The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1879-07-04
Sunat al, bf r,one il, Virginia Tobaes

A 4
Exchange on Tuesday last we propose 10
use as the text fvtsa few observations t,si %
These sales were all made by coiored men
diving In Louisa county, and the tobacco
was produced by their own hands. Ihey
were as follows:
Fountain NJ. Perk'ns. 1880 pounds. and
Melted 10000. prices paid: sSS, S54.oo'
/ M. /. Pei ins, 1856 pounds, and nettea
s5o7 SO. prices paid: s33S 90, s2o.5o, Slo'
! " n. Perkins. 1.Gzo pounds, and nettea'
s3O5.15. .lPrices paid sS7 90, sls %, ana ana
H. K. Perkins, 2.os5 pounds, and netsed
s1s5.07. Prices paid SIG 90 Slo:oo' ana
r. johnson, 1880 pounds, and netted
si1o. 30. prices paid: s22'5 sfs.ao' ana
ballard Dickinson. 420 pounds, and net
ted sl3e.54. prices paid: s4s and 500 J.
/ Taking into account the universal cry OF
low prices for tobacco. we confess 10 no
little establishment at this showing. 1t APP
pears that this is no ne~ thing with this
PERKINS family. The flrst-named. (FoUS-,
TAIN), we learn, has in the last three years
cot two special premiums $3.50 in silver ana
$50 in gold) for the best tobacco sold. These
premiums were offered in Louisa county by
some pubic-spirited men. and, as we OBJ
serve from the above, have not gone barren
of fruit. When the first premium was de;
Eyered to FOUNTAIN pains were taken to
have the matter noised abroad throughout
the county some time in advance. a great
crowd was the result. and reaoivine itself
into a meeting, the venerable JOHN HUNTER
was made chairman, and Mr.. FRANK '.
WINSTON spokesman. Mr.. WINSTON, in an
admirable discourse, pressed the lesson
bone upon the colored people in the az
sembly, pointing to what FOUNTAIN bad
accom- plished by honest work, and how
such conduct had given him both standing
and credit in the community. Now, II we
see such excellent results from an effort OF
this kind IN one locality. why may not the
same thing be done elsewhere in the to-
bacco region? And would it not pay
every way for the Tobacco Exchange to
offer series OF premiums wholly app'lca-
BILE to The labor OF colored men? These
people have always been with us. They
| have been invested with the right OF SUI
frage, and, whether we like it or not, 1t
cannot be reversed. Oar business, then, Is
to make them worthy members OF the COM
munity. and this can only come OF encour-
agement. The moment they become pro-
perry holders they become conservative
and law-abidiug; and that secured, the
| carpet Dagger is powcr!ess.
Another point: II these coored men are
able to produce tobacco that will fetch such
prices, why is not such tobacco produced
| bv other people as well? We do not see
that these men were in possession OF any
advantages not enjoyed by other tobacco.
growers in their section. Where, then, is
the secret? Good rork, and nothing else.
1t is utterly impossible for man to sit on
split-bottomcd chair half the day at the
grocery, talking over the affairs OF the ma
ton, and succeed in making good crop OF
tobacco or anything else. When we ask
the men in the trade about tobacco, they
tell US that the world is flooded with our
low grades, and how sorry they are that the
Kings pipe at Shockoc warehouse was
ever pulled down. When we consider
that as long ago as 1853, Virginia
exported 59,s47 full hogsheads OF good
tobacco, and that. despite the fact that
nearly every country in the world produces
tobacco. no successful substitute for good
Virginia tobacco has to this day been found,
we are painfully certain that screw is loose
somewhere. What, then, is to be done?
MainfestIy this j: to plant smaller areas and
qive them better cultiUation and manuring.
1t will not do to think that anything called
tobacco can be sold at price that will pay
the planter for raising it. Good tobacco only
,oM fetch good price, and it is folly for US
to be satisfied with any thing less; the world
can beat us out of our shoes on low grades.
Do we choose, then, to do our best, or will
we, half doing, give our time to bewailing
our i'll fortunes? The example OF these CO.
ored men should not be lost sight of in
reaching the answer to this question.