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

support the contention that the
farmer is entitled, just the same as
industry and labor, to operate his
business on . cpnt-plus basis. With
less he will not be satisfied, nor
should we expect him to be. 1t is
essential to the welfare of urban
and industrial centers that he re
man in business as a purveyor OF
food. To do this successfully he
must receive a reasonable 1ncre-
ment for his services. In addition,
the rights Of his family, his posi-
ton in society, his fundamental re-
lationship to the social and political
welfare Of the World make this his
just due, and the re-education Of our
industrial and urban population to
that end is one of the things which
needs to be undertaken as eXpedi-
tiously as possible on a nationwide
basis.
fractional government is dangerous
and so should be avoided at any cost.
Naturally, many of our leading citi-
zens now deplore the tendency to
class legislation so strongly evil
denced in recent years. The wells
of such a system of government are
fully admitted. 1t is wholly desir-
able that we get back on a better
basis in this respect just as soon
as possible. How shall we attain
this end? Surely, not by making
the farmer "the goat" on every and
all occasions. The fact that he was
the last to attempt to organize and
that he was forced to do so to pro-
tect his vested interests and save the
very home over his head clears him
Of the imputation that many now
seem to desire to lay at his door.
Self-preservation is the first law Of
nature. AS the farmer was the Lass
to invoke it, I am satisfied that he
will be the first to revoke it when
ever the balance of society evidences
proper change of heart.
The following story APPLY illus
trates the thought I have in mind,
A countryman from up river where
he lived in a small village went down
to visit the big city at its mouth.
When he returned a friend asked
him what impressed him most in the
city to which he replied: "Well, Bill,
it's like this: Up here when the
church bell rings on Sundays 4
seems to say in a quick, jerky 500
of way, fish and potat, fish and po-
tat, fish and potat, but the bells down
there seem to say in a sort of long
drawn out, booming voice, roast beef
and plum pudding, roast beef and
plum pudding, roast beef and plum
pudding" Are you surprised that
the farmer has found this out and
that he has tired of a ration of fish
and potatoes, and now wants some
roast beef and plum pudding? Give
him his share and he will be as
gentle and tractable as he has al
ways been; deny him his just dues
and he will be forced to use agri-
cultural blocs and such other agen-
cies as he can control to protect
and safeguard his inalienable rights.
In this connection, it may not be
inappropriate to point out that there
is grave danger of our becoming
commercial nation at the expense
Of our agriculture because we nave
already centralized so much OF our
population in towns and Clues IL
this be true. we may soon become
importers of raw materials and 1000
stuffs from whatever part OF the
world we can secure them most
cheaply. Under such conditions our
agriculture will stagnate to an un-
desirable degree, and there Will be
further movement Of the rural popu-
lation toward our cities. Such
condition can only result in shorS
age. not only of food, but Of raw ma
terials on which profitable manufac-
turing industries are based. When
that day arrives food costs w
mount to an alarming extent from
the viewpoint of the city dWeller.
The man who remains on the lana
NAV then reap his just dues, but
what sort of difficulties and mlsfor-
tunes may be visited upon the re
mainder Of our population, 1t would
be hard to forecast at this time.
WHY encourage the development OF
such a condition which we are sure
ly doing by reason OF the treat
nent accorded our producers at this
time? Why await the setting IN OF
such wholly undesirable tendencies
in our national life before correcting
an obvious evil? The proper recog-
milton and support of our agrlcul-
tural industries is essential to the
preservation and perpetuation of the
ideals we have sworn to support and
maintain at any cost. All our peo-
pie are, therefore, interested in see
ing that our agriculture continues
to prosper and expand to a degree
commensurate with our food and in
dustrial needs. If we extend the
producer of our national food sup
plies the consideration to which ne
is clearly entitled, this question will
solve itself.
In addition to all the other evils