The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1923-03-09

appeals to the trade in JGst two things
quality ANA California. The produc'
er- is lost sight OF and the commodity
and the state aIe supreme. In this
way she has made her products known
all over The world, Through bust
ness.llke combination the producer
has made it possible to advertise, and
make his own markets and prices
direct to The consumer No expensive
tribute is paid to the middleman, and
the product goes straight to the con
sumer, and that additional profit is
secured for themselves.
During the past year we have seen
cotton placed on a co cooperative basis
throughout the entire cotton belt
Georgia is already reaping the harvest
although a great many of her farm
ers failed to grasp the merits Of mar
keting in that way. tirmly believe
that had there been no cotton asso.
citation, the price of cotton, even with
the small crop considered, would never
have gone beyond 15c. With all its
Importance to our state for lack Of
time l dare not dwell upon this under
taking. II is subject OF an address
in itself. do, however, want to con-
graduate the newspapers for their
wonderful work in putting it before
the people. They have performed a
great service, and without them it
would not have been possible.
"There is still another phase Of the
marketing situation that to me is the
saddest of all, and that is the atti-
tude Of the home consumer toward our
own products. There seems to be an
absolute, prejudice against our own
commodities. AS we come knocking
at the doors OF the markets of the
world, let us remember this one truth
unless we respect the value of our
own products we cannot expect others
to be impressed.
About year ago I made a com
plete canvass Of the stores of Millen
in order to ascertain just what was
being brought from other states that
should be and is produced in Georgia.
The result of that investigation was
startling. Here is the list showing
what we are buying from distance,
and comprehensive as it is, there is
not one single item that would not be
produced in Georgia.
peas from Maine and Maryland,
beans from Michigan, New York and
California; sweet corn from Maine,
New York and California; potatoes
from Maine, sweet potatoes from Mary.
land and New Jersey, tomato catsup
from New Jersey, Pennsylvania and
New York; pickles 81 varieties from
Pittsburg; peaches from California;
with a country Overlooking with Geor-
gia cane syrup at anything from Csc
a gallon UP, we are paying high price
for corn syrup from New York; with,
at that time, 100000 surplus bush
els Of corn we were buying grits, I've
hOminy, corn meal and corn starch
from Iowa, Illinois, Pennsylvania and
ifornia; tomatoes from California and
New York; peanuts from Virginia; to-
bacco from all over the world; soap
from Cincinnati made from our own
cottonseed oil; mules from Kentucky
and Missouri; cereals from Michigan,
Ohio and Illinois; cheese from Wis
consin; eggs from Tennessee; rice
from China and Japan; brooms from
Ohio; apples from New York, Oregon
and Washington; matches from Ohio
and Michigan; pimentoes from Spain;
grape juice from California and New
Jersey; vinegar from Virginia; con
densed milk from California and Wash
ington; oysters from Maryland and
New Jersey; hay from the Central
states; cotton goods from Massachu-
sets, Georgia colon coming back to
us with three or four profits and exor-
bitant freight rates added over and
above what we received for it on a
spectators market; wooden goods
that should have been made from wool
grown on the backs Of Georgia-raised
sheep; furniture from Michigan and
Pennsylvania made from Georgia lum-
Der, and there are still other items
that could be added to the list.
"This certainly demands serious
thought. How long can we keep this
up? By considering the home prod
uct the consumer has it in his power
to quickly convert depression into
prosperity. Surely there is work for
the newspaper to do when we con
slider a calamity Of this kind
"a further evidence Of this discrim-
nation against the home product was
brought to light this season. Quite
number of farmers over the state
tried out the Bermuda onion as a mid
season crop. The experiment was a
success and the onions produced were
far superior to those grown in Texas
In spite of the evident superiority
when it came to marketing one farmer
reported that the buyers absolutely re-
fused to consider the Georgia product,
claiming their customers would not
buy them In order to market at all
he was finally compelled to pack IN
100-pound bags without markings so
they could be disposed Of to the Geor-
gia consumer as Texas onions.
"In another instance our home buy