The La Grange reporter. (La Grange, Ga.) 184?-193?, December 24, 1914, Image 8
Sedan
Ooupelet
Town Car
Touring
Roadster
F. O. B. Detroit.
SANTA WILL SPEND HIS XMAS HOLIDAYS IN A
FORD. HOW ABOUT YOU?
C.'W. SMITH 7 * SON.
1BW
>:rrHB lagrangk reporter
THURSDAY MORNING. DEC. 24, !»I«
Interesting Communication
from Mr. George Boddie
The Reporter culls especial atten
tion to a timely and interesting: article
appearing in this issue which, was con
tributed by Mr. George B. Boddie. Mn.
Boddie is one of. thp most successful
fanners in Troup county. Ills ar
ticle, therefore, has the additional
weight of being backed by practical
experience.
The Reporter takes this occasion to
repeat its invitation to the fanners of
Troup county to help ench other by
contributing their ideas and experien
ces to its columns. Such articles, cal
culated to bo interesting and helpfu/
to others, arc always welcome.
THE WAY OUT’
By George B. Boddie.
The low price of our fleecy staple
which is one of the results of the
European war has brought forth a
host of advice for the Southern far
mers. Every paper that we read
contains one or more letters of ad
vice to the farmer, all handing out the
same old dope, 1. e., plant less cotton
and raise more diversified crops, etc.
Evidently a great many of these
letters arc written by imaginary far
mers who livo ip houses with asphalt
streets in front of them, for they
give no method whatever aa to how
or where we aro to market our diver
sifted crops. They simply hand out
the same old dope that we have heard
for the last quarter of a century, 1. o.,
plant less cotton and raise more
diversified crops. And there they stop
like a moon-eyed mule at a hole in a
bridge. Advice is on awfully cheap
commodity; it is very easily given,
as it oftimes consists only of a little
hot air.
The question is, what is it Worth 3
But the muin question that con
fronts us today is: The wuy out of
qur pn-sont predicament.
Cun wo get out by raising divers
fied crops? If so what diversified
crops uri wo tp ruise? And how are
wo to depose of them advantageous
ly?
How many of you read the letter
that was published in the Atlanta
Constitution a few days ago from Mm.
Nellie Peters Uluck?
Mrs. Bluck is u very estimable lady
and evidently a lady of very superior
business qualifications, judging from
tire vast estate that she is successfully
pranaging. Sho tells us that she tan-
gone in person to every wholesale
supply house in Atlanta und tried to
sell them shulled oats, and in every
instance she was mot with tho same
reply, i. e., “We prefer handling tho
Western oats.” Likewise sho tried t
sell them hay which was of a good
quality and put up in merchantabl
bales. In every instance she wus met
with tho sumo reply: “We prefer
handling tho Western hay.” Like
wise sho attempted to sell thorn other
farm products, such hs potatoes, dairy
and poultry products, etc. But in
every instance sho was met with tho
same discouraging reply.
Your writer has had u similar ex
perience. Not mnuy months ago 1
approached a grocery dealer and tried
to sell him a superior quality of
Georgia raised outs in quantities
varying from 100 to 1000 bushel lots,
all put up in bugs of uniform size
and delivered in his place of business.
I offered as an inducement to make
said sale to take the pay in groceries
from time to time us I needed them,
und at the ruling pj-ico of such groce
ries the day said groceries were de
livered. Tho reply Uiat 1 got was:
“1 can buy Western outs for 53c per
bushel, and 1 don’t care to handle
yours at that price for I prefer hand
ling the shipped oats."
Now in the face of such circum
stances what are the Georgia farmers
to do with their diversified products
after they raise them T It seems as
if the Georgia merchants and con
sumers ure not in sympathy with the
prosperity of tho farmer, only so far
as it benefits their financial interest,
for they will not buy a home-raised
commodity except at a starvation
price for tho producer, hence the Geor
gia farmers arc handicapped insofar
as the markots arc concerned.
Now the way out is the question
that confronts us. I see but one
solution to the situation, and that is
diversified farming for home consump
tNin only. Wo must as a matter of
Keif-Preservation make our farms ab
solutely .self-sustaining in every par
ticular. in other words, it behooves
every farmer c? be a community of
one to look after his'-<l wn interest and
let Mr. Neighbor do like'>* se -
How easy, how absoluteTj easy,
would it be for every farmer, be he
rich or poor, to raise an abundant
suppi? pf a]) of the necessities of life
on his own farm, and then not a cot
ton field but a cotton patch on the
side?
