The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1883-06-06
n Weed That Pays Better Than
the Vegetable.

the vegetable.
Hon. ;. r. Covington, 10 . speech be
fore the Board of Trade, at Cincinnati
said
Half a MILL n Of people are engaged
IN the sale of Tobacco and Cigars ia IN,
uulted States G3S,S4 acres OF land AZ,
Guilty. ted in Tobacco IN the same ter.
rltory, and the annual production !,
412 COL, l59 pounds aud that It's value j.
full $50 600 100. The annual production
OF our gold mines i f36 300, UJJ, aud j.
our silver mines 81 100 UOJ. The value
OF the Tobacco crop exceeds that 81
either our gold or silver production The
national banks he'd IN 1881 81 81 C~
IN coin $3.50. 600 in L. S. COIN certri
Gates, aud S3I.1jl 900 In gold clearing
house certIhcatcs-iu all barely enough
TO pay for the Tobacco crop of a single
year.
The average yield per acre of Tobacco
IN the United States for a period Of ten
years-lS11 to l8sO-was 40 pounds.
and the average price during that period
was nine cents per pound. The value of
production per acre was 5000. En-
braced IN this estimate, which, though
Official, Is generally admitted to be below
the true amounts, both In production and
prices, are the worn out lands Of North
Carolina aud Virginia. The value of the
wheat crop IN ONO per acre, rating it At
sl.OO Der bushel, Is sl3 so.
We export $50, S7s.>s4 worth of To-
bacco annually. Our exports of iron and
steel and all the manufacturers OF them
amount barely to $l4, 0O0. OOO ($l4, I68,-
250l.
The amount of internal revenue take.
collected from Tobacco by the general
government for the last fiscal year was
S41, 39l ,9SS.gl. There was also collected
from duties on imported Tobacco for the
year 1881. and probably about the same
III 1892, 81, 90 5J2 la addition to Il ese
ge.e the various taxes uf STATE, county.
and municipal government, on stocks,
buildings, machinery AMI for licenses
The whole sum If internal revenuc col
lectcd in ISL was Sl5J 26i. So 81 To-
oacco pays thirty five per cent of al the
internal revenue collected b. the yei ers
government, and no one Will undertake
to assert that the Tobacco Trade ha- not
a recognition among the other great :
iustries Of the country when the i%nterna,
ceverue collector is around
There are over 1909 n|ltiunal banks III
tee United States, and their capital
-tock, surplus aud undivided profits
mount, in round numbers, to$65O, 900.
900. On this immense sum they pay
81, lis, 1913 taxes to the United States
aud S7,S76. SD to thd States and NUM-
cipal governments in which they are 10
Gated; in all SIS 994, 925, or about one
third as much as paid by Tobacco to the
general government alone.
Tobacco seems to rave been the chosen
subject for governmental taxation In all
countries almost from the time Columbus
sailors saw it upon their first landing at
Cuba. If an army is to be raised To
bacco IL called upon to pay the cost. If
Office holders are TO be prov ided with
sinecures Tobacco must furnish the funds.
When a nation or a State is to be relieved
of its unpecuniosity, Tobacco stands
highest in recognition among the great
industries. and it's well filled purse is al.
WAYS open for contribution. France
raises nearly $4,000, 900 from it annu-
,!iy England imposes a tax of from
.hree 10 seven times its original value,
and limits It's admission TO the country to
particular ports and specified vessels.
The people of England pay us a tax on
he Tobacco they use greater In amount
than the value of the Tobacco exported
from the United States to all parts Of
the world.
1t is stated that Tobacco is the most
extensively used Of all vegetable produc-
tions. and, next to salt, is the most
generally consumed of all productions
whatsoever, animal, vegetable or mineral,
on the face of the earth. There is a free
masonry about it, having neither secrets
nor signs as tests of fraternity, but with
plain, open-handed and cordial signals of
good fellowship In view. 1t is of and in
itself a bond of sympathy. 1t is a pro-
moter Of commerce in all its relations,
because its presence is alw ,ys a sign of a
genial, social disposition, and one of the
n evidences of hospitable inten
tions.
Treaties of peace might be made with
our American Indians and signed aud
sealed, but neither signature Dor seals
we're TO them any evidences of good
EaiIn. The smoking of the calumet of
/eace alene furnished thar evidence
The Turk never betrays the stranger ,ho
has smoked with him. The pipe. every
where. among AL nations. civilized aud
savage, and in every tongue. Is a volume
~ lt,e't, expressing a desire to cultivate
,.t only friendly but commercial rela-
ticns. aud is 80 uulers;ooi and accepted
So long "a the fragrant Cigar, the lus-
cious auid and the gently titilat!ng pow
der retain thor relative properties and
calm mental and bodily rc>tliuess, To
baoco will hold commercial relations with
every land and upon every sea, >ecur
ing an enviah!e recognition among the
great industries of the world and holding
its fa.rciai head above them all. for
what is life without lis eriyuent?