Atlanta Georgian. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, September 14, 1913, Image 2

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2 A PROSPERITY ERA SEEN By GEORGIA BANKERS Biggest Money Crop in Years Believed To Be Already Assured Farmers, While City Mer chants Are Jubilant. Continued From Preceding Pege. nules. In past years he has done this, but this year he will not. Creortfia this year produced the largest corn crop in its history. The hay and oat crops also were good. It would be ruinous to spend the proceeds even from 14-cent cotton for 77-cent corn. For tunately, in 1913 Georgia will not. There is some difference of opinion just now as to the proba the crop which has been (finned Is being: sold freely. Although little has been said about it, there undoubtedly 1b a good deal of "dlatreHK cotton" on the market—cotton Hold to pay debts which are pressing. With continued reports of had weather in the Weal, or anything like an early frost, and consequent shortened yield, the mar ket may Jump again. And there 1h little cotton left for the mills of the world to use. The visible supply at the end of the cot ton year, August 30, was In round figures only 2,000,000 hales. The crop has been estimated at 12,900,000 hales. That leaves 14,900,000 bales for the world to use, and the mills of Eu rope, Japan, India, China and the United States want 16,000,000 bales yearly now, the best authorities agree. It looks like a "bull" year. Georgia has been through the tent of Are. The year has been an ordeal But harvest time finds sagacious business men in Jubilant mood Cheerfulness amounting almost to exultation Is the keynote of senti ment to-day among the shrewdest Expressions of the city’s recognized leaders are unanimous in their forci ble size of the crop in this State. (ientlemen otherwise calm and serene are wont to grow purplish of face and thump desks when the subject is argued. J. D. Price, Commissioner of Agri culture for the Htate, says Georgia will gin 2,000,000 bales of cotton. He believes dry weather has lopped 400,000 to 500,000 hales from the early prospect. A. P. Coles, who has made the es timate for the Central Bank and Trust Corporation for seven years and missed It not more than 50,000 hales in the seven, puts the crop at 2,600,- 000 hales. A favorite estimate Is 2,- 500,000 bales. Other figures stand In order between these two extremes. GREAT PROFIT ASSURED Just to stay out of the argument, 2,250,000 bales lias been selected as the basis for computations given here. Tt does not affect the argument. If the crop Is 2.000,000 bales, (ieorgla still will make an enormous profit. If Georgia's crop Is 2,600,00 bales— ail the better. As to 14-cent cotton- It is not an Impossibility, but a probability Thirteen cents now is being paid at Savannah for middling That part of 1 cast of prosperity. Looks for Huge Crop, Easily 2,600,000 Hales A. P. Coles, of the Central Bank and Trust Corporation, Is convinced here will be a huge crop in Georgia, and he never before has missed it tar. He writes to the country banks: "We have made careful Inquiry and onslderable personal inspection of the crops of Georgia. Information complied from reliable sources leads ns to believe that we are on the eve of harvesting a bumper crop In Geor gia, not only of cotton, but of corn. We believe that with an open fall and a reasonably late frost the cotton crop in Georgia will easily reach 2,600,000 bales and that the corn crop is prob- Hbly by far the best that has ever been produced in this State, all of which means prosperity in Georgia, at least temporarily. "There Is no reason why a suffi cient amount of funds can not be ob tained to move the cotton crop, pro vided the hankers, farmers and mer chants work In harmony. Country bankers, especially those located In the cotton districts, should endeavor to educate the farmers to the habit of depositing checks received for the sale of cotton and paying their debts by check. This would go a long way toward relieving the currency strin gency during the cotton-moving pe riod. "We confidently expect u prosper ous fall and good business.** City Banker's Give Cheerful "I see no reason," says Robert F. Maddox, vice president of the Amer ican National Bank, "why 1914 should ®ot find the whole United Slates en tering upon a period of unsurpassed prosperity. "Now, just take stock of the year just closing. Notwithstanding the fact that the cotton crop for 1912 was lJ&OQ.OOO bales short of the 1911 crop, there have been no failures of Im portance among banks or business houses The failures were few and. In Georgia, of comparatively little Im portance. That shows the banks and mercantile bouses were in good shape financially and could tuke care of their customers who have gone through a period of depression which ■ voj more or less world-wide "The fall season opens with every assurance of a cotton crop 500.000 bales