Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-02-22
.SOUTH'S FARMERS
. PLAN TO PRODUCE
/. ECONOMICAL CROP
Universal Report of Travel
ing Statesmen Is That Bust
ness Is "Picking Up" T.
Crop Men Learn Lesson
(The Atlanta Journal News Bureau.)
623 Riggs Building.
BY THEoDORE TILLER


= 623 Riggs Building.
BY THEODORE TILLER
WASHINGTON, Feb. 21.-The be-
ginning of better business days and
a steady improvement from this time
forward in the industry of the coun-
try are reported by the United States
Chamber of Commerce in a general
survey statement for publication
Monday. This survey is on the
basis of reports from all sections.
Considerable attention is given to
the cotton situation in the south.
where it is declared a program is
under way for raising the cheapest
cotton crop IN years. Farm labor
and machinery will be cheaper, the
| survey says, and efficiency will be
increased.
The chamber of commerce refers
| to the inherent weakness of one-crop
sections, such as those producing r
cotton and tobacco, and points to thu
lesson of Investigation
Speaking of the general situation,
the chamber finds unemployment is
still prevalent but decreasing. Trav-
cling statesmen. constituting a small
army of optimists, record that bus
mess men everywhere are more en-
couraged and that business Is pick
| ing up" and will continue to get bet
ter through the spring.
The encouraging analysis of BUSH
ness conditions is made by Archer
Wall Douglas, chairman of the. COM
mittee on statistics and standards OF
the United States Chamber of Com
merce. 1t is a comprehensive and
reassurlng document, published for
the guidance of business men and
avoiding exaggerations tending eth
er to false hopes or .depressions.
"The most convincing evidence that
we are on the high road to recovery,"
Mr.. Douglas says, lis found in the
universal report, brought by trav--
cling statesmen from every section OF
| the' country. If a steadily growing
sentiment that business will be bet
ter in the spring not sudden re-
turn to prosperity, which is neither
likely nor desirable. but slow and
natural working out of those pro-
Icssses of liquidation. which are now
in full operation.
| There are few who are more re-
tsponsible than these same traveIin9
statesmen for the growth of this
healthful sentiment, which in effect
| is the recognition of the inherent
| soundness Of the situation. and that
the remedies for it lie largely in con-
structive action. Not only is senti-
ment improved, but there is definite
| increase in the volume of business
done. 1t is not a very great increase.
but as Mercutio says, twill do for
1t forecasts the, beginning of better
days. Farmers are gradually bringing
their produce to market. Bankers
are slowly loosening up and ex-
tending to farmers and dealers money
and credit, the two vital factors
needed to restore the situation. In
the tobacco districts of Kentucky,
where the deadlock between sellers
and buyers seemed unbreakable, there
are increasing reports of agreements
made and sales 1onsumated.
| Despite the general story of farm
ers' withholding their products, there
| Is daily steady stream OF grain
and live stock: coming to market,
| not in full volume, but enough to
assist in alleviating the situation.
Shipments of early fruits and vege-
| tables from California and the south
are running heavily, some 10000 cars
per week, thus distributing much
needed cash among the growers. Cau-
| ton and conservatism are still uni
versal among merchants in buying,
and most orders are restricted to
| immediate wants for keeping up as
,sortments. .
Hard Work and Economy
Out in the world Of cold, hard
facts, few take much stock in the
current prophesies of the coming OF
new prosperity at any specified
date, nor yet in those mystic charts
which foretell when declines will
cease and business resume it's up-
ward marcn. For it is perfectly
obvious that prices have not reached
bottom in all times. and even Wall
street lamb does not buy heavily on
a falling market The general
thought inclines to early spring,
March or April, as the date when dis
tinctly definite Improvement will set
in, though in many parts of the cot
ton belt the belief is that June is
early enough to expect a decided
change. Yet scarce any believe that
present, conditions will prevail
throughout the years.
"All are agreed that the only way :,
to hasten matters is by the general
exercise Of the homely virtues OF
hard work and economy.
THE south intends to illustrate
this theory in a very practical fash
ion this year by raising the cheapest
cotton crop in years, crop grown
on corn meal and syrup diet sys-
tenn of expense. Also farm labor
everywhere will be cheaper this year
and improved farm machinery is de-
(Cont}uued ou Poo. s.o,u,.,. ~