Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1923-12-17
TARIFF CONVENT
SUCCESS NJ NATH SAYS
Southern Congress Gathered
4 Leading Farmers and Bank
ers to Discuss Problems

r. L. McMath, president of the
Americas Cotton Oil company, of
Americas, who, with prominent
Georgia citizens, recently attended
the Southern Tariff congress held
IN Chattanooga, Tenn, was inter
viewed as to his impressions of the
congress. Mr.. McMath stated ''that
the congress was a success from ev-
cry point of view, and that all
states of the South, with but few
exception, were represented by lead
ing farmers, bankers and others in
terested in the progress and pros
perity of the South.
The Southern Tariff associa-
ton" said Mr.. McMath, came into
being through the distress of South
ern farmers following the World
war Immediately following the
war, we all well remember that
prices remained high in spite of the
fact that there was stored in this
country surplus farm products of
many varieties, and not until boats
had been released in 1919 from war
service back into their former stains
as carriers of the worlds commerce
ana W realize the approaching os
the great economic crisis that faII
upon us in 1920.
Inc farmers of our great conn
Try then found themselves without
market Tor their products. Mills
and factories were CONSUMING. for
elgn products of many lands laid
uown IN our ports at a cost of fron,
one-half to one-third of +ba cost
production of the same articles Of
tne American farmer. Southern
farmers could not sell Their. snr
plus cotton to distressed F,,rono
ana the home markets were suffer''
ing Ghe effects of general deflafion
ne wheat surplus of the conn
tly was held in warehouses; while
III ~ ei g wheat from the Argentine
.iiu canada was being consumed al
ID = very low cost by American Mill
ne cotton fairness had a noo, NO..
Net Tor their cotton seed baoa' ,a.
- vast lmportations of competitiyo
t to bean, peanut and other vege-
liable oils, coming into this co.'s,
ny particularly from Mancbur;a :,
The Orient here. = ID II
Because of this foreion oo.,u
'IClon, peanuts dropped FROM s5 pe,
eIno ION 10 $50 and cottonseed from
'@lO0 per ton to $50. " rom
a. Recent history has proven +ba4
one producers, of Georgia and I'' a.
otner Southern states. cannot N ~ ~
Pect to receive prices that u,;ISS OK
courage American standards VIZ 81 en-
Ing Ing ana education while comnetino
E WI foreign production, prodncag :
BY coolie labor at eight cen Is"oe 80.
Jay, and the peon labor of co,,n nm ger
~ the south of US. We mead ai i1S
70 10 remember that fact that to ai99
history teaches us that thamo tarlII
Nee Nee trade party in this coun NJ 70
- os 1 to the north and cast
~ US nave always enioved nro t,'o'
t Ion, Whlle at certain periods i, ~,
history raw materials. part;cnlo ~
me products of the farm bavo va" hod y
placed entirely upon the FREE E Geen
we are now living in a new So~ ,t
, mien ola King Cotton at least te am
p ~, dethroned by the boil wee
w land we are, much to the f, 49,
Welfare of Georgia confronted VIII :
me problem Of fostering and Wv" Wv
eouraglng diversified indnstrv
AS our forefathers in the verv J bs'
ginning of our government nrS y De
ga our then infant industries LET ne
now IN Georgia, without any hess
fancy, and with courage meet ~ on,
present economic needs and - a.
a firm stand in retaining nrotec t,'ne
TOT our farms from destructive for'
elgn competition. We can ONLY i oct
a square deal for our Soutbern
products in tariff legislation through
organization and united effort On
the part of those who produce and
conserve the wealth of the south
The Southern Tariff association
does not concern itself with the no.
lltleal aspects of the tariff, beIiev-
ing 1t to be purely economic oues-
uon, and as such should be re-