larger than last year and raised at less expense than any previous crop ever grown, better and more scientifically cultivated. From every point of view this augurs a splendid trade for fall. "If the crop experiences no backset, we can reasonably expect excellent Views Analysis fall collections. The farmers will be able to pay their obligations to the country merchant. He will be able to pay the wholesalers In the cit ies, and the wholesalers In turn will reduce their Indebtedness to the city banks. "This is sure to make money easier after the crop moves, and all lines of business are bound to feel the good effect of the splendid period of pros perity now so promising. "I believe the further consideration by the Senate of the currency bill and the expressed desire of the Senate committee to get all the facts con nected with the proposed legislation Is certain to lead to the passage of a wise and conservatively planned mea sure.* "If this Is true, and such a bill Is passed. It will eliminate for all time the danger to the country which arises every fall from the fear of having Insufficient currency to move the crops. This will, therefore, bt- of special benefit to the South and the West, and I see no reason * why 1914 should not find the whole United States entering upon a period of un surpassed prosperity." ‘Flush' Year Is Time To Learn Economy Frank Hawkins, president of the Third National Bank, is not given to hyperbole. Yet he waxes enthusi astic when drawn into conversation about the crop outlook and the busi ness prospects for Georgia this sea- son. "There is a general cheerful feei ng.” he explains. "Some of the coun try merchants and the city whole- -lers report the best bujfinesB they ive had for several seasons, and. of course, they expect to do even better • hen the cotton crop moves "< >utstanding obligations—some of them, to tell the exact truth, older than they should be—will be wiped nit by the present crop, and settle ments pausing from hand 10 hand up the line should make money easier all around. "But this Is the time when 1 would preach thrift. It is something of an absurdity to preach thrift to a man who Is 'broke' But now that the Georgia farmer and the Georgia mer chant have money in their pockets, or at lean have money in sight, they should practice thrift. They should fortify themselves for the possible lean years. I hope there will be no lean years, but history teaches us to believe there will be. "Remember recent history. That is all 1 would ask. Remember the ban ner crop of 1911, the extravagances which followed, and then the short crop of 1912. and w hat befell. If only the farmer will keep his money from burning a hole in his pocket, this sea son will result In permanent good for Georgia." Chamber of Commerce Prophesies Rapid Growth As head of a life Insurance com- i exceptional opportunities to study the puny and president of the Chamber ' trend of events and the condition of •>’ Commerce, Wllmer L. Moore has j buaniese. From rather an apprehen- IIEAKST’S SUNDAY AMERICAN, ATLANTA, OA., SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 1913. Georgia Is To Be Envied, Declares Governor Slaton ( ~* EORG1A is to be envied. The season now opening will bring J to this most favored State the blessings of plenty and pros perity dispensed with lavish hand. Every circumstance is in collusion to make this a record year. Georgia this year will make a reasonable cotton crop. The other States will have short yields. Georgia’s, then, will he big in relation to the total, and every Georgian should get good prices for his cotton. Hut that is not all. The best part of it is that not all the mil lions which come into the State for cotton will go out this year for hay. com and oats. Georgia this year raised what seems con ceded to be the largest corn crop in its history. It has hay and oats in large quantities as well, while the nation’s yields of all these feed stuffs is short, because of drouth. Georgia has every climate from the cold winters of North Georgia, which serve to perfect the apples of Habersham County, to the almost tropical mildness of the coast, where you can see rice fields. Between are corn and cotton, oats and hay, peaches and melons, sugar cane, yams and potatoes. We depend, not on ditches which may go dry, but upon the kindly rains from the Almighty, and are not disappointed. And in this wonderful State live the nation’s finest people. What more could Georgia ask? % —GOVERNOR JOHN M. SLATON. »lve mood in the spring, Mr. Moore has been converted Into an optimist of the extreme type. "Everything looks good to mfe," says Mr. Moore. "The Chamber of Commerce foresees unrivaled prosper ity for Atlanta, and remarkable ex pansion. Plans and projects in sight, new factories and business houses Inquiring for locations, and a dozen other hopeful signs give rise to our optimism. "Business done by life Insurance companies 1» as