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Jackson Progress • Argus
PUBLISHED EVERY FRIDAY
J. DOYLE JONES
Editor and Publisher
Entered as second-class matter al
~ st -*fice at Jackson, Ga.
TELEPHONE NO. 16
OFFICIAL ORGAN BUTTS COUN
TY AND CITY OF JACKSON
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ny -opy in all instances.
Georgia has the beer but no reve
nue. This is a fine state of aftairs.
The ehigger crop is reported up to
normal. Depression has not struck
in that direction.
What has become of al! that in
visible property that was going to be
placed on the tax digest to relieve
the struggling farmers?
Indications now are there will bo
several Richmonds in the field next
year. Just at this stage of the gam?
nobody has a race won.
The rains that have recently fallen
in this section were worth millions to
crops. This is about the best farm
relief farmers have had.
Fools careless with fire are hold
ing back forestry development in
Georgia. The timber crop is worth
saving. It i sGeorgia’s wealth of the
future.
In the death of Hon. William C.
Wright, congressman fro in the
Fourth Georgia District for lifteen
years, the state loses a distinguished
public man and constructive citizen.
It will require some time to cor
rectly appraise what has been done
in Washington, but it is certain tbs*
what has been done should resul;
in better conditions all over the na
tion.
Henry county has completed an
cther link of paving on Route 42.
I>ut for the unfortunate row between
the governor and highway depart
ment this highway might have bean
paved to the Butts county line.
State banks published statements
last week and those statements show
a healthy state of affairs among fi
nancial institutions of the state.
Loans have been decreased and cash
reserves have been built up.
The government is going to have
whale of a time balancing the bud
get as long as it continues to spend
billions, which must be wrung from
the taxpayers, and lops off only a
little here and there, mostly from
the poor.
When people feel better and talk
better times it is a sure sign that
conditions are improving. There has
been a radical chlnge in sentiment in
tne last few months. The people be
lieve in the new deal and are ready
to welcome it.
Despite many handicaps, such as
bank holidays and a disastrous hail
storm, farmers of Butts county ar*
ranking headway. Crops are promis-
ing and farmers are putting forth
renewed effort to capitalize on the
higher prices that seem in sight this
full.
The best thing for any man to do
is to keep his courage high and hope
foi the best. The government is put
ting men to work in forestry camps
and spending billions of dollars, and
ali of these billions must be raised
by taxes on business. How it all will
turn out nobody is wise enough to
say. The “noble experiment” will be
watched with a great deal of interest.
While there is yet time the idle
ought to be put to work raising food.
If summer comes, can winter be far
away? There are many idle acres in
the state that could be utilized to
glow food, and this will come in.
handy next winter.
There are two costs that ought to
come down in this country. One is
the cost of hospital treatment, whicn
at present, is out of the reach of the
ordinary man. The other is the cost
of funeral expenses. There are en
tirely too many frills about modern
clay funerals.
The government votes money to
permit farmers to plant cotton and
then urges the farmers to plow up
the cotton after it is planted. Tf
credit was restricted at the planting
season there would be less cotton to
plow up. But then this may be part
of tha. “new deal.
Every county in Georgia ought to
have a strong central marketing as
sociation. Farmers can do many
things for themselves better than
anybody else can do it for them.
They need to put their best thought
and attention into the pr#duction,
distribution and marketing of their
products.
It will be a happy day.—if it ever
comes —when the government with
draws entirely from free services of
every kind. There is no excuse on
earth why people in a rich agricul
tural state like Georgia should be
fed by government bounty. It is put
ting a premium on laziness and
building up a race of molly-coddles.
Dr. J. A. Jarrell, who died at his
heme here last week, was a physician
of the old school. He practiced med
icine for more than fifty years and
entered upon his professional career
a: a time when the doctor traveled
on horseback, with saddlebags as a
familiar adjunct. During a long and
useful career Dr. Jarrelr did much
to relieve human suffering and dis
tress.
The state of Georgia has an in
vestment of one hundred and fifty
million dollars in highways. The mon
ey was paid by* the taxpayers and
automobile owners have contributed
freely. Unless this investment is pro
tected it will be wasted —and that
speedily. The people are not interest
ed in the wrangle between the gov-
I
ernor and the highway board, bur
they are interested in seeing the
state system of highways completed
and maintained.
THINGS ARE LOOKING UP
After a winter of hardship and
suffering for countless thousands
and a spring marked by the bank
holiday and in some sections severe
terms, things are picking up all along
the front. The business skies are
brighter than before in many months.
