Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1920-07-13

there has been WONDERFUL 1et-dOWn
in our enthusiasm which we must
make an earnest effort to recover.
Thousands of individuals who were
spurred on to activity by war cond1-
lions have lost their interest and zeal
in production. The city gardener is
largely a thing of the past and the
retired farmer who was active in AID
ing the county when faced by great
crisis is, for the most part, again
devoting himself to rest and leisure.
People who made money out of their
crops last year do not seem to be able
to realize as yet that 1t Will not last
forever; and SO they are not pushing
the operation of the farms now with
the vigor which characterized them
in previous years.
There is also dissatisfaction on the
part of the landowner with the prices
he has received for his crops. There
is a general impression in the pubic
mind that the farmer should pc
classed as a profiteer. This Is a
gross and outrageous serror, tor While
the farmer has undoubtedly had IA
vorable prices during recent times, ne
was the last to beneft by the IN
crease and he will be the first OF SUI
fer by the recession of prices. In
any event, he has not been able to
fix his profits above the cost OF pro
duction ont he grossly unjust and I'M
fair scale which Vls followed by many
Industries and individuals who nave
profiteered in. scandalous manner
at the expense of the pubic.
The farmer has about concluded
that it is not incumbent upon him
longer to feed the public without
lust reward for his effort. The
position he assumed is emlnently
fair and just. In many instances,
those cultivating the soil have raised
and sold their crops at prices which
Il
their families. In many instances,
they have failed to make profit.
Granting that under certain circum-
stances part of the trouble was
other industry would undertake to
serve the essential needs of the ma
ton without a profit?
From my point of view. the time
has arrived when the farmer is en-
titled to the same treatment as the
railroads, for instance, which are
guaranteed by the government
Whenever we apply the principles of
justice, equity and fairness to the
problems of the farm, we will be
able to correct in large measures
the conditions by which we are now
confronted. Until then, we must suf-
they may even assume in so far as
the high cost of living is concerned
a more aggravated form. Even un-
der existing conditions, I hold that
crop production could be stimulated
and increased materially If the land
owner and operator felt that he could
find a market for his crops which
would afford him a fair margin of
profit.
1t is true that there will be an
apparent deficiency in food supplies
next fall that will cause much suf.-
fering and unhappiness throughout
the country. There are those who
believe that the farmer is not doing
his duty. There are those who wish
to berate him all the time and to
charge him with many crimes OF
which he. is not guilty: The sooner
cities realize the right of the farmer
to live, to thrive and to make an
increment on his labor, the better
off they will be. Decrying the other
fellow gets US nowhere, and most OF
the statements relative to the prof
ly exaggerated and are not based on
facts which can be satisfactorily
substantiated. A new era has dawned
upon our agriculture, If you please.
The worn has turned and those
who have danced so long and lived
er must make up their. minds to
pay the fiddler" in the future. The
sooner they do this, the better it will
be and the more rapidly will the con-
ditions by which we are now con-
fronted adjust themselves.
Under the stress of war conditions,
Georgia made a phenomenal record
along agricultural lines. In 1917,
a we'll defined plan of crop. procuc-
ton was worked out. In that year,
surprising figure of s54S, 100000.
In 1918, an enlarged program was
presented, and our farmers responded
by raising 100000 worth of
farm crops. The goal for 1919 yes
set at 1926, 100000 because Of the
the water with some of the food
they needed and which they could
not secure from any other source.
This goal was also attained. In adj
dit1on thereto, we provided ourselves
and our neighbors with $125,o0o,
Thus, the total output of our crops
and animals last year reached the az
tonishing figure Of $750,00O,0 100000.
1t cannot be said that seasonal
conditions were especially favorable,
that labor or fertilizers were album
dant OR easy to obtain. We did not
have any surplus of agricultural i'm
Elements or live stock with which to
operate our lands. In spite of that
fact, we presented to the world new
wealth aggregating three-fourtns Of
a billions dollars in value. We did
this through the cultivation in only
semi-intensive fashion Of one-third
of our landed area.
II respectfully direct your attention
to the fact, therefore, that Georgia
duction and seventeenth in animal
production and that she is rapidly on
the way to becoming billion dol
lar state. We can certainly attain
this position whenever conditions
warrant it. This is fact of such
Importance that I wish to .empha-
size it as strongly as possible De-
cause I think comparatively few of
our people yet realize or understand
the great possibilities which lie ahead
in Georgia. through the. institaiion
of farm practice. In this connection,
I wish to ask that if one-third of our
cultivated lands will enable us to
raise crops and animals worth $780,
the future if we double, as we cas-
lily can, yields per acre or bring I'M
der the plow twice as much land as
we are now cultivating?
Georgia will eventually become a
two or even a three billion dollar
this will call for the training and
sending forth of a great army Of men
and women. so that effective leader
ship and direction may be given to
the maintenance and development of
our vast and far-reaching farming
enterprises on safe and sane basis.
It is self-evident that there are few
lines of industry of research, or of
social effort, which Offer more al
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