The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1870-03-19
From the greensboro Monitor.]
Sew Orleans versus New York as To.
haGGn thinning Points.

new 1Ork press, aQNeEIlnB TO tue sew
eral claims of each point to receive
and deal out to the world the tobacco
crop Of the West, all of these articles
being the argument in the case of
New Orleans veTsus New York, and
addressed to the press at Louisville,
Evansville, Greensboro, Henderson,
GAINESVILLE, Paducah and st. Louis.
The main points in the argument
are we'll known. New Orleans ap-
peals to her past history, when she re
ceived and dealt out $4,000 hogsheads
OF tobacco, and to the present advan-
tages which she offers to the Western
shippers in cheaper rate of freight per
river; a third inducement she finds in
the warm climate which she claims,
improves the quality of the tobacco;
and if We examine that plea. we will
find the first point prevalent, the
present and not the past involving the
question Of profit or Of loss to the
dealer. The second point has real
merits, v%ariously estimated, and can
be merged in the general case of river
versus railroads. The third is of a
doubtful character. An active and
protracted fermentation may improve
certain classes Of tobacco, suitable for
certain purposes. but it will also ruin
the only redeeming feature of certain
classes who depend only upon the light
color to find a market.
New York, on the other hand aP
peals to her present position as the en-
porium Of the American trade. She
claims she represents in her shipping
and banking facilities, 80 and with
any part Of the Globe, superior facili-
ties over those of New Orleans. Is
she justified in this claim, aud to what
extent? The facts In the case are so
numerous and so plain that it seems
unnecessary to discuss it. l would
like to displace the question; and
admitting the claims of supply to be
equally balanced between New York
aud New Orleans. and view only the
second element in the case, which is
the demand. The consumers of our
American tobacco may DC divided in
to three ciasses-the home trade, the
Reggie contractors, and exporters to
open markets of the world. If we
had full statistics on the subject, prob
ably they would show that the home
trade buys the most of its supplies
from the interior markets. Of the
balance of its requirements, what pro-
portion does New York supply, and
what proportion New Orleans? The
| cutting trade of New York, the trade
of Boston, of Philadelphia and sur-
rounding markets, including Canada,
and her own heavy transactions with
her manufacturers, amounting In the
aggregate to 1900 or 10000 hogs
heads per annum, is deemed a sufh-
cient answer to that question.
Gould this demand be transferred
to New Orleans? Assuredly not. Is
that demand a source Of profit to the
Western dealer, by bringing the home
trade in competition with export buy
ers? Most certainly; nobody can
doubt it.
The Reggie contractors stand in a
better position to favor both markets
if the truth be told, and find it to their
interest to do so, in order to be able
to play of one market against the
other; by the nature of their contracts,
they are above shipping and banking
difficulties, because regaining full a r
goes at one time, they can always at
ford to charter or buy a vessel for
their r and negotiate their eX,
CLduzC ~ lC600AO lulu viz
| peculiar fermentation of tobacco in
New Orleans, giving dark and uni
form color to the leaf which resist it,
favors their wants, at least, for Italy
and France. That these Reggie con-
tractors would rather operate In New
| York, in close proximity to Baltimore
and Richmond, where the Reggie con
tracts are being flied at the same
time. is undoubtable, but that they
are willing to encourage New Orleans
against New York is potent for rea-
sons already given and the question
to the Western shipper is simply to
find out how far it is to his interests
to indulge them in this respect.
Coming to the third class Of buyers
those for the open markets-We
light upon a source of strength for in
controvertable argument in favor of
New York, and of profit to the Amer
lean dealers; a foreigner requiring
small and regular shipments through
out the year to Liverpool, London,
Antwerp, Amsterdam, Bremen, etc,
will find in New York, and in that
city only, the possibility of carrying
on his business ia a proper ana sat
isfactory way. at any time, by steam
VI 6dit AC 0GO al OBDOAI4AAAV VI 9Cu0~
ing his tobacco forward, and of nego-
tiating his exchange to the very best
advantage. In New Orleans he must,
under the most favorable circumstan-
ces, submit to enormous delays; and
when his business does not justify
the finding of a vessel exclusively for
his own use, he may not be able to
ship at all. The climate forbids him.
Outward freight, insurance, and ex
change are against him, and the loss
of time incurred is equivalent to a loss
of money. Months must elapse be-
fore he hears OF his shipment instead
Of weeks, as would be the case ifship
ped from New York. Should he for
ward his New Orleans samples By
steamer, they will barely avail him 10
Europe for the sale of his merchan-
disc. but must await the tardy arrival
of sailing vessels before he can effect
sales. The European merchants fears
that owing to the active fermentation
in a hot climate, and long sea journey,
particularly on tobacco priced soft
and out of order, that tobacco has
changed character since sampled in
New Orleans, and consequently can't
be induced to buy, while he would
not hesitate to purchase on a New
York sample. For these reasons the
quotations Of tobacco in New York
equivalent to those in New Orleans. can |
be sold there at fve-eighths to three
fourth cents higher for the open mar
kets, and fully n half to fye-eighths
cents for the Reggie contracts above
New Orleans. Do these higher quo
tations compensate for cheaper freight
to New Orleans? Any one can cal
culate and satisfy himself on this
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