Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-01-10
Beginning the New Year


Although it was really Sunday
morning the fire crackers and the
fire whistle held on for a little while
as 1921 passed out of existence and
l lived in. The noises kept me
awake and the demonstrations being
harmless / have no objection to
record at the present writing.
But the beginning of the New
Year is a business very seriously to
be considered. 1t is dull time for
business, except in eating places.
The restaurant business seems to be
patroniZe them, and the prices are
high, and the portions not overly
large.
A banker said to me today: "Hogs
and corn are a drug on the western
markets. About the best price for
corn that the west has had lately
was twenty cents bushel." Pork
and corn cakes are not bad eating
because the farmers who have made
real money by farming were raised
on "hog and hominy.' Yet a pork
chop in the Georgia restaurants
Now, what is the reason that such
cheap food in the west is raised SO
high with US?
Perhaps one single answer might
satisfy this inquiry, namely, ''it costs
moro to transport it to us, than it
costs the western farmer to raise
it, and the transportation charges
are fearfully expensive. l have.
h rofo of oh than
once in the Country Home Columns.
To state it plainly, the interstate
commerce commission owes it to
both west and south to alter these
transportation charges.
The Great Western Interconti-
mental lines were made possible by
the favor Of the government. Land
comprising more than the amount
in seven of the smaller states of this
union, were donated to these rail
road companies to build the Pacific
railroads. In addition, many mil
lions, vast sum, was raised by
selling thirty-year government
bonds which were put on the mar
ket, and all this money was loaned
to the men who built them. For
thirty years the taxpayers Of the
United States had to pay taxes to
raise the interest on these bonds.
It Wassa very costly and an exceed
ingly generous gift to these rail-
roads. 1t is simply preposterous, at
this time, that transportation
charges are so heavy-the profit go
ing into enormous salaries, or that
it should make it impossible for the
western farmer to sell his corn at 20
cents a bushel-and get only such a
price where it is sold. Fuel has be-
come so costly in the west, that 1t
is cheaper to burn up the corn than
use common soft coal in their
stoves and heaters.
At the beginning Of 1922, the vo-
ters and tax payers of this country
should lombard the administration
and the congress to make it posi-
BILE to interchange commodities in
side the states Of this Union-at a
living rate of expense-as matter
of justice.
What is everybody's business is
truly said to be nobody's business,
and If no hearing is insisted upon,
it is going to grow worse rather
than better. There has been entirely
too much talk and too little of pro-
test, where it can be heard at head
quarters. You send representatives
to Washington to make your wants
known, and if they expect TO be. re-
elected, they should get ldown to
business like a good lawyer defends
his client who employs him and pays
him.
These representatives are recelV-
ing $500 per year as salary, and
they have liberty to buy a regular
railroad ticket, going and coming
and collect twenty cents mile from
the federal treasury. IT they can
do any good, let us try a new KIND
Of representative.
In the beginning of a new year,
with no money to pay your own
taxes, you should get busy and fur
nish folks, who are out for good
time, with something to do.
Speaking seriously, the time has
come to stand up for some sort OF
reasonable attention to these farm
ers-North, west and south. 1t has
been all talk so far, and it makes
one ashamed to belong TO the farm
ing class, which seem too ignorant
to cry out for their own needs.
In beginning the new year, 1922,
it should be apparent to parents,
that children should not spend mon
ey for things that they can do with
out and remain in healthier condi-
ton because of the money saving.
The banker also said to me, while
hogs and corn are kept down to a
small price, nevertheless, the world
had gone wild on silk shirts and silk
stockings.
The people who most largely con-
tributed to the greatness of Amer
lea were not fascinated with such
decorative garments. The banker ex-
pected me to understand what he
meant, as to silly extravagances in
time of serious conditions in gen.
eral business as at present. Silk
shirts and silk stockings are well
enough for those who have coolies of
money to pay for such things and
would waste it on something else if