The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-12-07
BUSINESS SOUTH.
Condition and Prospects of Mer-
chants and Planters.
"HARD PAN" And HIGH HOPES.
Virginia, the Carolinas, Georgia, Alabama,
Florida, Tennessee, Louisiana.
COTTON, CORN, TOBACCO.
Encouraging Results of Working
On a Cash Basis.
SMALLER FARMS, BETTER CROPS
Diversity Of Products the Salvation
of the Planters.
DULNESS In TOBACCO GROWING.
Where Capital Is Wanted-Immigration,
transportation and Banking.
Encouraging Results Of Working
On a Cash Basis.
SMALLER FARMS, BETTER CROPS
Diversity of Products the Salvation
of the Planters.
DULNESS IN TOBACCO GROWING.
Where Capital Is Wanted-Immigration
transportation and Banking
VIRGINIA.

VIRGINIA.
DRAWBACKS OF TOBACCO CULTURE AND MAN.
UFAcTuRE@EFFEcTs OF THE TAXA WEAK
GRAIN TRADE-BANKING FACILITIES WANTED
ssHARD PAN" CAUTION AND SAFETY THE RULE
IN BUSINESS
RICHMOND Dec. 8. 1878.
In response to my inquiries to the general
dtion the people Of this State. particularly the
farmers and Planters compared with two or three
years ago, have received information from every
section upon which the facts set forth in this
munication are based The questions, propounded
in general way, were:-To ascertain il the condition
of tho country improveds Had the farmers and
planters made money this year than three
years ago? We're movements Of crops larger and
active? Was the prospect Of crops increased?
Was there improved disposition to invest in bust
ness generally? Was there marked Improvement in
local trade? Was confidence returning and there
more money ncirculation than in the two preceding
years? Almost unanimously there came . negative
reply to these questions, the exceptions being in
favor OF returning confidence. and that in some
instances wasconsdered doubtful. TWAS gratifying.
however learn that there exists among every class
Of people more healthy condition financially than
has obtained for many years; that they had come
down TO .hard pam and that with the repeal of the
bankrupt law and the of resumption at hand the
future looked bright and full of hope.
CAUSES OF DEPRESSION
Tobacco is the chief reliance OF Virginia, rather
IN Eastern Virginia. where 1t is knoAsn its money
Jrop. When the manufacture of tobacco was con-
Quoted free Of other than that borne by all other
Industries nearly all the tobacco manufacture in the
United States carried on in Virginia. As soon -
an oyerseer in tobacco factory beczme qualified
from experience TO operate on his own account he
capital required to set him up business. The largo
number Of buyers thus created made competition
keen for all grades OF tobacco, and to the planter
cured remuncratfve price for his product. The fine
grades of leaf were bought for the city and town
trades and tine lower grades for the country stores
in all directions Of the Union where tobacco
chewed or. indeed, smoked. chewing plug to
bscco be up by the for hts pipe.
Even the negroes in the South consumed nannfac-
tured tobacco. because it could be sold (reted by
the plug, for less than is added to the price in
the shape Of the twenty-four cent tax. All this is
now changed. The whole country trade lias been
neatly blottcd out. The farmers not deening them
selves able taxed tobacco. wherever IL be
raised, even the farmer depends for his income
other staple crops. patch large enough for the farm
ers consumption II grown and used in the shape Of
the leaf. The trade Is therefore narrowed down
the city and town trades and the Manufacture.
having 20 advance twentg-four cents per pound
cannot afford TO nse any but the finest Leaf he cannot
take the risk low grades. This. then requires the
manufacturer 10 have the command ~ large capital
and constrains the oyers.-r remain overseer
lie has no showing whatever TO improve his con-
df.ion unless he undertakes 70 put up tobacco ION
the sly' and run IL into market in defiance Of the
laws The tax does still mort foods The market
with low grades or Leaf. and this food has over
whemed everything. until now the good low
grades do not, in many fetch more money than
corn shucks. This state Of affairs II borne out
by the report q the Congressional committee
appointed 20 investigate the condition Of the tobacco
trade in connection with the tax
THE PLANTERS.
This grangling Of the tobacco interest in Virginia
for the bulk u the tobaccos ARE now low grsdes-has
made the condition % the grower than he has
ever experienced The reason why the type OF the
tobacco has declined in quality il found in the fart
that the negro is no longer directed ners rot~ns by
The white man. when be was slave his master
brought the handling u his tobsccos to fine art.
The same negroes handled IL every year. and
made 10 handle il properly. Vow this negro may
not be any plantation two years AZ time, and not
few OF the planters. being unable 70 hire him
ii all. mnst needs let ont portions OF their estates
plentiful crop III the aggregate Of low grades.
Western competition OF has had s effect bat
That could have been overcome with freedom from
tax that has fearfully diminished consumption or
the grades Virginia produce. There Ia no por-
lion Of the Tobacco region OF Virginia that enjoys
lower part where fancy bright tobacco is grown.
the large increase in tho cigarette trade inducing
Extra consumption Of this type of leaf On these
several accounts the inquiries for tobacco farms
and the desire to invest in tire obacco business
Is almost enectnAAy crushed out.
Around Norfolk the trucking interest Is decidedly
on the increase, and the community engaged in this
kind OK farming are reasonably prosperous.
GRAIN Cs1rTE.
The grain region OF Virginia is bereft Of the adyn-
Of noaruess TO market because through freights
lrom the West VII land grain al Tho seabozrd for the
Jame money. The question being between the fresher
lands Of the West aud the lands Of Virginia.
transportation charges being equal. tho Virginia
is left in the rear In Southwestern Virginia
rattle growing i on e increase, aud the region is
reasonably comforta0h, but being without banking
facilities its forward movement must necessarily be
sardy.
BsgKIsG FscrLrrTE.
From every section comes a complaint about bank
That the national banking system Is utterly unsuited
10 sparsely settled country like the south. Tho real
tate security Of the southern country is wholly
available and the people here have little else 10 offer
Dne correspondent says In this connection --"vir-
gna fs not worried about the resumption Of specie
payments II viii affect her very little the
other what she wants Is the ability 10 take Of
herself and this she never do underth operation
OF the Tar tobacco aud banking system That fur
pishes her with no facilities. sIet her try
tile state bank system by taking of tho
ten per cent tar. IL il does not work
II will easy enough 10 change II. our dealings are
sntrely with country people and our business Gov
be in the country IL has been this year.
Nor do we see where any improvements Of any &C
count b TO come from next year.
TOBACCO WHEAT.
The crop 81 tobacco IL good In quality very gener
ny thF year. and IL Is hoped better prices will he oh
aimed. but there i assurance whstever that this
tl he the nrt The wheat crnp, except In the Shnf-
mdonh valley, was generally failure this year. To-
barco j. the great STAPLE and while that is hanipcrcd
kitA an oppressive tax times will be hard in Viz
gina.
COMPARATIVE TAXATION.