Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser., 1886-07-23
The Tobacco Market.

lhe TACT that there was no demand at
all in the Baltimore market for Maryland
tobacco in the early months of the year,
was explained away by the Baltimore fac
tors in manner partially satisfactory to
the farmers, by the statement that the de-
lay in the opening OF the market was due
to the past unsatisfactory experience Of
European consumers with tobacco packed
in the early months of the year, accompa-
MED by the assurance that when the mar
ket did open it would show increased ac-
tivity and better prices than heretofore.
In view of the amendments in the inspec
tion laws, adopted at the last session of
the Legislature in full compliance with
the demands, of the Baltimore buyers, the
farmers were led to expect some improve
ment in the market and the opening was
looked to with some interest.
Now, however, that the market has
reached the point of its fullest activity and
prices continue to rule so low the farmers
are much discouraged and disappointed.
1t is said that tobacco of fair to good quail
ity sells very readily but that prices range
from two TO three cents lower in the pound
than last year. There seems now to be
little probability of any material improve
ment in the market during the present
season and farmers are asking each other
and their agents for the cause of this sud
den and unexpected depression, at time
when they were led tc look for an improve
ment, but we have not heard of any salts
factory explanation.
AS usual many people have theories on
the subject, but none of them seem to be
well verified by facts. The advocates of
private Inspections are heard to charge
it upon the "trammel of the trade" con-
tanned in the State inspection laws; but
this seems to be most illogical reasoning,
in view of the fact that the law passed at
the last session was direct step toward
the chief result which it has been claimed
would be accomplished by private inspec-
tions, viz: a guarantee of the samples.
The new law attaches full and practical
guarantee to every sample taken at the
State warehouses and provides the means
of promptly redeeming the warranty. Its
effect should be to give full confidence to
the foreign buyer in handling the Mary
land product. 1. would be unreasonable
to charge the present depression to great
er lack of confidence on the par. Of the
foreign consumers in the Maryland inspec
tions, as the present law certainly gives as
full indemnity to the consumer against
false packing or false Inspections as could
possibly be attained by private inspections
The cause Of the depressed market must
be looked for entirely outside o! inspsc
tion laws. The true cause is probably
difficult to explain. 1t may be due to an
over production among the foreign manu-
ufacturers, or other cause affecting the de-
mand for our production. There have
been frequently, ,retofore, quite as great,
and as suddes depressions in our tobacco
market as that now existing and they were
never charged to the inspection laws; but
in due time the market was again restored
to its normal condition. There does in
deed seem to be some force in the theory
that all Maryland tabacco being requ
to be sent to Baltimore, practically cuts
off the competition of other markets and
makes it more easy fer the few Baltimore
BUYERS to effect 'corner" in tobacco
This would seem to demonstrate the nec-
essity of the amendment to the compulsory
feature Of the inspection law, heretofore
frequently advocated by the TINES, where
by farmers would be permitted TO send
their tobacco wherever they pleased cut
side of the State.
But, whatever may be the cause of the
present depression in prices, it falls most
heavily upon farmers at this time. twas
hoped that better prices this year would
enable our farmers to recover in some
measure from the embarrassment put upon
them by the short crop of year before last
but instead of that, they are compelled to
face much poorer market for their tsbac-
CO, while the price obtained for wheat
barely repays the expense of production.
The prospect is gloomy indeed for the til
ler Of the soil in this section Of the State;
but there is always one consolation for the
farmer-that by proper management be
can produce the most necessary articles for
his own house consumption. The proba-
bility is that the present depression is
merely temporary and that reaction will
soon follow which will bring better pros
pect to the agriculturist.