The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1881-01-15
For the Democratic AdrOcqte.
MARYLAND TOBACCO INSPECTION. /.
PoRr REPUBLIC, CALVERT Co., Mp, !

attention to Secretary Eyarts' Communication
to Gov. Hamilton on the subject of tobacco
inspection in Maryland has been received.
You ask for my views on the subjects discus
sed therein, and | give them. That we
should be always ready to give our reasons
for the faith that is in us, is according to the
Scriptures.
Let me premise by saying that am not, a
politician in the ordinary acceptatlon OF the
word. | am neither Democratic or a Re.
publican politician-1'I= am for the honest
and for the honest Republican against the
dishonest Democrat am for the honest
man against the rogue every time
Let me further premise by saying that am
not an office hunter and never have been. l
| long since realized the fact that | could sup
port my family better by attending strictly to
my own business, than by running around
hunting Office.
Now we come to Mr. Evarts' commnnica-
ton. Truly, our public officials make won
derful discoveries sometimes. Mr., Evarts
tells us on authority of the U. S. Consul at
Bremen, "The complaints of Maryland in
spection are so general that it Is exceedingly
difficult to make sales Of this tobacco at all. !"
Now the tobacco planters of Maryland may
not know much, but they know when their
tobacco is selling well. They know that the
lower grades of Maryland tobacco such as
are shipped to Bremen, are now selling and
have been selling all the past summer and
fall, more readily and at higher prices than
at any time during the past fifteen years. If
Mr.. Evarts had told us that the inspectors IN
| the State warehouses were using devilish in
carnations like the witches of New England,
to give our cows the murrain and the hollow
horn, think some of our people would have
believed him. If he had told US that these
said inspectors were the cause why our grain
is now selling for such low and unremunera-
tive prices, / am snre some of us would have
believed him. But when he tells rs that 1t is
the inspection that causes our tobacco to be
so dull Of sale, he makes the people TO stretch
their eyes in establishment, for they know that
their tobacco is selling better than at any time
since the war.
Allthe Government shorses and all the Gov
eminent men, Mr.. Evarts and the Bremen
Consul included, will hardly make the people
believe thing so palpab!y contrary to their
own knowledge.
1t is wonderful that man of Mr.. Evarts'
astuteness should not have satisfied himself
Of the correctness of his premises, viz. that
sit was exceedingly difficult to sell Mary land
tobacco at ALL before proceeding to erect
his superstructure of argument upon false
basis. His basis being shown to be false all
his communication tumbles to the ground like
a house of cards.
So far from Maryland inspection injuring
the price Of Maryland tobacco, it is a we'll
known fact that during the entire season Ma
ryland tobacco has brought a better price,
quality considered, than Ohio tobacco, inspec-
ted in the private warehouses at Locust Point
and Canton. For the truth of this statement
! refer to the prices current as published in
the Baltimore papers during the season. L
pick up an american at hazard; | find it dated
9th Dec 1t SAYS: "There is a fair demand
for Maryland leaf, but very little movement
in the Ohio product
And here | might retort the argument, and
say that private inspection at Locust Point
and Canton causes this Stagnation in Ohio
| tobacco, but do not know that it is so, and
| leave false pretences to others. But | do
know that State warehouse inspection has not
produced stagnaton in the sale of Maryland
tobacco; on the contrary Gov. Hamilton S
appointees have cause to telicitate themselves
on the fact that Maryland tobacco, especially
the coarser qualities, such as go to Bremen,
has greatly advanced in price since they have
been inspecting it, That this is true every
planter agent and every buyer in Baltimore
knows. | do not pretend that this advance
has been caused by the excellence of their
inspection; it is the effect of other causes, but
it shows at least that their inspection has not
lowered the price of tobacco.
But to return to Mr.. EvartS' communica-
ton. | think there is something in it if we
only could get at its true intent and meaning.
During the war when the Republicans had
possession of the warehouses and enjoyed the
patronage thereof, they were all very well sat
ished with the State system of tobacco inspec-
ton. | never heard a man of them object to
the system then. Now that the Democrats
have gotten possession and are enjoying its
patronage, | don't know a Republican politi
clan who is not in favor of abolshing the sys.
TEN. That the patronage Of the warehouses
is now used for the benefit of the Democratic
party, and to the loss, damage and detriment
of the Republican party, Mr.. Evarts knows as
well as l do-and | regret 1t as much as he
does-I could wish that all offices, in Balti
more, in Washington, in New York, in all the
States, were filled with an eye single to the
honesty, capacity and. fitness of the incumbent.
But am not sure that Mr.. Evarts would join
with me in a reform that would deprive Re
publican partisans of the spoils of victory.
Now the difference between Mr.. Evarts and
myself is this: He is politician and would
subordinate the interests of all men and all
things to the interests ofthe Republican party.
| am planter and would subordinate the in
terests Of both the Republican and Democrat
ic parties to the true interest Of the planters.
think there is no doubt that Mr.. Evarts
believes that all laws, usges and institutions
in the Southern States, that initiate against
the Republican party, ought to be promptly
reconstructed: but if they initiate in favor OF
the Republican party, why that's horse OF
another color.
at is my opinion and belief Old Gentle
man." said the sergeant to old Ba!ie Nichol
Jarvie, "if you were going to be hanged your
self, you would not be in such a ID hurry"
1t is my opinion and belief if the warehouses
were now in the possession of his friends Mr..
Evarts would not be in any hurry at all to
abolish the system Of State inspection.
Note the tenderness which Mr.. Evarls has
suddenly conceived for the planters of Mary
land. He says he is actuated by considera,
tons for our best interests. The tender mer-
cies of some people are cruel The man who
invented the guiletine in France declared
that he was actuated by motives oftenderness
for his fellow man.
| should not wonder if some Of our Mary
land planters, encouraged by Mr.. Evarts'
newly awakened sympathy, should apply to
him for office.
We now come to that part of Mr.. Evarts'
COMMUNICATION which charges that much of
the tobacco sent from Baltimore to Bremen is
not fairly represented by the samples accom-
panying it; that the samples are often much
better than the bulk of the tobacco from WHICH
they have been drawn.
There isSometimeS some truth in this charge;
and those who are unacquainted with the
tricks of the trade, very naturally suppose
that the fault lies with the inspector; whereas
nine times out of ten, nothing can be farther
from the truth.
The discrepancy between the sample and
| the tobacco it represents arises very often
from the CUSTOM which prevails in Baltimore
both among the buyers and sellers Of tobacco,
of picking the samples after they have been
taken from the warehouse.
This custom makes very little difference
when the tobacco has been carefully stripped
and properly assorted in the bundles but
when it has been carefully stripped and bad
leaves mixed with good, by pulling out the
bad leaves the sample can be greatly en-
HANGED in value.
You may ask, what motive has tobacco
buyer in picking his samples and making
them appear better than when drawn?
The men who buy tobacco in Baltimore are
generally the agents of European houses.