Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-01-27
On the Road to PROSPERITY

| wv Mr.. George E. Roberts, vice presi-
dent of the National City Bank of
New York, declares that "the worst of the
industrial depression is over" and that eve
are now on the road to norm.l conditions,
he adds to an already impressive array of
| heartening business testimony. The new
year was scarce begun before competent OBJ
servers saw signs of improvement over the
closing months of 1920, and as day followed
day their cheerfulness grew. point now
has been reached at which it is clear that
these developments not mere spurts,
but are born Of deep and steady flow
toward fresh prosperity.
| The darker miskivings of early winter
were lightened weeks ago, but there was
still prevalent sense of uncertainty. Things
were not so bad as they once threatened to
be, men would say, but were they really on
an upward trend? Doubt on that score
seems at last dispelled. Much time yet may
be needed to make readjustments complete
and stable, pending which there will be de-
mands a-plenty for patience and courage.
But this much at least can now be said:
We are not going backward, we are not
standing still, we are going forward.
Not until the industrial situation is more
generally balanced thinks Mr.. Roberts, may
we look for full employment and general
prosperity. "Some products" he says, "have
experienced great fall in values; others
have been only slightly reduced Farmers
generally have taken a big shrinkage and
owe great deal Of money. They will not
buy at normal rate until their debts are
reduced, and other prices are down to cor
respond with their own. And farmers con-
stitute forty-eght per cent OF the population.
Yry.s orfi I1oT
in the South, where business and agricul-
turaI interests are so closely interviewer that
the one cannot thrive when the other. SUI
fers. 1t is highly behooveful to supply mer-
chants and bankers and all others having
more or less direct relations with the far
mers to see to it that the latter are given
every possible encouragement to start the
planting season with vigor and with we'll
made plans for diversified crops. The best
informed all agree that an excessive acreage
of cotton this year would be exceedingly
hazardous and might we'll prove disastrous;
but that the raising of foodstuffs in ample
quantities and right proportions will go far
to retrieve the misfortunes OF 1920 and set
rolling the full tides of that pr jperity which
is the South's natural due.
In so fertile and favored land as this
we have but to follow reasonable policies to
be assured Of goodly results We need not
depend, as some regions must, upon sim
gle crop or single line of industry, or a
single field Of trade. There is scarcely a
branch of agriculture or of animal husbandry
that cannot be successfully essayed in the
rich territory of which Georgia is the heart
scarcely fruit or fabric or staple Of living
which cannot be produced abundantly in
their versatile SOIL Within this territory.
moreover, there is volume and variety of
manufacturing which far exceeds in value
output the total of agricultural production.
Further, there is flow of domestic and
also of foreign trade which has multiplied
greatly in recent years and bids fair to reach
really vast proportions in those just ahead.
With all these interests and resources, the
South assuredly can reap full measure of
prosperity in the unc1ouded times which
trained observers foresee. In no other part
Of America has the year begun more encour-
agingly. Retail trade has quicHened Textile
mills which were suspended have resumed
full-time operation. Conditions generally
are steadier and more vigorous than for many
months. With the country at large, the
South is marching forward, and of all steps
hers promises to be the swiftest and first
at the goal Of good times.