good a barometer of general conditions as any, I imagine. And without making any unusual ef- 1 fort we are doing a greater volume of business than ever before. "Reports to us from our agents all over the South show the crop condi tions in this section to be exception ally good. Coarse grains and cotton promise great yields, and this, too, in a year when the yield of other sec tions will be curtailed, and prices consequently go higher. There will be business this coming year for every man of energy and enterprise, and the South will go straight ahead wUh Its development." Country Banker Expects Moderate Crop, Big Prices It i« interesting to know' what the country banker thinks of all this P. D. Rich, of Colquitt, was in Atlanta the past week. The country banker, as typified by Mr. Rich, does not believe Georgia is going to make such a wonderful crop. He doesn't think It will go to 2,600,- 000 bales. He does think prices for cotton will be high and that Georgia, with two million, or, say, two million and a quarter bales, will get more money than It has In some years for huge crops. The country banker finds himself able to get all the money he needs In New’ York and Atlanta at a rate which Is not excessive. He believes that the remarkable glnriers' report of September 1 does not spell a great crop so muiti as It does an early movement. Crushers Foresee Busy Season in Southeast Cotton seed crushers are prepar ing for one of the greatest years in their history In Georgia. They ex pect a crop of 2,500,000 bales, and ex pect to crush. In round figures, 900,- 000 tons of seed, or Just about the same amount as was crushed in 1911 when the banner crop was grown. I-*. G. Neal, vice president of the Empire Cotton Oil Company, one of the largest corporations In the Geor gia cotton seed trade, says the Em pire’s mills In South Georgia, number ing seven, have been operating about ten days. "Seed now is bringing about $20 a ton," said Mr. Neal, "and is yielding about 39 gallons of good quality oil to the ton. With the exception of the fact that there Is considerable mois ture in the seed, there are no unto ward fac tors to be considered this year. We look for fin excellent sea son. Wholesalers Are Busy Replenishing Willis E. Ragan, one of the city’s prominent wholesalers and holder of extensive real estate, believes the South is entering upon one of the most prosperous eras it has known for years. "We have a splendid ‘house trade,’” said Mr. Ragan. "Buyers both from the city ant country are thronging Into the wholesale houses to replen ish stocks with the advent of fall re tail buying. "It seems to me the South Is en tering upon one of the most pros perous eruu in its histoiy. The cot ton crop lookfi fine, and the price does, too. All indications are that the farmers are selling as quickly as possible and paying their debts. Ev eryone is feeling good and looking forward to the best business in many years. The outlook is excellent." "Business Is good It has Increased Retail Stocks greatly this season, and shows every promise of growing even more," says Ernest L. Rhodes, wholesale milliner. "The Atlanta houses in our line have had a remarkable volume of sales. How much of this is due to general business conditions and how much to the energy and enterprise of Atlanta Jobbers, continually invad ing new territory, territory which al ways has been conceded heretofore to other cities, I can not tell without J close analysis of sales records. But in all probability, the greater business i is due to both factors. "At any rate, sales are larger. That's the main thing, after all. "If the farmers, the retailers and the merchants who sell to them will now only take advantage of theij prosperity to liquidate their obliga tions. then we shall have ideal condi tions. And I believe this will be done." Whitehall Street Filled With Autumn Shoppers Along Whitehall street, the center of city retull trade, the sentiment has been brighter throughout the year than in some other localities. City retail trade has held up unexpectedly well. Atlanta ha* not felt the de pression reported from smaller cen ters. But the advent of fall weather, or perhaps Just a foretaste of it, has put life Into business in a way which has surprised even these merchants. "We are reordering certain lines already. That, to any one acquaint ed with the retail business, is the most emphatic presentation 1 can make of business conditions in White hall street." said W. H. Brittain, president and manager of High's. "Our September business to date is much larger than it was at this time last year. People are eager for new things. Mall orders have started coming in rapidly. It is a regular revival of trade. "Shoppers are numerous. It is not a question of going out after them. They are coming to the stores. Peo ple are anxious for the new things, j for the better class of merchandise. Stocks have been low. Every one has