Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-10-08
BETTER MARKET CAMPAIGN
FOR GEORGIA is LAUNCHED
BY RALPH SMITH

raised and are now harvesting the
greatest corn crop in the states his
tory emphasizes the Importance OF
the marketing problem, the helpful
relief of which is the subject of an
exhaustive investigation by The AT.
lanta Journal in cooperation with
the Country Bankers Association OF
Georgia. The study of the question
will include not alone practical means
for facilitating the movement of the
bumper corn crop. 1t will take into
account the satisfactory marketing
of all other farm products that have
been raised in abundance in Georgia
in 1921 or may hereafter be cultivat--
ed with financial success.
The corn crop will amount to 9f,A
100000 bushels, according to the u.
S. department of agriculture estf-
mate. At current prices, this tre-
mendous production should yield
over $S0,000.000-a financial return
that emphasizes the significance or
the crops magnitude and the neces.
sity of it's sale.
Although there is market IN
Georgia for corn today as there has
been, there is no market in he state
for Georgia corn in commercial guam
titles. The local market is restricted
almost entirely to western corn, not
that western grain is better. or even
as good as the Georgia product. but
because Georgia is without adequate
facilities for handling corn in CONF
mercial quantities.
Except that the corn can be used
advantageously for fattening beef
cattle, and for hog and stock feed.
the Georgia corn crop of 1921 would
be almost a total loss with no insur-
ance. Certain it is, and lamentable.
too, that the farmers will realize lit.
tie ready money for the time and La
Dor expended in the cultivation ana
harvesting IF the biggest crop OF
corn ever raised in the state.
The acute situation respecting the
corn crop is only one of the many
problems involved in the important
and complex problem of marketing
farm products-and it IS only one
OF the many that will receive atten-
ton IN the investigation that has
been undertaken by The Atlanta jour
nal and the Country Bankers Associa-
ton of Georgia. 81
Doctrine of Diversifcation
For many years the press of the,
state, the advocates of scientific
60, hn a
and the leaders in agricultural edu-
cation in Georgia have preached the
doctrine Of diversification in farm
products. The seed thus sewn have
borne fruit, with thS result that to-
! day the rural districts are bullying
with all sorts of products for which
farmers can find no market.
AS the Country Bankers associa-
ton points out in correspondents
with The Journal. through it's execu-
tive council, cotton has been the
chief, if not the only money crop
grown in Georgia for the past 100
years. During that period there has
preparing and marketing cotton.
Today there is a cash market Tor
cotton at practically every town ana
village In the state, and the market
year. A farmer can take bale or
cotton to town any day>in the year
and realize cash for his product.
Not so with any other product or
the farm in Georgia;
It was the fact that cotton has
been the only money crop of the
state through the years that encour-
aged the compaign for diversifica-
ton. In this campaign. as the Bank
ers' association remarks. sight
,1o,~ ~ "a
further economic fact that diversi-
fed production cannot be successful
without diversified markets"
In consequence of the neglect or
the problem of marketing. farmers
who have needed the plea for diver
sorrow that they could not realize
upon their products at their respec-
tive markets. Heavy losses in diver
sified products of the farm have been
not uncommon in the state and tbs
result has been to force the farmer
to return to the cultivation of cot
ton.
Under date of September 90, L. r.
Adams, secretary Of the Country
Bankers association, wrote the mem
bers of the executive council letter
clearly setting forth the objects OF
the investigation which has been UNI
dertaken by The Journal, and ems
phasizing the Importance of the
problem to the prosperity and up
building of the state.
Mr.. Adams Letter al
The members of the executive 60
wrom this letter was addressed
were: c. T. Smith, Concord; T.. x.
Smith, Barlow; j. e. Frizzell, Waverly
Hall; L. p. Patillo, Buford; 2. r.
Kittles, Sylvania; Luther Bond, Roys-
Peters, Manchester; B. Fl. Mcleod.
ifton; Wilson H. Hardy. Rome; III.
B. Mauk, Buena Vista, and M. l.. Lee
Moultrie.
The text of Mr.. Adams letter fol-
lows:
"For perhaps hundred years or
more, cotton has been grown in Geor-
gia and has been the chief, if not
the only, money crop of the state.
During that time a very completes
system of ginning, preparing and
marketing cotton has come into be-
ing, so that a ready cash market for
cotton exist in practically every
town and village in Georgia througha
out the year.
'"This is not true of any other crop
save cotton.
"For a number Of years past our
agricultural colleges, newspapers
farm periodicals and banks and busi-
ness men, recognizing the economic
fact that no section which depends
wholly upon any one crop, can have
it's prosperity rest upon firm ana
enduring basis and expect to avoid
recurrerit periods of violent business
depression, as we'll as the increasing
expense and difficulty of producing
cotton under boil weevil conditions
have urged our farmers to diversifi-
cation and to the wide production OF
crops other than cotton.
"Sight seems to have been very
largely lost of the further economic
fact that diversified production can
not be successful without diversified
markets. The result is that when the
farmers of Georgia have needed the
advice to diversity and nave gone to
their resnectiYe market towns with