The state chronicle. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1883-1893, 1883-09-29
THE TOBACCO FAIR.
THE PROJECT POSTPONED RJTT
NOT ABANDONED,
An Explanation of the Scope and Pur-
pose of the Durham Association to
Advertise our Golden Product.

DURHAM, N. c., Sept. 24.-When the
Tobacco Fair Association was organized it
was advertised, and the press Of the State,
as it always does when its public spirit is
put TO the test, gave tie project its hearty
support When, also, the project was
abandoned fer this year, and the money
spent on the roads that lead hither, that ac-
tlon was very generously and generally ap-
plauded. and it has stirred other enterpris-
ing towns to construct better roads, The
once projected Tobacco Fair, therefore, has
in its very postponement been abundantly
productive of good, directly and indirectly.
Yet there is much that is suggested by it
which has not been written with suffic!ent
fullness or emphasis. 1t was and is pro-
iect that concerns the whole State and the
whole South nor is the present an inoppor
tune time ~expixi8=iss.s sFass = ~eszs-t
The Tobacco Fair ASS ci nion IS incor
porated and is yet 10 existence Indeed,
the abandonment OF the fair tins year IS not
really an abandonment at all, but only
postponement and, though there is now
no definite plan or date, 1t is certain that
the Association will not only carry out Its
former plan, but will also make and carry
out s,lll greater one.
The original project was simply to hold
great State exposition. With tobacco AS the
central object The prime purpose and at
traction was to be- tobac o--tobacco IN the
seed tobacco i'll the your plant tobacc"
in the field, tobacco in the harm, tobacco l.
the market. tobacco in the factory, tobacco
in the mouth. The whole story tand
marvellous story 1t ~ of the pl Int from
seed TO cuspador, from the field of the
farmer to the smoke of Polynesian mon
arch, is the story of much OF the agrlcul-
,ural wealth that comes yearly into the
State. The rise and extension nf tobacco
culture in North Carolina is one Of the most
important and Interesting unwritten chap
tiers of our history. 1t is surprising how
few persons know 1t. OF course, in the
first place it Is the biggest thing IN farm
ing and has brought more money into the
tobacco belt than cotton or any other pro
duet ever brought into any area III North
Carolina five times AS large and, in the
second place, its manipulation and manu-
facture give empl"ym to more persons,
male and female. than any other kind OF
manufacture i'll the State.
All this is as Interesting any other kind
of agriculture and manufacture in the
world; more interesting. in fact, than any
thing else in North Carolina and it IS more
novel to the majority of North Carolinans
than anything else. To the visitor and
spectator no exposition that has ever been
held has afforded more instruction or amuse-
ment than this will. Besides, great to
bacco fair is something in which every
North Carolinian can take great and es-
pecial pride. True, we DO not purchase
wives with the weed as the good VIrgnians
did in old days, but we annoy wives not a
little with it, and those who have built
their fortunes on it make their wives com
Portable thereby But as comparatively
new and IA exceedingly profitable indus
tries the culture and manufacture OF tobac-
co may we'll be matters of great pride to us.
We excel the world.
There is also an important business
side 10 such project. One main pur-
pose of the exhibition Of North Caro-
lima tobacco is to change the peculiar
and unfair nomenclature Of the trade.
Our beautiful leaf, which commands the
highest prices in all the markets OF the
world, and which is produced only in the
golden belt Of North Carolina, is called
and sold in the worlds market as "Vir-
ginia tobacco Credit to whom credit is
due, and direct trade-these are prime
purposes of the exposition. Until short
time ago, manufacturers at a distance
bought much Of the tobacco which goes
from North Carolina in the leaf from deal
ers in Richmond and elsewhere, who, o.
course, were gO-betWeens between the
North Carolina warehouseman or com
mission merchant, who was the farmer
agent. and tile manufacturer. He made :
profit. which. if saved, goes to the farmer
Rect ntly the buyers III the Western mar
kets, whittier a great deal OF North Caro-
lima tobacco is shipped, have bought di
rectly from Durham and other markets il
the Sta,e To keep this good custom ir
tact, ard to keep the trade direct, and es
pecialiy to bring it about that North Caro-
lima tobacco shall be called and sold a
North Carolina tobacco can be done in NJ
other way 50 well as by giving North Car
olina obaccO such emphasis as an exp
sition of this kind will give it.
So much for the project as it was formet
fer this year, and wisely abandoned
re-.
within reach for us to have one anyhow
Now for the project as it stands in some
what indefinite shape, but in no uncer
tainty whatsoever; for Durham will surel
carry it out just so soon as it can be CARRIE
out wisely The association still exist
The experience got even by projecting
fair Will be worth much when the pla
shall be carried out. The gentlemen VIII
have it in charge have gained and ar
gaining enthusiasm by observation at Bos
ton and at Louisville. Besides, the peopl
nave this summer come the better TO ull
Cerstand from these two expositons tn
value Of such things, and to relish NOR
keonly the pleasure they afford Til
chance is ripening and becoming better
More than this, when it is carried out,
will be carried out on grandcr seal
than as at first projected. Tobacco, q
course, will be the central product an
manufacture, but every other product {
North Carolina Will De on exhibition
There will be such al exhibit as there
now at Boston, with many additions.
And it is high time, or soon will be, w
were having a commanding and compre
hensive exposition. The direct good "'
suits that have followed to the State {
Georgia from the Cotton Exposition q
Atlanta are more numerous and of create
significance than the most sanguine frien
Of that enterprise ever predicted. A gres
tobacco NOrtH Ia affrac
the attention of the whole world.
And Durham can manage it. The I
is only one large hotel here now. bu
Durham is this kind Of a place: if al
other, or a dozen others are needed, the
will be here-as if erected by magic
Durham has the public spirit, the pluc
and the cash to do a big thing; and a pei
pie who are as independent as the bushes
men OF Durham, enterprising and
hospitable, can and will take good care