Then what would the harvest be.
It would mean a double yield of cot
ton per acre, together with all of the
necessities of life and comfort a.
home, IK >v
Under the above practice we would
not lie required to rush our cotton
on the market in three months’ time;
as is now the custom, but on the oth
er hand we would be in position tq
put it- under a shelter in eur own
back yard and market it for a JUST
price from time to time as we seui
fit. , -
Under the method of our present
practice we are annually making the
farmers of the Middle West, togeth
er with the merchants and dealers of
our country richer and ourselves poor*
Permit me to give you a bit of
statistical history, which should cause
every Georgian to open his eyes with
amazement. I will take, for instance,
the livestock, feed and food products
that were shipped into and sold in
the state of Georgia during the year
of 1912.
There were shipped into and sold
in the state of Georgia during the
year of 1912 the following products
to-wit:
Corn purchased in 1912 ..$58,920,000
Hay purchased in 1912 .. 23,080,000
Oats purchased in 1912 .. 39,33(1,000
Miscellaneous food 1912 .. 2,650,000
Meat, dairy and poultry
Products 48,000.000
Livestock purchased in
1912 70,000,000
Whicni makes a total of livestock,
feed ud4 food products shipped into
und soldi in the state of Georgia dur
ing 191%' $242,490,000.
While I the total cotton crop of the
state of - Georgia during the year of
1912 sold in round figures for only
$160,000^000.
This, as you will see, leaves a bal
ance on the debit side of the ledger
of $92,490,000.
Why couldn’t we have kept every
dollar of the above amount here in
our own beloved state?
The trouble is the lack of Judg
ment on-iour part, “You and Me,” to
gether with the lack of co-operation
on the part of our merchants and
consumers.
The feathered tribe seems to be
quite a small asset to be discussed in
the public prints, but allow me to
give you some statistics upon this
subject by way of comparing our
supply with that of some of the Mid
dle Western states.
The average farm jn Iowa now has
108 folwi. The average farm in Ohio
has 125, while the average farm in
North Carolina and Alabama has 20,
and the average farm in South Caro
lina and Georgia htis only 17. What
explanation can we offer for this?
Only our own neglect.
Why shouldn’t we pay more atten
tion to some of the smaller farm ani
mals aa well as things of larger
value?
Tis true that all of the corn, onta,
” l ne /American who sccks taust- iu*uuy iui Kiamuuc w «•*
Giver of all good things, need not carry the quest far from his own
threshold. Only the misanthrope will refuse to admit that we are
singularly blest among mankind. It is ours to know the felicity,
not merely of having, but of sharing what we have. Of the fruits of
earth we have enjoyed an overflowing yield.
In the spirit of humility let us rejoice at this Yuletide, and may
we have the knowledge that we must make use of these blessings.
The star of empire has taken its westward way and now stands
poised above this fortunate land for our sure guidance to ideals
still more exalted, of our duty to ourselves and service to mankind/’
BANK OF LAGRANGE
PRIMITIVE BAPTIST MEET.
Tho First Primitive Baptist church
on Groonwood street will hold their
regular Thursday night prayer meet
ing on Christinas EJve night. The
public is cordially invited to attend.
W. C. T. U. MEET.
The ladies of the. Wotnun’s Chris
tian Temporance Union mot last
Friday evoning at tho First Baptist
church. This was a business mooting
and was presided over by Mrs. Abner
Callaway.
The celebration of Christmas was
discussed and plans were arranged for
the distribution of clothing to the
ncody people o^ this city. A large
attendance wus present and tho ladies
showed much enthusiasm • in this
worthy cause.
SERVICES CHRISTMAS DAY AT S.
MARK’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH.
On Friday morning at 10:30 a. m.
services will be conducted at St.
Mark’s Episcopal church. Tho Holy
Communion to which all church mem
bers aro invited will be held and
briaf address concerning Christmas
and its significance will he given.
Public Installation
of New Officers
The LaGrango Woodmen ,of the
World will have a public installation
of officers at the Troup county court
house on Tuesday night, January 19.
All of the Troup county camps are
asked to he represented at ihis meet
ing.