People are going back to work. Th.
reforestation project has provided
jobs for several hunderd thousand
young men and the wheels of indus
try are beginning to turn. The im
provement in the textile industry is
outstanding.
The most encouraging feature in
agricultural sections is the fine crop?
and the improvement in commodity
pi ices. The advance in cotton prices
in Butts county has resulted in a net
gain of more than $120,000 to those
holding cotton from former years.
Millions have been added in the
South in the value of the cotton in
storage. Similar gains have been
scored in wheat, corn, oats, livestock,
dairy and poultry products. For the
first time in years the farmer has his
chin up. While he knows he has a
long way to go yet he is on the road
to recovery and that is encouraging
not only to the farmer but to busi
ness interests.
Good crops are reported in this
section. Farmers have refused to quit
but have tackled the job before them
with a fine spirit of determination.
Food and feed is being given firs,
place on thousands of farms thi
year. That will mean a lot of home
living and independence. Money
crops are growing and with advanc
ing prices there is renewed hope and
courage for better times by fall.
THE JACKSGN PROGRESS- ARGUS, JACKSON, GEORGIA
CO-OPERATION WILL WIN
Within a few days details of the
plan to drastically reduce cotton
acreage this season, by plowing up
at least ten million acres, will be an
nounced by government authorities.
The machinery for this vast under
taking is to be set in motion as rapid
ly as possible.
Outside of the proposed cotton
holiday, which failed because of a
lack of co-operation, this is the most
ambitious program ever considered
for aiding cotton farmers of the
South. The plan is radical but it can
and will succeed to the extent that
cotton growers support the govern
ment authorities. Without co-opera
tion the plan is doomed to failure.
The reduction in acreage hold=
much of promise for the South. an<l
the nation. There is a large carry
over of cotton, and it is reliably stat
ed that another large acreage has
been planted. A carryover of 12,-
000,000 bales plus a large crop this
*
season means cheap prices and more
stagnation for the South. That is the
situation we face and these facts
must be admitted.
If thirty per cent of the present
crop can be plowed up and planted
to other crops it w’ill reduce produc
tion sharply and the stimulating ef
fect will be felt in cotton prices. Suc
cess of the plan means better prices
and good times for the South, with
consequent better business for the
entire country.
It is the duty of cotton farmers
everywhere to respond to the appeal
for reduced acreage. It is a dollars
and cents proposition. It is good bus
iness judged by any standard, and
since the government is putting mil
lions into the venture certainly cot
ton farmers should show all neces
sary co-operation and support.
In Butts county there k already
a setup to handle the details, as sooi;
as they are announced. The various
ommittees, selected from representa
tive farmers in each of the militia
.istricts, will call upon you within the
next few days and explain the plan.
Think the plan through, as a common
sense method to improve cotton pri
ces, and be prepared to give you:
support. ,
OIL THE MACHINERY
Not since the days of President
Woodrow Wilson, when the Federal
Reserve Bank system was established
and cotton reached new high levels,
has an administration tried to do so
much to help agriculture. President
Roosevelt was inducted into office
cn a promise of anew deal for agri
cuture and regardless of party lines
ke has had the support of congress
n enacting measures designed to
help the farmer get on his feet.
Everything that held promise of help
ias been given consideration and the
•esult has been that vast- sums have
been voted to relieve mortgage debts,
increase employment and hike prices
for raw products.
How all of these plans will work
remains to be seen. But the admin
istration must be given credit for
trying.
There is one weakness: The far
mers may think that congress can do
everything and they will be required
to do nothing. If that idea prevails
the farmers are going to wake up
and find vhey ai-e fooled again. No
matter how many laws congress may
enact nor how wise and helpful these
measures are, individual responsi
l ility still exists, and it is up to every
man to do his full part in the new
deal. The machinery must be kep:
oiled.
At such a time as this farmers
should face the situation with eyes
wide open. Congress has been unable
to stop inefficiency and speculation.
Farmers can do much to help them
selves by organizing co-operative as
sociations and by studying distribu
tion and marketing along with pro
duction. They must put business
methods into their own business. -
The new deal for agriculture will
not be a success unless farmers put
their shoulders to the wheel and co
operate with those who are trying
to help them. It is no time to “let
George do it.” It is a time for con
certed action and whole hearted co
operation.
LET THE TRUTH COME OUT
Members of the Georgia Public
Service Commission have been cited
by Governor Talmadge why they
should not be removed from office
and a hearing is scheduled for June
26. .
One effect of this hearing should
be to bring out the truth about this
department. Reports and rumors
have been going the rounds for
years. The public does not know whe
ther these reports are true or not.
