New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-01-14
HINTS FROM MANY WRITER'S
THE TOBACCO TAX.
HOW THE LAW WORKS THE RUIN OF TIE FARMERS
THE METHOD OF PURCHASE AND SALE.

HOW THE LAW WORKS THE RUIN OF TIE FARMERS
THE METHOD OF PURCHASE AND SALE.
To the Editor OF The Tribune
SIR Mr. Blaine's square stand the tobacco tax Is
likely produce results scarcely anticipated
lie is already. the South, by far the most popular
Republican no could be named for the Presidency and
the effect OF his manly straightforward utterances on
matter OF such vital Importance to immense number
OF Southern farmers may create such revolution
among that OF voters will carry or more of
the tobacco States into the Republican ranks so far as
know no writer has given truthful account OF the
disastrous effects OF this tax the small farmers OK the
tobacco region OF the South the working Of
the whole machinery and propose TO show your readers
how unjust and niquous is this tax and how grnds
very poverty all the tobacco producers OF the
South.
Any farmer may cultivate tobacco, but be is obliged
by law to sell his crop certain individuals who
licensed by the Government to buy. In the good old
days the the stored his tobacco crop
In his barns. we'll knowing that many purchasers would
approach him. not only competing for the purchase,
assuring him fair remuneration his labor, bat taxi
ing the tobacco directly from his barns saving him the
time and labor necessary to hunt a market Now he
can sell only few individuals specially licensed to
buy. The purchasers Will not come to him, so he 10
obliged to go thcmto load his tobacco into wagons,
ana take It, however long the journey to the tobacco
mart, where he hopes to find purchaser Arrived there
he cannot 20 the street and look around for
purchaser, he woud.had lie potatoes or other
ordinary farm produce He is obliged to drive to some
OF the great sale houses where IL unoaded sorted
according to quality aud dumped into piles with hun
dreds of other piles covering floor sometimes two or
three acres In extent.
To who has attended tobacco sale II Is well
werth the journey to Danvile, ya Winston, n C., or
some other tobacco town. These towns have several
some OF them manygreat warehouses; places where the
sale purchase Of tile tobacco effected There are
90 l,,tA ,1xo faV
Each warehouse has its daily sale except Sunday and
to avoid competition among themselves and secure the
attendance of all purchasers the owners take turns as TO
the order of sae the who had hrst sale to-day mas
last sale tho who has second sale to-day
has first sale tomOrro and so on IN regular rotation
About the streets OF the town and frequently far into
the country great signboards giving the name Of
each warehosenan and the order Of sales for that day
The first sale commences at o a. N. Hall dozen OF
more men, representatives Of big manufacturing firms
legally authorized to buy preceded by auctoneer
walk into the immense warehouse on the floor OF which
are hundreds even thousands, OF piles OF tobacco. In
the top OF each pile is stuck stick holding slip OF
paper which written tho of the owner Of the
pile the number Of pounds The actionoer stops at
the first pile. "what am / offered for thisi" The
purchasers examine and bid There Is much to do no
hesitation is permitted Ia minute or less the pile Is
knocked down to bidder. clerk enters lot price and
OF purchaser in book The party proceeds 10 the
pile and the next until the whole Is sold or with
drawn; then to the next warehouse The owner of the
has nothing whatever To do with the SALE but
has tho right If ssasded to refuse the price bid and
withdraw his tobacco. but he has to pay auctioneers
fees warehouse dues etc. II the sale had been salts
factory one. Besides this, he must either take his
tobacco home again (Which is often impossible, he
needs the little money sold for. or leave on
storage To be sold at some other time, or to eat itself
up in warehouse charges
But trying all this to tue farmers. the werst is yet
to be told. The purchasers are few. well known and
ena to esn ge sfs o Moa Ss
What do YOU want Zach fellow selects his grade
farmer on which relied for his years supply Of store
goods is sacrificed to the combined greed of the pur
cbasers
Ihe result OF this condition Of affairs is the almost
total mpoverislment OF the farmers in the tobacco
North Carolina that II not mortgaged to Its full valo.
On the other hand the warchonsenlcn and manufact-
SoGh 70 the temporary soiournsr is that OF admirable
prosperity for he sees only the towns ana these are
expense OF the country This also accounts for the
Influential men OF the all In favor of
ure which brings wealth to their Golfers. so long as
the further Of the already poor faiers
The purchases OF the tobacco and the warehouSenen
oanntenance of al other town residents. for their
methods Increase the value OF AL town property 1bey
are comparatively few in numbers powerful by
reason OF their wealth and unity Of effort. The arsers
but poor scattered and without influence
poverty In the present and ruin and starvation in the
future II this TAI be maintained
The tobacco crop that which most OF the IA rers
OF the tobacco region rely for money To purchase those
things which they cannot produce or make Tor tDenl-
sugar, coffee, mOasses muslin. calico nails,
etc. eothlags regarded by very wise statesmen
Injuries but which have become common neceSsalleS
life the poorest American. This tax is m st
grevous outrage upon very neros class or farmers
In the tobacco region; first. because by it they are
deprived Of the right sell their crops 10 the who
will pay the best price They at the mercy of ring
licensed purchasers tn whom they forced by me
law to sell. have frequently seen piles OF tobacco
worth 80 TO 40 cents per pound bid on al or lO cents
less. Second, because this forced sale to certain
individuals compels each farmer TO seek market. The
warehouses and licensed purchasers are as rule IN
at railroad ceItfes at STATIONS ana ntte towns
along the lines of railroads. Many farmers n west
Virginia ami North Carolina have 10 haul their tobacco
Ia wagons one hundred miles and over roads huo
deep in mud losing days and weeks that should he de-
voted TO work the farm. Third, in addition 10 the
above iniquites the unfortunate farmer 10 Obliged 10
pay heavy percentage OF his small gains in tue shape
auconeers fees storage, etc. etc., Tor tue great pV
ilege OF being swtndled.
As rule those small farmers very Ignorant, each
putting his trust In some petty local politician whose
an to confuse and obscure question except
nigger" must never be permitted to compete in any
thing 9TH the whites. As rule again, these poor
honest and brave. Could they DO Elate .
understand the secret OF their present and continued
poverty they would sink the color question In that
Of this most unjust internal revenue taA now, 10 them,
the vitality important OF all questions. y.
RehmOHd, Va. Dec. IL, 1887.
ONE MORE APPEAL FOR CHARITY
sHIyERING OLD wosIEN on BLACKwELL's ISLAND
MUCH IN NEED OF WARM CLOTHING
TO the Edftor Of The Trtbun,.
sIR In the just passed our purses unless they