Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-02-02
Robert Toombs Predicted
That Cotton Would Be
''Curse of South" Colonel
Frank H, CoIIey Recalls
BY RALPH SMITH

ed citizens OF Wilkes county, To-Day
recalled to me the views of Genera
Robert Toombs concerning the
Course of cotton" as he saw it Col
onel Colley, who is in his 73rd year
was a relative and intimate of Gen
eral Toombs, and is probably better
acquainted with his personal likes
dislikes and characteristics than any
living Georgian.
'I we'll remember" said Colonel
Colley, that General Toombs Once
remarked that he wished there were
only one cotton seed in the world
and that he had it in his possession
ST asked him what he would dc
with it, and he answered character
istically: Damn it, I would eat it..
General Toombs believed that cot
ton was the curse of the southern
people. He thought it would en-.
slave them just as it has. We are
the victims today of the one-crop
system. These conditions vindicate
the foresight of General Toombs and
Justify his remark"
Ante-BelIum Conditions
The writer is in Washington to
make a survey of existing conditions
and comment upon measures that
are being taken in town and coun-
try to relieve them. 1t is a pleas
ure to remark that much is being
done to overcome the evils of the
one-crop system, and while there is
no disposition to abandon the pro-
duction of cotton, there is a deter
mined inclination to look to other
crops in the circumstances. l eX-
pect in Wednesdays Journal to deal
in detail with what has been done
and is in prospect to restore per-
manent prosperity.
In the meantime, it is interesting
to hear from Colonel Colley con-
corning conditions that existed in
this section prior to the Civil war,
because his comment on these con-
ditiOns have such pertinent applica-
ton to the situation that exists
throughout the state today.
Before the Civil war this was the
richest section of the country" he
said 81 mean the territory between
Charleston and Middle Georgia, and
In this l include the rice fields"
in this immediate section, partic-
ularly Wilkes, Ebert, Greene, Co
lumbia Richmond and Burke -coun.
ties, the fundamental basis of the
prosperity of the people was in the
production of food crops and things
that were necessary for home con-
sumption.
''In our little town of Washington,
which, by the way, is the third oldest
In Georgia of the present existing
towns, there was not any place in
which you could buy a pound of
meat, bushel of meal or a barrel of
flour, CT anything to eat other than
coffee, sugar, salt and tea.
Under those conditions, the peo-
pie were all wealthy. The richest
man in the state-Mr. John bearing
lived here. Mr.. Thomas A. Ham
ilton, of Columbia county, died about
1910 and left an estate of $1,000, 900.
It is doubtful whether an estate of
equal size during that time was left
by any citizen of the north. These
men made these great fortunes with.
out the planting of cotton, yet they
of the word. They gained their
wealth from the soil, either directly
or indirectly.
Alfalfa Growing Since 1880
From where I sit talking with
you m yeyes rest upon a little knoll
which was a part of the residence
of General TOombs in 1880. In walk
ing by there with him in 1884, he
pointed out to me patch of lucerne,
now called alfalfa, and told me that
when he lived there in 1880 that
plant was then growing AS 1 view
it from here, it is as luXuriant as
ever.
There is no part of the United
States makes finer clover than this
immediate section. General Toombs
planted it always, and frequently
had fields of it waist high. 1t will
last here three years. In no part
of the north will it endure longer
than two years, and this applies also
to- Kentucky. Timothy grows as well
here as it does anywhere.
I'm this connection, I am re-
minded of what we all know, and
that is that the Aired boys in Pick.
ems county made over 900 bushels of
corn on four acres-a feat unequal
ed in any part OF the United States
"Our farmers of oil didn't plant
a stalk of cotton. I feel that
should remark in passing that then
success was the result of raising
wheat and corn and stock and prod
lets of that sort.
The Successful Farmer
During Henry Grady's manage
lent of the Atlanta Constitution,
recall that he sent out representa-
tiveS to investigate the career of al
Georgians who had made q success
at farming, and in every instance II
was found that the successful farm
err had been +he one who raised eV
erythilg in Superabundance for ih(
ucc of his plantation, and had made
cotton only as surplus crop.
''In commenting upon former
conditions, I am reminded that prior
to the advent of cotton, this section
was I'm unbroken landscape, unscar
red by gulleys, es and sucl
other eyesores as see today. Gen
eral Toombs, to quote his words
said: I have visited all of the con
tinents of the world and many o
the islands of the sea, and have
never seen the country the equal o
this in climat~, beauty and soil.
But with the advent of cotton an(
tie slavery which followed it, \ou
lands were despoiled.
speaking personally, it is my wisl
that the boil weevil remain with u
in such strength as to make it I'm
profitable to at least raise cotton
and / welcome the agitation in Geor
gia to encourage our farmers to re
engage in diversification. I belieV
tn. every effort should be put fortl
find or create markets to facili
tate the disposal of other farm prod
ucts than cotton
A NEW OIL LAMP FREE