The* public would like to know and
is entitled to know.
Governor Talmadge’s order will
revive the Hoke Smith-Joe Brown in
cident of several years ago. It is re
called that Governor Smith fired Joe
Brown, then a member of the old
Railroad Commission. “Little Joe” in
turn ran for governor and defeated
the man who kicked him out.
Efforts have been made at various
times to have the membership of the
board reduced from five to three,
but the plan failed in the legislature.
The Pubilc Service Commission is
clothed with considerable power in
making rates and in regulating utili
ties.* If the commission is doing good
work the people want to know it. If
the board has failed to measure up
to its duty and responsibility the
i
people also want to know that. The
investigation should serve a useful
purpose.
THEY’LL NEVER MAKE IT
The; railroads will never make the
grade throught their present depress
ed plight unless they bring their
freight rates on down to a level
equal to those of other services and
commodities.
The railroads have been reminded
time and time again that lower
freight rates constitute the only so
lution to the problem which the rail
roads have faced. Yet they have
consistently refused to meet their
problem, though they call on the
government to lend them money to
pay their taxes and private debts.
We had hoped that the railroads
had finally come around to face
squarely the situation which con
fronted them: bus competition war
taking their business away because
the bus lines were making better
rates and giving better service than
the railroads. Instead of meeting
competition, however, the railroads
have persistently tried to legislate
the buses out of business and to beg
the public for patronage without of
fering any attractions for that pa
tronage.
State public service commissions
and the federal interstate commerce
commission aided the railroads in
signing their own death warrant.
T-hese commissions have refused te
order reductions in freight rates
when it has been obvious that re
duced rates and improved service art
the @nly things that can bring busi
ness to the railroads.
It may be true that “the railroad.
built this country;” it is true thai
the public would like to see the rail
roads doing good business as they
once did. But the public does not
and should not recognize any duty
to support the railroads when motor
transportation corporations offer
cheaper rates and better service.
Just an example of what is ruining
the railroads is the recent action of
the interstate commerce commission
which revised freight rates. Here is
how the rates were “revised:” Rates
on articles that can be hauled by
motor trucks and rates on short
hauls were reduced, but rates on
articles that only railroads can con
veniently haul and on long hauls
were increased!
Rates on farm products to some
points in the United States have been
increased as much as SSO per car!
How can the roalroads expect to sur
vive when they charge more money
to haul a carload of watermelons
from Georgia to Chicago than the
melons bring on the market there?
Neither the railroads nor agricul
ture can have any real relief from
their depression until state and fed
eral governments force the railroads
to reduce their freight rates to fair
levfls.
Fortunately, Governor Talmadge
has just startedaction that may lead
to an equitable revision of freight
rates in Georgia. Tuesday of this
week, the Georgia executive ordered
every member of the state public
service commission to show cause
tvhy they should not be removed
from office for conspiracy with th?
public utilities.
This matter should not be dropped
until every public utility in Georgia
has been investigated and made to
reduce its rates to fair levels. —Cobb
County Times.
THE “BACK COUNTRY” MUST
COME BACK
Commenting on the statement of
the Dawson News that new stores
are opening in Dawson and “mer
chants report that business is pick
ing up,” the Sylvester Local says:-
The country towns are coming
back. Dawson, like most of the coun
try towns, has lost many of its old
established business houses the past
year or two through bankruptcy.
Many of the old established business
concerns ceased advertising when
the depression reached the bottom
They slowly lost contact with the
public and were ‘ soon forgotten.
Bankruptcy was the inevitable result
But now, with business improving,
new stores are opening in Dawson
and they are advertising.
The country towns are coming
back. The farms are filling up with
people from the overcrowded cities.
They are settling around the coun
try towns and they will become new
customers for the country town mer
chants who carry the things they
want.
It ought to be perfectly clear to
every thoughtful person that if the
country and the country towns do
r.ot come back, there will be no com
ing back in any other quarter.
The rural sections are behind the
cities and industrial centers. The lat
ter may prosper for a time while the
former languish, being carried for
ward by the momentum of better
balanced times, but in the end it
must become clear that there can be
no sound rehabilitation of national
prosperity till the rural sections have
climbed out of the trough of depres
sion.
Some of the more important of the
Roosevelt programs are designed to
help the farm and the rural commu
nity. They are vitally important.
They must succeed if national pros
perity is to be restored.—Albany
Herald.
HOW DO YOU KNOW THEY
WON’T BUY?