bought sparingly since the first of the year, and the result now is an active movement all along the line.'' "Just a little more cool weather, such as we have had a few days this past week." said J. P. Allen, "and fall business will surprise every one People are anxious to buy. The stores are crowded. The salespeople are busy. The retailers have every cause to congratulate themselves.” Early Trade Opening Amazes Col. F. J. Paxon F. J Paxon is amazed at the early opening of the fall trade. "I was surprised," says Mr. Paxon, "to return here in August and find fall ready-to-wear goods moving well. Millinery is moving particularly ear ly. There has been a good increase in sales volume. Both the number of sales and the average amount of sales has increased. "We expect a remarkable year, a steady growth and a rapid one through the next year. "I am speaking not only for the business with which I am most inti mately connected, but also for other : enterprises in Atlanta of which I I have accurate knowledge, when I say j that the resumption of activity al- j ready seen, with the cotton crop not I generally moving yet, is something : at which to marvel. "Georgia is to be envied, and noth- ! ing At the conference of Governors I in the West attracted more at ten- | tion than Governor Slaton's speech i in which he extolled the virtues of J his State." Suffragette jokes Under Ban +•4* +•+ •*•••!• +•+ Keith Bars Them in Theaters Vaudeville Magnate Won to Cause Forbids Performers From Making Light of It. Once upon a time, and not so long ago as six months, you went to a vaudeville show and found yourself laughing—or frowning, according to your convictions—at the merry jests that were cracked in the name of woman suffrage. That was truly once upon a time. It occurs no more at the Forsyth Theater in Atlanta, njr In any of those showhouses on the Keith vaudeville circuit. The secret of the new order is that Mr. B. F. Keith, magnate of the two- a-day world, has been converted to woman suffrage. Ar so it seems. Pos sessing at least some authority, he posted the notice that in his theaters all jokes tending to make light of the "votes for women" movement would be barred. Suffragettes everywhere were glee ful. No person likes to see the cause that is near and dear to his heart placed in the class of the mother-in- law and the hobble skirt for actor people to make fun of. The order of Mr. Keith does not apply to the Forsyth in Atlanta di rectly. He owns personally a string of houses in the East, and it is only these that he can command. But be cause he is Mr. Keith and the head of what is probably the most extensive booking agency for vaudeville people, his wishes are somewhat like com mands. No actor who travels out of the Keith offices, whether he play in the Keith theater*; or not, is going to risk offending the great man. And so the suffrage joke has fallen into lean days. The Keith mandate is one of a se ries that marks the regeneration of the variety stage. Some years ag> Mr. Keith ordered that words bor dering on the profane should not be spoken in his houses. East winter he barred the ancient mother-in-law joke. Now the suffrage prohibition. AT GOLDFIELD Storm Sweeps Through Nevada Town and Thousands Are Lost in Property Damage. GOLDFIELD, NEV., Sept 13.—Two women were drowned and many thou sands of dollars’ damage done by a cloudburst and electric storm sweep ing through the center of this town, beginning at 11 o’clock to-day and lasting three hour*. Scores of houses were swept down through the two principal gulches In the camp by tor rents several feet deep. Telegraph poles and bridges were destroyed and electric power cut off. Crowds of volunteers are helping in the recovery of damaged property belonging to the sufferers. No seri ous Interruption was caused to the mines. The dead are Mrs. Degarmo, wife of a liveryman, and an unknown Frenchwoman. All the building* on First street were practically demolished. Many lives were saved by bravery of the rescuers. Washington to Lose Most Noted Beauty Mrs. Spencer Cosby Accompanies Husband to New Post as Military Attache. Special Cable to Th® American. WASHINGTON. Sept. 13.—Wash ington will soon lose "its most beau tiful woman." for Mrs. Spencer Cos by, wife of the newly appointed mil itary attache of the American Em bassy In Paris will accompany her husband to the French capital in a few days. Prince Christian of Prussia, during his recent American visit, saw Mrs. Cosby in Washington and exclaimed: "There is the most beautiful Ameri can woman I have ever seen." Mrs. Cosby has a fragile, delicate beauty, and her arms and hands have been pronounced by sculptors to be fault less In proportion. COLLEGE HEAD IN FAMILY III President of Franklin Declares Epithet Hurled at Mother Pro voked Assault on Aged Sire. TERRE HAUTE, IND.. Sept. 13.