Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-05-08
CURE FOR EVILS
IN STATE FARMING
METHODS SOUGHT

Scoring the attitude of farm land
owners and merchants who demand
that tenants and debtors plant their
farms in cotton "up to their ability
to tend,' and declaring Atlanta and
other Georgia cities are committing
suicide by absorbing farm labor in
industries, the farm and marketing
bureau Of the Atlanta Chamber of
Commerce, through it's chairman,
H. G. Hastings, has launched a
campaign for reorganization of
Georgia's agriculture.
Mr.. Hastings, in a report made
public Saturday, after extensive re-
search work, declares the pre-emi-
nent proposition just now in Geor-
gia is the farm problem. He says
the future growth of Atlanta and
other Georgia cities depends upon
successful solution of the agricul-
turaI problems. The report, besides
urging dievrsification, points out
the inability of farmers to work
their crops because of migration Of
farm labor and puts this question to
Atlanta business men: Under such
circumstances, dare we encourage
any further large industrial &C,
tivity using large numbers of either
common or semi-skilled labor until
this agricultural situation gets
somewhat Strengthened out?'
Report in Full
The report in full follows:
I'm discussing the local agricul-
tural situation in a county of Mis-
sissippi recently situation almost
identical with that of practically the
whole of Georgia at the present time,
the editor of the local paper said.
This situation must be faced. We
can no longer dodge the issue. Other
wise nothing but disaster will re-
suit
"It is time for Georgia to face the
agricultural situation in this state.
The issue no longer can be lodged
by us as it has been in the past. On
the successful solution of this ag-
ricultural problem depend the future
growth and prosperity not only of
Atlanta but Of every other city and
town in Georgia. On it's proper So
luton depends the future Of every
business and professional man in
our cities and towns.
mo city or town can grow great
er than the trade territory that sup
ports it; without sustained earning
power and prosperity in that trade
territory there can be no good bust
ness conditions in city or town, no
market for manufactured goods pro
duced in city or town.
Building Boom DeceiVing
eve are very apt to be deceived
by the present building activities in
Atlanta and some Of our other cities.
We assume that this is a reflection
of similar improvement in the
country-an Improvement which
does not exist except in slight de-
gree.
1--WE here in Atlanta (the same is
true as to our other cities are too
far removed from actual farm life
and farm conditions to realize the
actual conditions that have and do
exist on the generality of Georgia
farms, conditions Of poverty and
either near or actual restitution
that there is ne excuse for under as
favored conditions as naturally ex-
ist in Georgia.
''It is true that there are a few
bright spots in counties that have
seen the light and have gone about
the reconstruction of the agricultu-
raj system in those counties on a
commonsense safe and sane basis.
However, the generality Of our
counties are as yet untouched by
the. agricultural changes that must
come or else our farm lands steadily
continue to lose population.
Things have not got Strengthened
out in Georgia. The beginning bare
ly has been made and things will
not get right in the state as whole
until this whole agricultural prob
lem is worked out and our farm
population put on an earning basis
that will enable a living in accord
with our present degree of civiliza-
ton.
''There can be no material adj
vance socially, educationally Or along
general advance lines until this ap-
proXimately rs per cent of Georgias
population is put Oh a basis that it
can have at least a few of the things
that go to make life worth while.
Georgia has, in round numbers,
about 100000 city and town popula-
ton, about 100000 country or farm
population, or rather had at the
time of the 1920 census. At the
present time the State Agricultural
forces, serving this over two million
farm population, number about three
hundred men and women, about sew
en- thousand pupils for each instruc-
tor. Is it any wonder that progress
is relatively slow?
Georgia a Farming State
georgia is and always will be
primarily an agricultural state. 1t
is naturally fitted to grow practi-
cally every staple farm crop pro-
duced in the northern states, plus
cotton. 1t can grow every major
fruit crop on a large scale CONNER
cially except oranges and grape
fruit. Cattle, hogs and poultry can
find no better place anywhere than
in Georgia.
"In the face of these absolutely
unparalleled opportunities for diver
sified and live, stock production,
Georgia never has had much more
than one-third of it's tillable area
under cultivation and has regular
ly sent out of Georgia for the past
twenty-five years an average of not
less than one hundred millions dol
lars for food and feed supplies, the
stupendous total of two and half
billion dollars. Practically every
dollars worth of this could have
been produced on Georgia acres