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2 THE SOUTHERN WORLD, MARCH 1,1882. ^forufultnyil Tlie Agricultural Convention nt An* (RNtR, Georgia. The usual semi-annual meeting of the Georgia State Agricultural Society was held in Augusta, on the 14th ult. About 130 members and delegates were present at the opening hour, and the Convention was ca.'I ed to order by Hon. Thomas Hardeman, Fresident. Col. E. C. Grier, the popular Secretary, was also at his post. Maj, W. T. Gary in behalf of the city of Augusta made a welcome address, and the Richmond County Agricultural Society put forward W. H. Fleming, Esq., to express their hospitable feelingsof the farmer’s. Both addresses were well conceived and eloquent ly delivered, but the young spokesman for the County Society, was exceedingly happy and witty in his remarks. He begged his audience not to conclude from the usual style of Augusta canal orators and newspa per gmtulations of Augusta enterprises, that the whole of Richmond county was covered with the surging waves of the great canal Here and there within its bounds there were a few high ridges that had defied the high' est waves, and whose fields supported a high- toned, hardy, industrious and progressive people, whose hearts and homes were open to their brother farmers of Georgia. Hon. W. L. Peek, of Rockdale county, re sponded to these addresses on behalf of the Convention. This gentleman lias been repeatedly hon ored by the citizens of his county with aseat in the Legislature, where he has proven him self, on numberless occasions, to be a true representative of the best interestsof liis bro ther farmers, and an able advocate of the cause of agriculture. His speech, though short, was full of good tilings and sparkling humor. President Hardeman then proceeded, in his own eloquent style, to deliver his semi annual address. To say that it was elegant In its rhetoric, solid in logic, wise in sugges tions and admonition, would be but to speak the simple truth. Col. Hardeman is one of the most versatile of men—equally at home as the presiding officer of the General Assembly, president of an agricultural con vention, head of a party, or as the centre of an admiring social group—a statesman, a business man and a good citizen. We refer our readers to his published address in this issue. After perfecting the roll of members and delegates, the regular programme was taken up. First, Col. J. H. Fannin in a ready off hand manner gave the convention the bene fit of his “Observation on Improved Imple ments and Useful Machinery at the recent Cotton Exposition at Atlanta,’’ which was followed by some pertinent discussion in which several prominent delegates took part, and just tfltttle flavor of politics was observa ble in one of the speeches. Next in order was an essay on “Oats vt. Corn" by the writer of this article, the read ing of which provoked an interesting family talk on the general subject of grain culture, ' which was prolonged to the close of the night session. The Editor-ik-chuf of the World flattered us with the request for a copy of the paper read for publication, and it will be found in this number. Wednesday morning Prof. Wm. M. Browne of the University of Georgia, read an interesting report of the past year’s ex- lieriments on the College farm near Athens. Following, came Dr. J. H. P. Brown, on bee culture, and a most entertaining and in structive paper it was. In the afternoon the convention includ ing a sprinkling of ladies (notwithstanding the bad weather and mud,) was greatly edi fied and delighted by an essay on “Beautify ing our Homes," by Rev. A. J. Battle, Presi dent of Mercer University. Dr. Battle is a finished scholar and an eloquent speaker, and his address gave evi dence of his exquisite taste for the beautiful in Nature and Art. “Fence or No Fence," was handled in a plain, practical manner, by Hon. A. P. But ler, Commissioner of Agriculture of South Carolina. He reviewed the history of the Stock law in that State, and with an array of facts and figures showed the beneficent work ings of the new system. Dr. P. J. Berckmans made an address on “Fruit Growing as a Farm Crop," in the afternoon, which we, unfortunately did not hear, and was followed by Mr. J. B. Wade, of DeKalb county, on “Jersey Cattle in the South." Mr. Wade showed thorough mas tery of his subject and an intimate practical acquaintance with the peculiarities of his pet breed, and with the details of the dairy. "Watermelon Culture" was discussed by Mr. Fred. Little, of Allens, Ga., but we were denied the pleasure of listening, by the ap proaching hour for departure for home again. The essays were generally followed by dis cussions of greater or less interest. It was a source of keen regret that we could not remain longer than the second day. Thursday, the lost day, was devoted to trip up the great canal, and an inspection of the numerous manufacturing enterprises of Augusta. There was an unanimous voice of surprise and gratification (so we heard) on the part of those who were of the excursion at the extent of the business enterprises, and the great possibilities of the immediate future of the city. We beg pardon for inflicting so much of rambling narrative, upon our readers, but it was the first time in nearly twelve months that we had been outside of the city limits of Atlanta, and when we think of the trip or commence to write of it, time and space are not thought of. In future numbers some of the projects brought before the Convention will be dis cussed. R. j. R TIIE FARMER'S TRUE POLICY. Address or Thomas Hnrdeman, Presi dent or the State Agricultural Society delivered at the Seml-Annnal Session In Augusta, February ltth, 1*N». Gentlemen of the Convention: A short, but comprehensive lesson is found in that simple injunction of Pope, “Know then thyself.” It addresses itself forcibly to man in every vocation in life and to no one, with more earnestness of ex hortation and power of snggestive examina tion, than to the agriculturists of Georgia. A revolution of conflicting elements and warring sections has been succeeded by a revolution