Fitzgerald leader enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ben Hill County, Ga.) 1921-1964, 1923-06-07
GEORGIA'S STATE PORT
Its Plans and Purposes and What it r - to
the Georgia Farmers.
(ey o. G. Bickers.)

The State Port was conceived in
awakening agriculturally. II was when
| Georgia farmers and Georgia bankers
and other business men discovered
clearly what had been casually boast
ed and boosted. that
Georgia lands and Georgia climate
mixed by Georgia labor and with skill
can literally produce anything almost
any other state of the United States
can produc" and produce 1t in abund-
ance and profitably with reasonable
expenditure of effort and skill; that any
crop on earth, almost, can be grown
out of Georgia soil in some section
Of the fate which has every known
variety II soil and six of the seven
brands Of American climate; that Geor-
gia can grow all sorts of fruits except
the tropic fruits; that Georgia can
raise worlds of live stock - poultry,
goats and hogs and cattle, dairy and
beef cattle; that Georgia factories and
mills can make anything that is made
anywhere else; that Georgia mines and
quarries and clay beds have wealth
untold
But economically 1t became apparent,
bold and stark and emphatic, that 1t
now is a question OF marketing what
is being and can be produced
Agitation and discussion, organiza-
ton and cooperation for marketing
has become the big agNiculturally eco
nomic question in Georgia.
The cooperative sales in the coun-
ties is helping to solve the question
hut that, while tremendously OF advan-
tage. touched only one county at a
time and one product at a time-the
success Of some great project that
would take in the whole state and all
the scores of products could be as In
credibly more advantageous! This
Is logical. 1t appears, from the rela-
lively great results for good in the CO
operative sales Of eggs and poultry,
hogs and potatoes, peanuts and melons
and other products in limited areas.
The big economic question OF the
hCuA AOi ihC lOuAuAal oLllCS WCAl
down Immediately to the idea of a
great reservoir system. storage point,
terminals situated with reference to
the markets Of the world stretching
out every way, where for long periods
grains, potatoes, other vegetables, pea
nuts and cotton and cotton seed, fruits,
poultry meats, dairy products. scores
of perishables-could be kept for dis
tribution at the best marketing time
and where warehouses could hold for
release too-for the markets of the
world by the promptest and cheapest
transportation means - finished goods
from the mills and factories.
The state port and state terminal
Idea" did not originate in any other
port city or town of Georgia
1t was born back in the interior
And not there of capitalistic parent
age, but of the necessity of the present
and the desideratum of the future OF
the farmers.
A high-rank, thoughtful member Of
the Farmers Union thought out the
project of State Port and Terminal
Commission to study the plan which
had been successfully executed in 9TH
err states and other lands so Sue
cESsLY OPERATED THAT THE
TERMINALS PAID THEIR WAY
FROM THE START AND COST THE
TAXPAYERS NOT A CENT OF OUT.
LAY. BUT PRESENTLY BEGAN TO
PROVE A SOURCE OF ACTUAL IN
COME TO THE PEOPLE. The farm.
ers thought of the idea first, because
the farmers had come to a big need
in their economic progress. And the
interior farmers thought of 1t first, be-
cause there are more of them than
Of any other class and their need was
therefore larger.
The port commission was .formed,
following an act of the Legislature