Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1886-06-04
The Tobacco Market and the 1nspec-
ton Law.

land tobacco has in late years fallen some
what in disrepute in the European markets
where it is almost exclusively sold, and
this is said to be due to the careless or
improper manner in which the tobacco
has been prepared for market and the fact
that many falsely packed hogsheads passed
undecided through the State warehouses
as formerly regulated. The last Legisla-
turs, in compliance with the petition of
an influential convention of The buyers
and sellers of the Maryland product, passed
law having in view the correction of the
abuses which were said to have brought
discredit upon Maryland tobacco.
The Leaf Tobacco Association, after re-
viewing the new law and making series
of practical suggestions to the planters
locking to the carrying out of its provi-
sions, conclude by urging upon the plant
ers the importance of cooperation on the
part of all interested in the growth or sale
of Maryland tobacco in correcting injur-
ious abuses and restoring former conf-
dence and healthfulness in that important
trade. The circular says:
maryland tobacco is almost entirely sold
here for shipment to the continent OF Europe
Our buyers assure us that they have written their
friends advising them Of the amended law
passed by the recent Legislature, and pronis-
ing a more satisfactory system in the future,
asking At the same time for a renewal of orders.
We trust and ask every one connected with the
business Of growing and handling tobacco 10
lend helping hand, that that ouhdence which
is essen tisl to q healthy and remanerative trade
may be speedily restored, and our Maryland
tobacco again assume its once honorsd position
in the markets Of the world"
All judicious planters will recognize the
necessity and importance of cooperating
in every proper way toward res oring fair,
ness and mutual confidence in the trade in
our staple product The necessity, there.
fore, of packing, when possible, only to.
bscco of uniform quality and length in the
same hogshead," or, where necessary to
mix, of putting leach grade separate" as
suggested, so that distinct samples may
be taken from each. will be fully recog-
nized by planters. The caution also. ID
not line around the hogshead Nth short or in
ferior tobacco" will, we are sure, not be
disregardsd. Under the more stringent
regulations Of samplipg contained in the
new law, the inspectors would probably
take a sample from these 'iinings," espec
tally if they were Of short or interior to-
bacco. 1t will, therefore, be recognized
by the planters as the wiser course to
abandon the practice Of lining in packing
altogether or. as suggested by the circu
lar, IF your style of packing makes it nee
sary to line, use the uniform grade of the
bulk"
There has been some complaint among
the planters regarding the new inspection
law. We have heard it charged that ev-
cry essential feature in the amended law
originated with the Baltimore buyers, and
that the law is, therefore. wholly in the
interest Of the buyers. While it is true.
We believe, that the leading features of the
law did originate with the buyers, 1t
should not be forgotten that the entire bill
as amended was fully concurred in and en-
dorsed at q convention of both planters
and buyers held in Baltimore city, at
which this, and, we kelleve, all the tobacco
growing counties Of the State were repre-
sented by influential planters The amend
ments were recognized as just and pro-
per concession to the consuming interest,
rendered necessary in order to res ore that
mutual confidence between buyer and
seller, which 10 essential to healthiulness
in any trade. 1t is a mistake to assume
that the interests of the producers and for
sign manufacturers of our staple product
are necessarily antagonistic. The inter
ests Of these two classes are, or Should be,
mutual and perfect confidence aud amity
should exist between them.
1t was with this view and in this spirit
that the amended inspection law wac en-
acted. Its object is to place the sale of
tobacco on q similar footing with other
sales by sample; that is to say that the
samples shall fairly represent the bulk OF
the commodity which Is sold by it and
that the purchaser by sample shall have a
responsible guarantee that the bulk OF the
commodity conforms to tn. sample nv
which it is sold. 1t is manifestly to the
interest of the producer and seller that
this state Of things should exist. So long
as the buyer entertsins any reasonable
doubt that the bulk of the tobacco be
buys is largely composed Of a quality es-
sentislly inferior to tie sample exhibited
to him, he will necessarily take such to-
bacco at discount. 1t is said, with ap-
parent truth, that by reason of the fact
that inferior qualities of tobacco were SO
frequently mixed in Maryland hogshsads
and not represented BY the samples taken,
that every hogshead OF Maryland tobacco
had come to be purchased at discount
upon The sample 10y which it was sod
and the difficulty of safely estimating this
discount, it is said, was the reason that
Maryland tobacco was brought into dis
repute upon TIE market. Hence the i'm
pertance of the planter cooperating with
the inspector and the spirit of the new
law by packing his tobacco with such
care that the samples taken at the State
warehouses shall fairly represent the con-
tents of the hogshsad. Then there will
be no discount imposed upon all growers
for the careessness or misconduct of a
few, and samples of Maryland tobacco