of industries, of labor systems, of society organization and individual re sponslbilities, which has, in a great degree, left them in a new civilization, or if in the old, with such altered surroundings, that they have not fully realized whether they belong to the old or the new, to the dead past or the living present. Wandering through the mazes of this uncertain state, finding here and there a landmark of the past, among the fingerboards of the present, that are pointing in a direction opposite to that in which they are wont to tread, they sit down in confusion, afraid to pursue the almost abandoned paths their fathers trod, and yet hesitating whether to diverge into those new ones, whose courses have been blazed by bold pioneers and along which science has suspended her beacon lamps to guide their footsteps. Behind them are the ruined fortunes of the past; around them are the surroundings of the present, threat ening and dark; before them, dimly out lined in the future, are the wrecks of ven ture and speculation left by those who, re gardless of warnings and teachings, attempt ed to master the new by the effete process of the old. In this dilemma many are found to-day, unwilling to recede, yet reluctant because of old associations, old habits and former teachings to enter those ngw avenues that the present and future is opening and will open before them. A proper solution of the difficulty that surrounds is the fact they know not themtehet, and in their igno rance of self they are unwilling to attempt a solution of the industrial problem of the present. This ignorance of self, makes the planter hit own enemy, and this I shall at tempt to show today. If self-preservation is an evidence of self-love, its converse (self- destruction) should be conclusive of enmity to self. The one guards with watchful fidel ity every Interest—protects person and property from harm or injury; the other in vites misfortune, dallies with danger, trifles with providence, neglects opportunities and in the wantonness of cruelty places in its bosom an asp, that will poison its life blood. As the surgeon applies the scalpel to the un sound limb to restore the patient to health, so if in my plain practice I wound to-day, believe me, I do so only to heal; and if I use not the knife of the skillful operator, it will be because, in my ignorance, I may think the blister of the apothecary will restore to healthy vitality the diseased organs of the patient. I assert first; That man is an enemy to himself who persistently follow a course that destroys his independence, mars his peace of mind and adds nothing or but lit tle to his income or his happiness. Are any of our farmers pursuing this policy? Im portant query! More important the answer. I think that no well informed man will deny that the system now practiced by many of them is subject to the criticism I have made, and may be justly styled a sulci dal one—destroying at once their indepen dence and prosperity.'' Independence is de fined a state in which a person does not rely upon others for subsistence—a complete eX' emption from the control or power of oth ere. How many farmers of Georgia can lay claim to this independent position? How many of them, under a damaging system of credit forming, make the merchant's store bouse their commissariat and the banker’s accommodation their only means of main' tenance? Verily, how many in our State, upon an examination of barns and larders, would be found subject to criticism—I will not say indictment—under that section of the Code, which speaks of those “having no visible means of support.” Have our people ever considered if, under the uncertain op erations of existing laws, or the inability or nnwilligness of capitalists, credit should suddenly be withheld and accommodations be denied, what would be the condition of thousands of farmers in Georgia? With but title corn in the cribs and no bacon jn the smoke houses, hard, hard indeed would be the contest for subsistence and the struggle for bread. And year after year cotton is almost exclusively cultivated, while scanty corn supplies are drafted into the barns and rations of meat are issued in proportion to the mortgage capacities of the purchasers. Is that man a friend to himself, who, having land and stock, depends upon others to fur nish him and them with subsistence? Say not under the new civilization it is cheaper to purchase than Jo raise these supplies. This is only an unsatisfactory excuse for the ruinous policy you are pursuing, for I assert that the cost of transportation of a bushel of corn or oats from the granaries of the West to the barn yard of the farmer, added to the interest charged for your cred it, would pay for raising the same, thereby saving to the purchaser the prime cost of the supplies; but say you, this would be otherwise but for the exactions of the mer chant. This, to some extent, would be true, but who is responsible for this condition of dependence upon merchants; and when do you expect the exactions you complain of will cease? I answer for you: Your system lives upon credit, and exactions will follow credit, in every industry and profession, as long as man can speculate upon the neces sities of man. Joseph and his brethren— real characters in the centuries gone—only typified many in this our day and genera tion. These exactions are not confined to merchants alone. They are characteristic of our fallen nature in every calling in life; and the farmer of to-day finds himself in the condition of the Jews during the reign of Nehemiah, who, after having “mortgaged their lands, vineyards and houses, that they might buy corn," and having "borrowed money for the king's tribute, and thut u]>on their lands and vineyards" (under a crop lien, I imagine), complained heavily of their inability to redeem them because of the usurious demands of the rulers and nobles. Exactions were of ancient origin, and have existed and will exist whenever and wherever hu necessities invite and will bear them. Are they imposed upon you? and do they paralyze your industry and consume your earnings? Then you