Down in Oklahoma a newspaper
publisher recently tried an interest
ing experiment. He had been hearing
a great deal about hard times from
his merchants. “What’s the use in
our spending as much as usual for
advertising?” they asked him. “The
people in this community simply
haven’t got the money, so they
won’t buy.”
But the publisher wasn’t convinc
ed that the buying power of the
community was as negligible as they
said was. Certain as he was of
the value of advertising, he knew
that modern merchandiiing consists
not only of using advertising to get
people into the stores but of using
salesmanship to get them to buy af
ter they are there. So he decided to
make a test of the salesmanship of
the clerks in these merchants’ stores.
He gave $5 to each of his five em
ployes and told them to go to five
stores and buy some small article.
They were to buy a second article
if the clerk suggested it, and to keep
on buying until they had spent the
$5 —if the clerk kept on making sug
gestions. Accordingly the publishers
employees made the round of these
stores and in each ease they offered
their five-dollar bills in payment for
their small purchases, thereby mak
ing it apparent to the clerks that
they had that amount of money to
spend. In only one case out of the
f:ve did the clerk make any sugges
tions for additional purchases, and
the five employees returned with
521.40 of the original $25.
As the result of this experiment
the publisher was able to tell his
merchants of at least one good rea
son why the people in that commu-
FRIDAY, JUNE IS, 1933
r.ity weren’t buying, because the
merchants and their clerk’s weren’t
actively selling. “A lot of us have
fallen into the lethargy of believing
that there is no business to be had
and we do not really try for it,” he
told them. “We’ve been afraid not.
only of the banks, the boggie man,
the tariff and the man in the moon,
but we have also been afraid to
sell. Let’s at least give the people of
this community a chance to buy be
fore we state so positively that they
WON’T buy.”—Exchange.
WITH THE EXCHANGES
The South Well Off
When it comes to farm mortgages,
the South is better off than the rest
of the nation. For instance, the farm
mortgage debt of lowa and Illinois
is $27,000,000 greater than that of
the entire South. Much of the boast
ed progress of other states ha's been
founded upon borrowing. And pay
day is about here and that will tel!
another story.—Winder News. ■
Another Trouble Listed
One trouble with our government*
is that political service runs too much
to that type which dispenses benefits
for the purpose of winhing votes re
gardless of the merits of the re
cipients and the state of the
public treasury.—Monroe Advertis
er.
The People Pay and Suffer
The breach between the governor
and the chairman of the highway
board is widening day by day, until
the breaking point is at hand. Neither
will give any ground in their stands,
and the result is a shameful and
depreciating one in the work of the
highway board and road construction
in Georgia.—Madisonian.
Relieved of Worry
The Macon doctor, who wrote all
his old accounts off the books, had
the right idea. He’ll have less to wor
ry over now and probably will be
better off. —Tifton Gazette.
Holds Whip Hand
When it comes to crop control it
seems to us that old man Weather’
still has is over Congress and the U.
S. Department of Agriculture.—
Dawson News.
CHURCHES SHOW CAIN
IN NUMBER OF MEMBERS
MORE THAN 60,000,000 COMMU
NICANTS IN 204 RELIGIOUS
BODIES IN U. S. FOR THE
YEAR 1932
New York.—More people in the
United States were members of
churches at the end of 1932 than at
any previous time, reports Dr.
George Linn Kieffer, president of
the Association of America** Religi
ous Statisticians.
A one-year gain of 1,088,594, or
1.82 per cent, was announced in his
annual survey made public tonight
by the Christian Herald. This, Dr.
Kieffer said, was more than four
times the gain registered in 1931.
He noted a total membership of
00,886,445 in the 204 religions or
ganiations of the United States; .with
50,037,21)9 13 years and over.'
The magazine reported that since
1900 church membership has increas
ed 82.8 per cent compared with a
population increase of 65.8 per cent.
The six largest church groups in
America, the only ones having more
than 2,000,000 members, w r ere list
ed as follows:
Three bodies of western Catholics,
20,270,718; eighteen bodies of
Baptists, 9,929,962; 19 bodies of
Methodists, 9,088,022; 17 bodies of
Lutherans, 4,315,311; Jewish congre
gations, 4,081,242; nine bodies of
Presbyterians, 2,717,331.
Increases were reported fog all
principal denominations, with the
Eaptists showing the largest numeri
cal gain, 356,609, and the eastern
Catholics (nine bodies) the larges;
relative gain, 47.31 per cent.
The number of ministers was re
ported at 231,358, a one-year gain of
3 988, and the number of churches at
241,690, an increase of 2,724.