in service, portraying through scenes
from real life the labor-saving and productive
power of which they are capable.
The educational opportunities thus offered
will be enhanced by the presence of farm
specialists in large numbers day has been
set apart to county demonstration agents,
those workmanly evangels of agricultural
progress; and it is expected that approx
mately thousand of them from all parts Of
the South will be present. There will also
be numerous representatives from agrcul-
tural colleges. State departments of agricul-
ture and allied institutions. This means that
the rich lessons of motorized farming will
give them the widest and most effective dis
semination. The educational value of the
event will in no wise be limited, however, to
specialists The rank and file of farmers will
attend by thousands, as also will merchants,
land-developers, county officials and, indeed,
all groups of men who are interested in in
creasing the productiveness and wealth Of
agricultural regions.
The Journal cordially congratulates the
city of Macon and her enterprising Chamber
of Commerce upon securing and staging an
exposition at once so magnificent in display
of power and so useful in productive posi-
bilities She and those cooperating with her
are rendering Georgia and the South particu-
larry opportune service. The rural labor
problems now so critical must be solved by
machinery not at all. 1t is not simply a
question of procuring hands though that Of
itself is troublous enough, but chiefly ques-
ton of making results pay for efforts. When
manual labor is costly as we'll as scarce, and
at the same time inefficient the farmer must
find a substitute far he can if he is to
realize anything like fair return on his in
vestment. Moreover, if the Souths resources
of agriculture are economically to be devel-
oped, cheaper and swifter means than mule
drawn ploWs and hand-driven hoes must be
adopted. Georgia, with an area as large as
England and Wales combined, has little more
than thirty per cent of her soil under cultiva-
ton; latent empire Of farm wealth awaits
exploiting. But no considerable progress in
laying open these vast opportunities can be
made so long as depend on slow and I'M
certain labor Joined to methods that are fast
growing obsolete.
If we would meet the problems that press
upon us. to say nothing of the opportunities
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