The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1880-12-22
ABOUT TOBACCO.

ne larAneFs OF mcdowell CouhAJ'
Jorth Carelina, Becently held pub
ic meeting in the interest of grow
Dg tobacco, at which Maj. W n.
Malone delivered an address and
old a little of what he knew about
.obacce. The Major we believe is
native of Campbell county, Tenn
and in ante.belIum days was prom
ising young member Of the KAox-
Vile bar, He settled in Western |
North Carolina during the war and
became pioneer in the tobacco III
terest and has done much toward
bringing the product of that sec
ton to its present high standard in
the markets of the world. We find
this much of his talk reported IN the
Asbevil[e NeaUs
The cultivation of tobacco is now one
of the chief branches Of our national in
dustry. It is estimated frsm an official
report of the government, that in the
year 1877, about 10000, coo pounds
were raised in the United States. This
quantity at an average of 10 cents per
pound would yield $44, 900, 900. To cul-
tivate this amount of tobacco requires
the labor of absut $50, 900, 900 persons.
In addition to this, the same Official re-
/ ports shew that 6O,292 persons are an
nuaIly employed in the making ef CT
gars; that 40, $50 ara engaged in the
manufacture of plug tobacco; and that
about 324, 941 persons are engaged IN
the sale and distribution of tobacco.
From the statistics it will appear that
about one million Of her people are en-
gagged in the tobacco business within
tie United States, including laboreTs,
mechanics, experts, dealers, manufac-
turers, ard merchants. Surely any in
dustry which will employ such vast
amount of labor is worthy OF toe high
est consideration.
But another important feature In this
great national industry, is the amount
of capital INVOLVED in the business:
which is indicated by The vast revenue
which it yields to the government. The
revenue paid to the government per an.
Gum under the present system Of taxa.
ton averages frem $37, 900, 600 to $40,.
coo, 900. and of this sum the State OF
Virginia pays over five and sne-hali
million Of dollars while the State OF
Nerth Carolina pays one million Of dol,
lars, most of which is paid in the third,
fourth and fifth Collection Districts. In
1875 the Seventh District (our Western
District,) emily paid 49, $40 40.
In the same year the Fifth North Car
DINA Collection District paid $780,
655 70. This district, OF course, in-
cludes those counties In the State where
tobacco is raised in the greatest quanti-
! ty. Nv we can take twenty counties
in Western North Carolina in which as
much tobacco should be raised and man
ufacturctl as in the Fifth District. So
instead of paying $4,000 revenue we
could pay over half a million. I speak
of the vast amount of revenue we could
pay to illustrate the extent to which its
culture and manufacture should be ex-
tended. Then consider the vast num-
Der Of our idle people who could obtain
employment, which is the life-blsQd of
a counlr y-give thspeople employment,
and pauperism and crime disappear,
while Individual prosperity and nation
al wealth are among the glorious re-
suits.
In my opinion this is happy era for
Western North Carolina. Railroad and
Geographic communications have been
established with the outside wsrId-we
are no longer psnt up amid impossible
mountains, and sur natural facilities
are uneaualed. Here in this great IN
developed empire" we have discovered
new source OF wealth Here We have
found the golden Eldorado"-the soil
is peculiarly adapted to the raising Of
fine leaf tobacco. Experiments have fully
demonstrated this fact. Then why will
our people continue TO hunt, fish, idle
and loafer ? Why not quit whiting on
goods boxes, lsunging at cross roads,
and around bar-rooms, and go earnestly
to work?