Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1880-02-14
THEroRAccO rRAnE.
Eniurious Effects osrhe Reggie CON-
tracts
A Nashville Memorial TO Congress
ON theAubiect--S0me Interesting
Facts Concerning This Ina-
porIant interests.


ON Neutrality-suspicious. Interesting
Facts Concerning This Inn
portant interests.
Nashville American.
The following memorial has been prepared
for the purpose of bringia g to the attention
of Congress matter in which all who pro-
duce and handle leaf tobacco in the United
States are greatly interested. Copies Will be
sent to the tobacco markets throughout the
country, as well as to the tobacco raising
counties of Tennessee, for signatures:
THE MEMORIAL.
NASHVILLE, Tenn, Feb. &, lSS0.-To the
Honorable Senate and House of representa-
tives in Congress assembled, at Washington,
ID. O.: The undersigned, your petitioners,
officers and members of the tTobacco Board
of Trade OF Nashville, Tenn" and others in
terested in the purchase and sale of leaf to-
bacco, would respectfully represent to your
honorable body that great injury and
manifest Injustice is being done to one of
the largest agricultural Interests in this This
purchase or sale of one of our great staples,
produced in thirteen different States of this
Union, and won d humbly ask that such
action be taken in the premises by your
honorable body as may bring relief.
Your petitioners would show TO your hon
orable body that nom the article OF leaf To-
bacco the Government OF the United states
derives an annual revenue of about S4l,000,-
600, which willserve TO call to your attention
the extent OF its production in the States,
and the magnitude of the interests involved
in its culture, sale, purchase and manufac-
ture. Your petitioners would respectfully
represent to your honorable body that this
immense interest is greatly injured and pro-
ducers and dealers largely damaged by the
legislation and commercial usage of certain
foreign governments, from which your petit
TONERS, for themselves and thousands of
others, as dealers, and the hosts who are
engaged in thirteen different States in this
Union in the production OF this great stable,
pray relief.
Your petitioners would represent to your
honorable body that in the countries OF
France, Spain, Italyan Austria, in Europe,
the importation and sale OF this great staple
of our country is made a government mono
poly, and that il no other way than through
this government monopoly is tobacco al
lowed to be imported into their dominioDs.
and this to the great detriment of the thous-
ands in this country interested as producers
Of or dealers therein by depriying them OF
competition in tile sale thereof.
France imports about S6,00O,000 worth OF
| leaf tobacco per annum, upon which pro-
tit of about $40 0O0,0 900 is realized, or about
one-third of her entire revenue, and this is
but an illustration of what is done in Spain,
Italy and Austria. Your petitioners reco-
| gnize the fact that these great governments
have not only the right to derive reyenae
from leaf tobacco within their respective
dominions, but also to provide the manner
| in which said revenue shall be raised; but
| your petitioners respectfully but earnestly
| protest that thay have not the right to raise
said revenue in such manner as to result in
| the great detriment and unparalleled in
| jury of the thousands engaged in the pro-
duction of this great staple in thirteen diff
| ferent States of this Union, and the inl-
nrenSe numbers interested as dealers i'll the
same, throughout the length and breadth OF
| this land by creating a close monopoly
| within their dominionS, thereby, excluding
| that healthy competition to which, by the
! laws OF commerce, we are entitled, and
which our interests demand. Your petit
| TONERS would further represent to your hon.
orable body that other countries in Europe,
not 10 ment1On our own Government, de-
| rive immense revenue from leaf tobacco,
| perhaps as great or greater than that of the
| four great powers named, but the same is
raised in such manner (bY taXation) as not
to interfere with its Importation into those
| dominions by any and all persons who may
desire to engage therein, thus constituting
| what is termed open markets. We may cite
| in this connection the case OF England
where the tax levied upon leaf tobacco is
| about eighty five cents per pound, and per-
| hapS a greater revenue is raised than in
| France, Spain, Italyor Austria, but hers is
| an "open" market, into which any person,
native or foreign, may import; hence, we
are notdepriyed of that healthy competition
| so much TO be desired in the sale of this and
| all other products of the country. Your petit
| TONERS would further represent to your hon.
Orable body that these four great govern
ments purchase in the United States, every
year, an average of not less than 25, 000, 00t
pounds of leaf tobacco, each making an ag-
gregate of LOG. 600 600 or over, and these large
purchases are through agents, called regieS,
| in such manner as to lower the value not
| only of the tobacco purchased for these
! Governments, but the entire stock or pro-
ducts of this country, and to place it in the
| power of two or three men to fix the price OF
tobacco on all the markets of this country,
and through our markets 1.-THE original
source ofsupply) control the markets of the
world. This your petitioners humbly pro-
test is too great power over this immense
interest to be placed in the hands of two or
three men whose pecuniary interest demand
the lowest price attainable. Your petition
ers would further represent to your honora-
bic body that the purchase made by these
agents or regies for their respective Govern
ments are made by advertising for contracts
to furnish the guam titles of tobacco required
by their respective. governments within a
Spec1ned time. These contracts are let to
the lowest bidder; often one person secures
the contract to furnish two or more of these
Governments thus cutting off competition
on these large amounts of tobacco by reduc-
ing the number of persons interested in
these contracts, and placing it in the power
or Two or three contractors, by collision or
combination, TO manipulate the prices on
leaf tobacco at all times, in such manner as
may suit their own private interests. Your
/ petitioners would further state that this
large amount of leaf tobacco before men
t7di1Sd-oVer I00S09, 900 pOundS-as sold to
these GUV6Tnffae Is through the ssforelaaea-
TONED agents or regieS and contract, must
necessarily be sold to these governments,
there being no other market or demand for
the same. But if these monopolies are re-
moved, and these several countries made
open markets, to which all may ship who
desire to do SO, their respective governments
may by taxation secure as great revenue as
at present, and at the same time our people
may have one hundred men buying their
produce for importation to each one of the
countries, where now they have but one.
Your petitioners would further state, that
no other product of this or any other coun-
try, SO far as they have been able to learn, is
thus Disseminated against. Your petition
ers respectfully req ueSt, and earnestly de-
mand, that as the markets of these United
states are open to all citizens of the inhabi-
tated globe, into which they may import
any or all of their products, SO in like man
ner, and upon like terms, these four great
governments above named be required to
open their markets to our tobacco, do away
with their monopOlieS and abate the great
injury and damage being done our agricul-
tural and commercial interests.
The facts and premises considered, your
petitioners humbly pray that your honora-
bic body Will take cognizance of the grew
ance, and that such action may be had by
your honorable body as may bring the
greatest and most speedy relief to your petit
TONERS and tO-the immense interest above
referred to, and as in duty bound will ever
pray.
II. H. Poston, President of. the Nashville
Tobacco Board of Trade.
L. Z. Peck, Vice President of the Nashville
Tobacco Board of Trade.
A. Ii. Fleming, Secretary and Treasurer of
the Nashville Tobacco Board of Trade
j. 5. Bethel, Assistant Secretary and
Treasurer of the Nashville Tobacco Board of
Trade. ~
Gordon, Bro. & Co., John c. Gordon,
Martin, Miller q Co. IT Fl MaSOrJ.