Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1920-06-01
L o 8 8 E Q U A L s
s.. 81 PER ACRE

ed with those who sly, suite Gnt
unto the day is the evil thereof Lot
the morrow take care of itself"
Somebody must pay the bills for
the land Carnage ana destruction we
are enco uragingf and lifting no CT
fective hand to stop. 1t is time to
wake up. The future is fraught
with danger. The land is our one
ly concerned about these red rivers
these soil arteries running red to the
sea with the fat of the land Con-
SerVation is essential as never be-
fore. Deep blowing, crop rotation,
the use OF cover crops, the establish
ment of adequate pasture areas and
the reforeStation of hillSideS will
enable us to reduce our losses in this
direction to minimum. 1t must be
done for the sake of present and
plish this end if we inform our peo-
pie as a whole about the losses that
are now taking place and the means
of correcting them. The quilted hill
side with, its gaping wound crying
aloud to heaven" should become the
concern of every man, woman and
child in Georgia. 1t is not a thing
to be passed over lightly. If nature
were let alone, she would cover them
up. She heals all wounds and takes
care of her resources and conSerVeS
them. Let us go back to nature, the
great healer, the great teacher, for
advice and instruction at this ener-
gency. The issues involved make it
Worthwhile.
Somehow or other we have never
been able to visualize our lands as
gold yet that is exactly what they
represent. The store Of plant food
they contain and the condition in
which it is held in the soil deter
mines their value for agricultural
purposes. If we permit our soils
to be decreased in value 81 per year
thus encouraging rather than endeav-
or1ng to prevent erosion, our annual
loss in Georgia totals the astonish-
ing figure of $37,5S4,O0O year
Think of it. This represents enough
gold dollars to build a system Of
paved roads connecting all the coun-
ties in Georgia. 1t totals three and
spend through all agencies for pub
lie education. 1t aggregates more
than four times the gross revenues
of the state. 1t would pay our pub
lie Indebtedness off more than six
times over and still leave respecta-
BILE surplus in the state treasury. Can
even state as rich and as pros
porous as Georgia withstand this
state of affairs indefinitely? Is it
right or proper that we should per-
init this loss to continue? Do we
understand correctly it's. nature and
extent? I think not. We have been
so busy with other matters that the
needs of our fundamental indus
tries and the necessity of conServ-
ing our soils has attracted as vet
but little public attention or consid-
Grafton.
We have questioned our ability to
carry forward a scheme of universal
education. We have debated the ap-
preparation of funds for the main
tenance of higher education and
particularly the more. liberal endow-
ment of technical and vocational ed
| ucation. In spite of these facts, we
are permitting a loss from soil ero-
sion amounting to nearly four times
the total amount expended for edu-
year We are paying a tribute to
our lack of technical training of
amazing proportions. How long can
we afford to continue this practice?
After all, the problem resolves it
| self not into how much we spend
for education, but whether we spend
1t efficiently and get a worthwhile
result, The longer we argue over
the method and amount, the greater
| will be the annual aggregate of our
| losses. Education of the right type
is the only means by which we will
mitigate a part of the loss we suf-
fer annually through the impair
tural lands. This problem requires
our immediate attention and consid-
GRAFTON. 1t affects the welfare of
every individual in Georgia. 1t i.
a statewide proposition. 1t cries
aloud for immediate attention. Let
us attack it with vigor. We can
solve it and save a handsome endow-
ment annually for the enrichment of
eur state end the Improvement of
| our education institutions