National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1886-05-22
THE sRFGIE, SYSTEM.
Action Urged 20 Secure the Modification
of the Existing Regulations for the
Purchase of Tobacco.

Action Urged 10 Secure the Modification
OF the Existing Regulations for the
Purchase of Tobacco.
The following correspondence, relative to
the tobacco laws OF this and other coun-
tries, explains itself:
DEPARTMENT or STATE, wAsHTNGToN, d. g.,
May 70, 1SS6-HoN. NORMAN J. CoLMAN,
Commissioner Of Agrlculturc,Sir / have
the honor TO transmit TO you herewith a
copy Of q communication from the Hon. Joseph
G. s. Blackburn submitting for the considera-
ton Of this department certain letters received
by him urging this government TO take meas.
urcs TO secure, II practicable, modification Of
the "Rcgie' system of purchasing tobacco, now
In use by the governments of Austria, Franco,
Spain, and Italy.
termino whether or motif would be advisable
TO take any action at this time In regard TO the
matter, have the honor 10 request you 20 do
me the favor TO furnish me with your views in
have the honor to be, sir your obedleut
servant, 4. +. BAYARD.
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGnIcut-
TURE, COMMISSIONERS OFFICE, WAsufsGToS,
d. G., May H. 1880 tir; ] have the honor TO
acknowledge the receipt OF your favor Of tho
dcsirabiity Of measures to secure q modiiica-
tlon of tho "Regie" system of purchasing to.
lam aware that this interference with for
Cgn trade is q serious disadvantage to Amcri-
can growers and dealers. The tobacco crop OF
this country cannot be wholly taken for do
nestle consumption; II has In large proportion
gone TO foreign markets since the settlement
of Virginia; and now, with domestic popula-
tion OF fity-eight millions TO supply, one half
OF the crop must Sill depend upon expectation
The countries in which the ''Rcgie" system
prcvails-Franco, Austria, Italy, and Spain
which for many years took a third OF the guam
tity exported, have increased their purchases,
aud last year required four-tenths OF the ex'
| ports OF American tobacco TO all countries.
IL Is especially unfortunate thut tho burden
of this trade restriction, If II must be borne, is
not distributed through the various districts OF
tobacco production, but that Il falls unequaliy
and heavily upon the states of MQrylnnd, Nir-
| ginia, Kentucky, and Tennessee and mainly
upon those states OF original production in
| which tobacco'growing has ever been proIni-
| nent and ongrossing industry. These states
| produce scarcely any cigar leaf of domestic
consumption and tho domestic manufacture
of smoking and chewing product requires little.
region, leaving the heavy tobacco of eastern
| Maryland, southern Virginia, and western
Kentucky and Tennessee almost without
| American demand prey to the organized
the state monopOlles oiseyeral foreign govern
| ments.
mum, the entire product of large districts dis.
tinCtiyely tobacco growing, arc shut out from
| domestic use, while preferred by foreign con.
sumers, and arc LEFT prey to foreign monopoly,
L
seriously interleres with tho freedom OF do
nestle trade.
These foreign agents, acting from central
point, combine to prevent competition among
themselves, as II Is claimed, aud employ legal
agents at each interior market to obtain their
supplies at the lowest cost and 1t Is stoutly
maintained that intrigue and all the arts In
commercial use for the manipulation OF prices
ore freely pr0cticed.
In view OF these facts 1t Is not strange that
these grades of export tobacco tho heaviest
and strongest of our production, and therefore
sought for their intrinsic quality, and for mix
ing with the lighter products OF competing
American leaf tobacco. The product OF Con
necticut and Pennsylvania, used for domestic
cigars and the crop of the Ohio river counties
used for domestic manufactured tobacco, n
well as the North Carolina leaf that enter
into domestic consumption as wrappers TO
these home products, all bear a, higher prize
trade. 1t is evident that the control of thi
trade by Reggie agents is n prominent cause o
the low prices at which they are sold.
One at least of these foreign government
home product. While 1t cannot fix precisel!
the rate to DO paid for American leaf the &C
ton of these agents tends strongly In the di
recton of foreign control of prices OF Virginia
md Kentucky products.
II becomes on important question, then, HOY
can remedy be found, aud what can the gov
eminent do to secure n iairGr and less re
strioted commerce for our surplus tobaccW
II is grave, though possibly delicat
question, whether diplomatic negotiation ma
not secure an unrestricted entry of our tc
bacco into foreign ports, subject to whateye
customs duties governments may see. fit I
impose, payable on withdrawal from ware
house.
, liza commission cnn be formed to inyestigat
this question, and devise a practical solutio
, OF the difficulty. II may lead to action of thu
several governments favCring less restricte
commercial movement OF our tobacco e'
! ports.
If some release from this injurious rcstri,
| tfptN nf traIa InnTpECinu N
wise inevitably low cannot be obtained
may be that the only remedy remaining TO
the protection Of growers, will be a commO
organization OF producers to control the trndI
n nd equalizc and sustain prices on Il fair an
just basis. Very respectfully, your obedicr
servant. NORMAN j. GOTHAM,
, Commissioner of Agriculture.
Hon. 7. +. BAYARD, Secretary of State.
Washington ID. e.