— With the Grand Jury ordered to in vestigate the attack made by Dr. F A. Hanley, president of Franklin Col lege. upon his father, Calvin Hanley, at the latter's home in Middleton Thursday, excitement has become in tense. Dr. Hanley was threatened with violence by friends of his aged father to-day when he came from In dianapolis. Earlier Dr. Hanley issued a state ment declaring the attack was justi fied because his father had treated his mother inhumanly, and that he was forced to the attack when he learned his father "called my mother an unspeakable name and wished she were in hell." Dr. Hanley, a leading educator of Indianapolis, formerly pastor of the Rockefeller church in Cleveland, came, it is understood, to the home of his father and demanded an apology. When the apology for the alleged insult was not forthcoming, the son proposed whipping the father, and In resisting, the older man fell and suf fered serious Injury. In his statement Dr. Hanley ad mitted striking the blow. “I tried not to hurt my father seri ously,” he said, "and I don’t think that I did. I was brought to the deed by my father’s continued cruelty ts mother. "For 25 years my mother has suf fered Inhuman treatment, and I have stood by, but when I heard he call *3 my mother an unspeakable name and wished she were ‘in hell,’ I could Ik still no longer. "I owe everything to my mother When I was a boy. my father would w r ant me to leave school to help on the farm. But mother picked the ap ples or gathere-' he corn that I might not miss a day from school. "But despite everything, I still love my father, and I will do anything to help him. Only he shall not abuse mother. "I know not what effect this bitter experience will have on my future usefulness. Whatever that may be, T do not see how I could have done oth erwise. I now know I ought to have taken matters in hand years ago." West Point Schools Immortals to Hear Break Roll Record Lecture on ‘Tango’ THIS WEEK BIJOU MATINEES DAILY 2:30 NIGHT SHOWS Is Remodeled to Meet Demands. WEST POINT. Sept. 13.—The for ty-fifth annual session of the West Point public schools has opened, with the largest enrollment of pupils since their organization. The Board of Education, antici pating an overflow of pupils, had made every preparation in the way of room and teachers The building is equipped with san itary drinking fountains. electric lights, electric bells, electric clocks, telephones and all other modern con veniences The chair of English and history recently made vacant by the death of Miss Naomi Wells is being filled tem porarily by Mrs. C. F. Pattillo, of West Point. Mr. Walter P. Thomas, who is now serving his seventh year as super intendent. is devoting his time and efforts for the continuous growth and betterment of the schools. Great Growth Is Noted and Building i Jean Richepin Will Address Academy on Subject, but It’s a Play, Not a Dance. | Special Cable to The American. PARIS. Sept. 13.—Paris has been excited for some day’s past by the report that Jean Richepin, the dis tinguished dramatist, wno in his younger day’s forsook his family hearth for the love ot a great actress, is about to defy conventions and stir up more scandal by addressing the immortals of the French Academy on the subject of "The Tango." It now turns, out that the "tango" of M. Richepin is a new comedy which he has completed for the Theatre Marigny in collaboration with Mad ame Richepin. Next month, at a public meeting of the venerable academy, he will read extracts from the play. PRIEST WEIGHING 400 POUNDS FOUND DEAD DECATUR, ILL., Sept. 13.—Father H. Gesenhaus, a priest at Shelbyville, was found dead in bed to-day. He 1 weighed 400 pounds and measured 72 Inches around the waist. 32RUOO MU33YJ AT BAPTIST TABERNACLE SEASON 1913-14 WILL PRESENT lO-TEN CELEBRITIES-tO KNEISEL QUARTET AND FRIEDA SIEMENS. SENATOR ROBERT M. LA FOLLETTE. DETECTIVE WILLIAM J. BURNS. CHICAGO GLEE CLUB MALE QUARTET, RI H E LD AF FE R-G AI LE Y COMPANY, BENJAMIN CHAPIN IN “LINCOLN." THE DUNAWAY COMPANY, FRANK DIXON, ORATOR; SID W. LANDON. CHARACTER 1ST; SHUN GOPAVEY, INDIAN MAGIC. SEASON TICKET SALE SEPT. 19 TO 02". 4 AT CABLE PIANO COMPANY. POPULAR PRICES SI 00 TO S2.C0 FOURTH WEEK OF THE JEWELL - KELLEY COMPANY PRESENTING THE THRILLING SENSATIONAL MELODRAMATIC SUCCESS A MAN OF MYSTERY The Most Mysterious Detective Story Ever Given the Stage. DON’T MISS THIS ONE. ATLANTA’S BUSIEST THEATER r ADC VTU WEEK OF DAILY AT 2:30 r Ult9 I 1 n SEPT. 15TK. and B:3o p. m. A COMBINATION OF KEITH STARS NEXT WEEK IDA BROOKS HUNT COMPANY OFFERING "THE SINGING COUNTESS" THE LADY DAINTY BESSIE WYNN THE SINGING COMEDIENNE AND OTHERS MME. BESSON METROPOLITAN COMPANY DANCERS BIG CITY FOUR T ,» NOVELTY GRAHAMS MARTIN KENNEDY BERNARD REINHOLO CO. IN "HOW HOFFMEISTER DID IT SECURE SEATS EARLY! ■ ^ THIS WEEK TWTTTa MATINEES--TUES., THURS., SAT. ARTHUR C AISTON PRESENTS ESTHA WILLIAMS SUPPORTED BY EDWIN WALTER AND A SUPERIOR CAST IN OWEN DAVIS' STARTLING DRAMA "A MAN’S GAME" 1 NEXT WEEK : THE CONFESSION