are enemies to yourselves if, having the remedy in your own hands, you refuse to apply it. Censure not longer the hand that gives, if you invite and willingly receive the blow. Stop the opportunity to crush and exactions will ceause. Feed yourselves, and your supplies will not smack of usury, nor your larder be Ailed with meat that savors of ex tortion. Let Paul plant, and God will give the in crease. Think not that I would destroy credit—far from it—for credit, based upon the ability and willingness to pay, is the life blood of commerce; but credit exacted from the necessities of humanity and the sweat of the poor is dangerous in theory and destructive in practice. But suppose credit has not entirely failed, but by some forcing process you could command some, but owing to some cause crops failed in those sections, from which your supplies were ex pected, what would be the condition of those dependents, who looked to a distant Egypt for com? I will not answer—will on ly say there are no Josephs In Egypt now, and the sacks yousend, if scantily Ailed with money, will be returned as scantily filled with corn, leaving you with means exhaust ed and necessities poorly supplied. But if this dependence Is damaging to your inter est, how much more so is it to your inde pendence of action and your manhood? Are you freemen, wrhen you are manacled with obligations to others, forged by your own necessities? Are you frceholclers—owning the land from which you should gain sub sistence and independence—or are you sim ply tenants by sufferance, liable to be eject ed on failure to meet your mortgage obliga tions? Are you the regulator of your own actions, the controller of the fruits of your own toil, when all you have is pledged for bread and all you make is disposed of at prices ruling at the time of the ma turity of your promises to pay? Goddeliverme, my countrymen, from that self-imposed dependence that will muke me a “hewer of wood and a drawer of water" to him whose “yes" to my supplications in my necessities is often coupled with humil iating exactions, and whose emphatic “no" closes my barns and circumscribes my operations. I speak to-day to the credit farm ers of Georgia—to the corn and meat buying agriculturists. Are you not enemies to your selves to pursue longer this ruinous policy? Deceive not yourselves and your families in obtaining these blessings—if blessings you call them—for though Esau’s hand is counterfeited in securing them Jacob’s voice is recognized in the deceptive transac tion. They are not blessings, my country men. Providence did not give you this fair laud of ours, that you should go to Egypt for corn; it was given you to feed and sustain you, and you pervert the object of the gift when you fail to do this. By the sweat of your brow—ye shall cat bread, is the law of Heaven—written by God’s own hands on the land he gave you as unmistakeabiy as were the laws on the stoney tablet. Pervert it, if you will, employ otiier agencies than you are commanded to use, in the end they will come to misfortune. The waters obtain ed will he waters of Meribah, in securing,’ which, contrary to Heaven’s decree, you are debarring yourselves from entering the Canaan of your hopes. That land you may think lies elsewhere, and you may send a man from every tribe “to spy out” the pro mised Canaan and "see the lund what it is, and they may journey from Zion unto Re hab, from Hebron unto Escliol brook, and though they bring back figs and pomegran- ites and grapes of Escliol, they will bring also evil report of the land, for the cities are walled in and the sons of Anak are there, and giants of opposition are in the way.” These retard our march here in this land of ours, but not more so than in others seem ingly more inviting. It it the people as much as it is the country that makes prosperity and success. The thrifty man will be thrif ty anywhere. The idle, the extravagant, the non-progressive will be drones and thriftless everywhere. The disposition to emigrate from Georgia homes is prompted by a want of activity and encouraged by farming without method, extravugance, based upon credit too easily obtained, and u criminal refusal to keep up with the pro gressive spirit of the age. The lund of pros perity is only entered through the gates of difficulty, and the fruits of success are only gathered by hands who labored to raise them. And he who enters that land, with its fruits and its milk and honey, must do so through those well guarded gates, for if lie attempts any other entrance he will be smitten by Amalekite creditors and Cannn- nite extortioners. And a well adjusted sys tem of forming, regulated by enlightened culture and carried od by all the improve ments of modern invention, will insure suc cess and prevent emigration; it will fill tho store houses with provisions, the barn with cereals, the coffers with money and homes with comfort and contentment. Emigration will then cease and mortgage liens will be classed among the criminal follies of the past. Homes without household comforts have no attractions for the young; homes without supplies and Bupportfornmn and boast have no permanent hold on the affections of ci til er young or old. Are you surprised that tho ambitious boy or the thriftless man desire to abandom such homes and seek others in the imaginary Eldoradoes of the West? It is otherwise witli self-sustaining homes, where plenty crowns the boards and intelli gence illuminates the hearth-stones. “Who ever heard,” said an essayist before my county society, "of a man moving to Texas with a crib full of corn? Who ever heard of a man going into bankruptcy, or being sold out under a crop lien, with a crib full of com ?” Who ever heard of a farmer being ground between the upper and nether mill stones of want and usury, with a crib full of corn? Who ever saw a mort gage mule—that special object of care of the philanthropic Bergh—being fi. facd from a crib full of corn ? Self-supporting countries only furnish cribs full of com. I liked to have said a crib full of ear corn. That is su perfluous ; for who ever heard of a crib full