Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1860-03-29
From the Louisville Journal.
TILE TOBACCO INTEREST.

m
its recent session. by unanimous vote Tney directed
tho attention of Congress and the country TO the fact
that one of great Southern staples has been
for more than fifty wears the subject of the burden
some taxation by being subject TO foreign duty, before
II can he sold in the principal foreign markets OF
tvsecn dollars per hundred pounds that the Federal
Government has the power TO TX the details of
ia treaties upon the pncp Of reciprocity and mutual
benefit and that such treaties have become the pc
cy of all the civilized nations our own included and
while every other product OF tins country has been plaC
cd unon the most favorable footing, tobacco has been
Wholly neglected and this great interest has been left
ngujsh nj home and feed and cothe and pamper princes
and mobiles abroad and that Is the duty Of the United
States in all future treaties with great Britain and other
foreign powers where American tobacco is sold 10 in
st upon placing tobacco upon footing with other pro-
duetons exported from the United States TO foreign
countries.
II all other means fail, the resolutions Of Senator
Johnson demand counervaing duties upon the produc-
tions and manufactures of those governments which
haven filed their eXchequerS and supported their royalty
by exacons wrung from American labor This certain
" is subject Of importance, and it seems no more
than proper while there is tariff of thirty per cent.
proecton on sugar and cotton is admitted duty free in
all ports of the world and breadstus beef pork, and
lard are subject to the payment of only nominal duty
that tobacco our great staple should be subjected to
strctions of so oncrOus character. These duties
tobacco were originally imposed to prevent its ntroduC
ten aud cause the abandonment OF it, culture but Great
Britain mOnopozed the trade IN the reign OF Charles
for the use of the crown from 1900 to SjU the
nous SUN Of 100000 was the aggregate OF duties
paid TO the English CROWN and it is estimated that
Great Britain and Ireland annually about
tons or some jUOOO,OOO pounds, the revenue !Iom
which is at least S23O0OOOO year. Indeed most OF
the soyeregns of the world derive the most considerable
part of their income from tobacco. The monopoly un-
der the Reggie system commenced IN France III ISL,
when the revenue was 81 100000, and it has in
creased to about $50 100000. The slave States supply
nearly Ourifths OF all the tobacco USED IN France and
the average profits OF the Reggie are said to be $50 per
cent We supply also wotths OF all the tobacco used
throughout Europe aud is clear that if these govern
neut mouopoies were abolished and moderate ad vao-
rem duties substituted the demand would be increased
tenold The value OF the exports OF tobacco from this
country for four years is thus shown
iss5 slI7i2,46s 1s5I.. ........... $50 26D ,52
which is about one-eeveuh OF the value of all our agr-
cultural exports and much greater than the total value
OF the productSof forests or OF the products of our
animals. Nothing but cotton and Hour exceed 1t in I'M
portance as a staple for export
Indeed it is only when we investigate the subject and
examine authorities that the immense value Of the obac-
co trade is realized The CyclopTda OF Commerce SAYS
tobacco is salt probably the article most con-
sumcd by men, In form or another but most gene
rally in the form OF iume smoke there Is climate
IN which is not consumed, and no nationality that has
not adopted it, To put down its has equally bafed
legislators and morasts and in the words OF Pope
higher subject il may be said TO be paraken of "by
saint by savage and by sage Despite OF its heavy
taxation its use is universal Great Britain charges
ad yaorem import duty on tobacco of 9SS per cent
Russia of 6l per cent and the Lo Nerein of 40 per
cent France from 1911 to 1892, sold by the Rege to
the amount OF 1872 23343i. la Spain the privilege OF
the the tobacco monopoly is rented to individuals aud
Yields the crown from Sl,OUoooo 10 50 100000 per an
mum. Austria in S5S received SlOOl9, LOG from Its
nopov. But there is another feature which shows the
~ l.,
1880 by the the census report find the number of lbs
oil tobacco produced per acre was as follows Kentucky
57j bs. Maryland $50 pounds Missouri ,j pounds Ohio
1SO lbs pounds Tennessee 150 pounds Virginia G6r los
The whole number of acres under cultivation Of tobacco
was 400 OOu which, at average OF COO pounds would
produce 2iu 100000 pound. annually The gross pro-
duct for the year estimated to be Jrth Sl3
9s2 jS6 being about half the duty levied by Great
Britain on - 100000 pounds only That is Great Bri-
charged more duties about Oneniuth OF our gross
product than orr whole gross product was
estimated 10 be worth The tariff duties re-
strctious prohibitions, and custom house regulations
applicable American tobacco in the principal CONNER
cal countries OF Europe full Of similar evidences Of
eNIctiOn5 The quantity OF our manufactured tobacco
annually imported into these countries defined by the
census Of 1880 is for each nhabInt in Great Britain II
ounces, 10 France 10 ounces in Belgium IA pounds
in Holland 81 pounds in the IIanse pounds in
Hanover 3 - pounds in MecAleuburg Schwern and
Mec6leubmg s:trejty pognds n the Iolyerin pound
in Russia II ounce, in Austria ounce, in Spain 3
ounces, and in Portugal ] - ounce. The aggregate
quantity OF tobacco raised in these countries exclusive of
their colonies il about 2l0OO0O0o pounds aud the ag-
gregate in the United States in $50 299 1j2 5l5.
The foregoing statistics all taken from official sour
ces. We paragraph in exchanges the autheu-
'cty OF which cannot question: which SAYS the stock
of leaf tobacco in this country and Europe at the
ing of the present year $1,000 hhjs and the ncom.
ing crop is estimated at 2a6uup lhds. making the sup.
ply for 1860 323 600 hhjs. Tie years consumption is
estimated at 207 600 hhd which correct would leave
llG,Uoo hhds., hand the close Of the year. The
total exports Of e Il Tor the last fiscal year were lgs 46
hhds.. being excess OF ll7i bids over the previous
year. and an OF 7S5 hhds the average of
the preceding i've years Tue total value OF leaf tobacco
during the same year, ending june go 1889 was $2l
O4u%S, an excess the previous year Of 81 i0Gi2T
aud OF S",9j Sol the average of the five years.
In every aspect the growing Importance of tobacco
trade deserves attention; and that concentrated
movement has been originated within the tObacco-grow-
ing States, trust government will the neceSs
y Of demanding the removal Of those OnerOus restric
tons which We have pointed ont Our new minister to
France, Mr. Faulkner, should be especially charged with
the prosecution OF negotiations to abatc if not remove
the prohibory policy he is from a o-growing
State and should be active in his eXertous TO open the
foreign consumption TO a more reasonable tariff