Fitzgerald leader enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ben Hill County, Ga.) 1921-1964, 1923-03-22

49, anu Ih0ie are sui Otner 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 a 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
a 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
1O0-pound bags without markings so
they could be disposed of to the Geor-
gia consumer as Texas onions.
I'm another instance our home buy
ers refused to purchase Georgia hay
at SIS per ton preferring to pay S25
per ton for Northern timothy. We had
the hay analysed and compared with
what he had been using and the
Georgia product proved to have the
better food values.
LET us see VIII atthe course we
have been travelling means in dollars
and cents. In the recent agricultural
meeting at Athens it was shown that
during the past year we had imported
over $75,00O,000 worth of food prod
ucts. An investigation of the value
of car load shipments over the eight
railroads entering the city of Atlanta
showed that in three months over 81
100000 worth had been imported into
that city alone.
How long can we last under con-
ditions of that kind? With experiences
ike that before him what encourage
ment has the farmer to advance along
new lines? Something must be done.
We cannot continuS to send money
out of the state for the things we use
and could make and raise ourselves
and expect rising tide of prosperity,
Needs of Georgia
1T is time for the people to wake
up and consider the full development
OF the state they claim to love. In
arousing this sense of duty the news
papers can play big part. The con-
tinual pounding home of an idea by
the forces under your control cannot
fail to bring results. Let us analyze
the needs and adopt a working basis:
First. A campaign of education to
investors in an effort to stimulate
manufacture in order that Georgia's
mineral resources may be converted
into finished products by home indus
tries.
Second. A reduction of cotton acre
age with a more intensive cultivation
and a ceaseless fight in combating
the boil weevil.
Third. The production of every
thing possible for home consumption.
Fourth. Careful supervision and a
standardized preparation for market
ing, and a stimulation of production to
a sufficient volume to permit organiz-
ed methods of disposal.
Fifth. The encouragement of prop
er storage and packing facilities, in
Guiding elevators, potato houses, pack
ing houses, cold storage plants, etc.
Sixth. The keeping of high-grade
cattle, swine and poultry on every
farm, and the promotion of creameries
as rapidly as cream production per-
mits.
Seventh. A continuous campaign
of education to the end that the Geor-
gia consumer will recognize the value
of the home product and the necessity
of insisting upon its use to the ex-
clusion Of outside commodities. The
carrying of streamer head across the
top of every newspaper in the state for
a solid year, calling up the consumer
to demand the home product.
Il want you to enlist today in the
cause of the prosperity and full de-
velopment of your state. If can be
assured of the support of the organ.
lied efforts of the newspapers along
these lines, the dawning of brighter
day will be at hand
I'VE all have our dreams. You have
yours and l have mine. Awhile ago
l visited the old Hermitage and as I
stood there under the oaks, from
mountain top to tangled swamp and
from peach blown west to tumbling
sea there seemed a mighty canvas
thrown. There l read the stupendous
epic tale of toil-of brains and mighty
muscled meanwhile from all around
there came the sound of school bell
chimes. On every mountain top and
fertile plain there grew a million gar
den spots where cotton used to reign,
and along each running brook there
were meadows deep and green with
blooded stock instead of cattle from
the range. l heard the blast of rend-
ing rock and saw the flash OF miners
lamp as with sweat and CRIME they
tore from earth newer wealth. I
felt the screening heat of belching fire
from many furnace flare; great riv.
ers had their torrents leashed by en-
cheering skill, and high above their
murmuring song 1 heard the shrill in
dustrial chorus swell, as proud cities
rose like magic from the waste.
1--WE need not fear, for in that ex-
allied vision there, it seemed l saw