Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1875-12-24
From the Baltimore Gazette Of Saturday
Tobacco Inspection Question.

day to confer with the State Grange, held a
very harmonious interview with that body
The same evening" after the conference, the
special committee on the part of the Changers,
viz: Messrs. F. NJ. Hall (chairman), s. A
Mudd, Thomas Owens, Hugh Mitchell, G. b.
Perrie DR.. G. W. Dorsey, George Thomas
Mr.. Norris and Mr.. Mitchell adopted unan-
mously the following resolutions in regard to
the tobacco question:
From the best information within the reach
of the committee they are satisfied that enor-
nous losses accrue to the planting interest by
reason of the bad system of inspection now in
operation within the State, Losses amounting
to the large sum of S270, 900 annually at the
most moderate computation. The committee
ask that the Legislature be memoriaizsd to
pass laws with such stringent provisions ms
may be necessary, embracing the following
provisions:
First. That two of the State tobacco ware
houses be leased to private parties for inspec-
ton of tobacco, at a maximum rate to be fixed
by the Legislature.
Second. That in each Of the State tobacco
warehouses there be required to be sample
room for the storage and safe keeping of SAM
Piles of tobacco, should the consignor desire
them so to be kept.
Third. That any parties may be allowed to
open warehouses for storage and inspection of
tobacco under such rates of charges as such
parties may make known for publication
Fourth. That all tobacco inspected at the
State tobacco warehouses shall be weighed be-
fore inspec ion as well as after inspection, so
TO show the loss in handling the same; such
weights to be entered on the books of the ware
house, with the name of owner and consiguee
if the tobacco be consigned.
Fifth That tobacco notes or receipts be
placed on an equal footing, for commercial
hala for int, cttcI pnfac
receipts to imply to the holder only in the
event of such holder being the in whose
name the certificate is issued, one to whom
the note or certificate may be legally transfer
red, assigned or endorsed by such party, the
notes being always required to be issued in the
name of the grower.
Sixth. That the matter of false packing and
manipulation of samples be provided against
by laws attaching severe penalties for such of
lenses.
Seventh That there be dropped from the list
of appointments of Tobacco Inspectors the In
spcctor now called Chief Inspector or Super
visor.
To the resolution was this addendum
1t will be seen that the committee recommend
no radical legislation on the subject of tobacco
inspection and the evils arising from abuses of
the same and incident thereto: the two sys-
tens of private and public inspection under
the laws carrying out the sense of the resolu-
tons herewith presented, would be allowed to
move on side by side the better system ulti-
mately, of necessity, prevailing.
In order TO ascertain the sentiments of the
tobacco merchants upon these resolutions rep
resentative OF the Gazette yesterday called upon
several buyers, shippers and others specially
interested in the matter.
One prominent seller Of the commodity said
that he could not endorse the action of the
grange committee, for he strenuousiy objected
TO any such division of the mode OF inspection
MS il recommends. He though that the matter
Of inspection should be private enterprise,
that plan having been adopted in New York
and successfully carried out, without admit
ting the abuses which exist in Maryland. Con-
tuuing, he said there would be just as much
sense in the States inspecting cotton as in in
spectng tobacco. The fifth provision he
thought was not perspicuouS. If it was in
tended 10 protect the grower IL MAS unnecesSa-
~, for by the present State law if tobacco
notes are hypothecated the grower can recover
his property. The same merchant remarked
that the grange seemed TO have avoided enc
very important questionable immense cost of
working the warehouses. lie summar ICED APP
proximately the cost of running each ware
house as follows, supposing FIVE to be in full
operation, (one was destroyed by fire i, will be
r@memheredl
Inspectors alary....-....-....~---...... 500
Chief Clerks salary ..........-.......... zoo
Two clerks, at $500 each. ............. l,60O
Five clerks, at 5000. observation-disclosures. 5000
Expense. to each warehouse ..SS, 800
The expense incurred by the FIRE warehouses
is therefore about Sal, 500. A fair and suth-
Gent estimate for the operation of warehouse
would be:
Inspectors salary ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS, 500
Chief Clerks salary ...................... 1000
Two assistants, Mt $500. ............... 200
Reduced pense.....-...............S3, 100
or for the i've warehouses about Sis, 800
Ii will be seen by these computations that
S2S, 600 would be saved by reducing the en-
ployes TO their proper number and converting
them from sinecures to fairly remunerative po-
sitions. Calculating that 40, 600 bogsheads of
tobacco are annually inspected, about fifteen
ordinary laborers would, on the average, be
required throughout the year in all the ware
houses; supposing them 10 lie paid 81 per day,
the expense of their services would be $50 per
day or about 50, 600 annually. II was stated
that 81 per hogshead ought TO pay all the cost
OF inspection, his deputies and clerks under 3
system OF private inspection. A prominent to-
bacco buyer in conversation said that were the
resolutions 10 be carried into effect the system
HOW Wouiu nave the 50 10
speak, OF the private inspection system, thus
compelling private interests 10 complete under
difficulties. The free system would have TO be
aided by individual enterprise entirely, and
such parties would desire to know upon what
basis they were working. They would, rs a
FIRST step, be udcr the expense of renting a
warehouse and would have TO look for a reve
nue. to the inspections which they could con-
troll. Looking 10 the future they might rea-
sonably argue that the enterprise would be
profitable, but the start would be very disad-
vantageous. If both systems existed, the
planter might, from long custom and force of
habit, patroniZe the State inspection ware
houses. The same gentleman thought that
section 9Th of the resolution was unnecessary.
A tobacco note at present bears the name of
the planter and goes into his hand or to his
factor or agent. When the sale of the tobacco
is made, it requires only the simple transfer of
the notes to give the buyer legal possession Of
the property. BY this fifth provision, which
is possibly intended as a protection against
fraud, much delay and trouble might be caused
in transfer of notes. The present system has
not been found Objectionable and ~ ~
gency which this section is
vide for, seldom arises. For tM4
committee of shippers who went to Ffec1Ilck
are in favor of radical reform in tobacco in
spection, and desire the free system. In con-
sidering this question the grange committee
summoned before them several planters and
Gen. Jas. R. Herbert, of Herbert, Hairston 4
Co., which firm acts as State Agents of the
Changers. The subject of false inspection was
brought up and freely ventilated. resulting in
the provisionary clause in the resolutions to
obviate the practice of fraud. By the old law
the inspector is permitted to draw only five
bundles of samples This prevents detection
of bad tobacco, which is either packed in the
middle or at either end of Il hogshead. Be-
sides the question of inspection, which will
come before the Legislature, it is said that the
expedency Of rebuilding the burnt warehouses
on their present sites or at Canton, will be dis
cussed. The merchants in the city seem to be
in favor of radical reform, but if
that step cannot be first taken, it is hoped the
plan of the grange will carry weight in the
Legislature. Ultimately the free system would
prevail. Great interest is manifested in the
matter.