Five new members wore initiated
■into the secrets of this order Tuesday
night. They were Rev. S. A. Bales,
Rev. S. G. Woodall. Mr. J. T. Traylor,
Mr. J. T. Whitaker and Mr. Odis
Wells, Hon. W. II. Woodruff of Ma
con, who is State Organizer and Dis
trict Manager, assisted the local mem
bers in the initiation exercises.
hay, livestock, meat, dairy and poul
try products that are shipped into
and sold in Georgia are not used by
the fanners, but nevertheless the
Gieorgia farmers can and should raise
it all, and the Georgia merchants
should handle and the Georgia con
sumers should use the Georgia raisod
products—and at a just price to the
producer.
Tis clearly demonstrated fact
that we can raise our own food and
feed products, and of as good quality
as any state in the Union can produco,
eniuoiraiio SERVICE AT MISSION j alwl wc « n P roduc * them at a co8t
that will not exceed 30 per cent of
Ah usual, there will be a special j what it will cost us to buy them. Yet
service for Christman day in tho
Chapel of the Good Shepherd at the
Mission. This service will be at 10
o'clock.
It is hoped that tho people of the
community will take advantage of this
opportunity to publicly worship Al
mighty God on the day set aside to
commemorate the birth of His Son
and our Lord into the world.
Good Shepherd Sunday School Xmas
Service.
The Sunday school of the Good
shepherd will have its annual Christ
mas exorcises on the Sunday after
Christmas at 2:30 p. m.
Xmas at the LaGrange Settlement.
On Tuesday, Dec. 29, all the clubs
and organizations of the LaGrunge
Settlement wilt have their Christmas
Tree in the Mission House. While
this Tree is being given by all the
Clubs, each one doing its port, every
one in the community is cordially in
vited to attend and to place at the
foot of tho tree any presents they may
wish to he distributed to their friends
on this occasion.
how few of us raise them!
likewise we can raise our own
mules and horses, just as good as
can be raised in the Blue Grass and
limestone sections, and we can raise
them at a coot that will not exceed
26 per cent of what it will cost uh
to buy them. And yet how few of us
even attempt to raise them!
Aside from the natural resources
that we have for producing all of
tho .necessities of life, we as farmers
of Wie South have a God-given monop
oly on that commodity thnt every
civilized country on God’s green earth
is obliged to have, i. e., “Oor Fleecy
Staple."
Other sections, the Middle West,
for instance, which is apparently the
richest country in America, with their
mangnificent golden harvest togeth
er with their livestock and their mine
ral products, must look to the cotton
producing states for their wearing
apparel, an item which necessity com-
pells them to have.
New England as well as Continental
Europe with all of their manufactur
ing wealth, are compelled to look to the
cotton producing states of America
for “our” commodity upon which they
are dependent for clothing to wear
on their backs.
And yet, wc look upon these people
as our “Dictators.” We allow them *o
dictate to us the price at which we
are to sell “our” commodity and at
the same time they dictate to us the
price that we are to pay them for
their finished product. And we, like
dumb-driven cattle, led like a lamb
to the slaughter, we are dumb so we
openeth not our mouths.
GET YOUR NEIGHBOR TO SUB
SCRIBE FOR THE LAGRANGE
REPORTER.
« 'J '' 'i’ ^
♦ ♦
❖ LIBERTY HILL ♦
❖ *
Among those from here who attend
ed the Hazel-Adams shows at East
Vernon last Friday night were Messrs.
Tommie Garrett, J. D. Barnes, Misses
Ethel Shirey and Bessie Garrett.
Mr. James Barnes spent Saturday
and Sunday with relatives in Roanoke,
Ala.
Mr. Milton Strickland made a busi
ness trip to Standing Rock, Ala., last
Thursday.
Mr. Groves Garrett is the guest of
relatives in Franklin,
Misses Mattie and Ethel McClain,
Messrs. Wesley Turner, J. T. McClain
and Jamie Forbus were in LaGrange
Saturday.
We are sorry to place Miss Muuuo
Scott on the sick list.
• Misses Mattie and Ethel McClain
had as their guests Sunday Miss Kara
Forbus, Messrs. Jamie Forbus. Wes
ley Turner, Mark Prince, Lehman
Esters and Eugene Turner.
To The Folks of
Surrounding
Troup and
Counties:
The Callaway’s Department Stores wish to thank you for
the enormous business of the past year. Thousands of people
have patronized our stores and made 1914 one of the most
profitable years of our history. Wishing you all a Merry Christ
mas and a Happy New Year, we remain yours for service.
(Signed) MANAGERS OF
Callaway’s Department Stores