Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser., 1889-01-18
]DortQ obaccoGimes
PORT TOBACCO:
Friday Morning..""January 18th, 1889.
State Tobacco Inspections.


The report of Comptroller Baugh-
man of the operations OF the State
treasury for the fiscal year ended Sept.
5Oth, 1888, makes rather more favor
able showing for the State Tobacco
Inspections than had been expected.
'Table No. s" shows the receipts dur.
ing the fiscal year 1888 from State to-
bacco inspections to be $S2,114 70
and the disbursements $74,365 35-,
showing net receipts to the amount of
$s,049 35, which. added to the balance
to tie elit of tobacco inspections at
: the close Of the fiscal year 1887 Of $5,-
672 Sc. made total of $l3.72l 91.-|
The salaries paid to inspectors during
the fiscal year amounted to $3.50,
which being deducted leaves a net
balance to the credit of the State in
spection system on the last two years
. operations of $5,171 81.
In view Of the change which was
made in the State inspection laws at
the last session of the Legislature. it
was expected that the system would
be heavily increased charge on the
State during the fiscal year. But in
stead of that. We have sEug little
sum passing to the credit Of the To-
bacco Fund on account of the years
operations. The cause Of this unex.
. pected result is two. fold in its char
:acter. First, the efficient inspectors
appointed BY Gov. Jackson have man
aged their warehouses upon economic
business principles and, second the
people have been slow to take advan-
tage of the privilege, so vehemently
contended for by some farmers, of
sending their tobacco elsewhere than
the State Warehouses for inspection.
The Locust Point warehouses, W hose
owners the 3. & O. r. r. Co., were
the unseen motive power of the great
convention against the State system,
failed entirely to make good its claim
to- superior inspection as means of
better prices. Nearly all the farmers
who, were inclined to the belief that
the State inspections were in some
waE.accountable for the low prices Of
tobacco, were prompt in availing
themselves of the so-called "free in.
spections" of the B. & o. Company's
warehouse. But all of them soon be-
came fully convinced that the hopes
that had been held out to them bv
the owners Of the Locust Point ware
house were delusive. It was found
that the samples of the Locust Point
inspection not only did not command
any better prices than the State sam
pies, bat we're apparently not so readi.
lE::staken. The. result was that the
great bulk Of the Maryland crop went
to the State warehouses as heretofore.
II this connection pleasant anec-
dote ls related of Senator Edelen, the
author of the "free inspection" bill,
and Mr.. Henry A. Turner, one of its
most earnest advocates among our
farmers These two gentlemen met
unexpectedly at Inspector Mudd's
warehouse one day last summer, where
both Of them had carried their crops
for inspection. "Ho!" said the Sena-
tor, "what are you doing here ?"; and
"ho..!" said Mr.. Turner, "what are
you doing here?" Both of them, af-
ter apleasant interchange Of compli-
menta, satisfied themselves by saying
that they were merely exercising that
liberty of action which they had
sought to accomplish in last winters
legislation. Mr.. Mudd inspected their
tobacco in bis usual careful and eff
ficient manner and they disposed of it
upon his samples in the most advan-
tageous manser which it was possible
to do in the then state of the market.
The farmers are now satisfied that the
State inspections have nothing to do
with the low prices of tobacco; that
the State samples now command full
confidence in the Baltimore market
and abroad; that the free inspection
idea was all delusion, and that the
State system properly conducted is as
good as is afforded any where. Un.
der these circumstances it is natural
that they should continue to patron.
ize their own warehouses, in which
they have the great privilege Of IN.
! limited free storage and where they en-
Joy other advantages which they would
lose forever were the warehouses sold
and the money turned into the treasu-
ry. 1t is to be hoped that the State
system may continue to make an equal
7ly good showing during the current
fiscal year and thus postpone any
further agitation in the Legislature
of the sale of this property ofthe South
ern Maryland planters and the cover
:. Jog of the fund into the State trea.u-
srys :"
Testimony from white Republican of
the South as to the condition of things in
That. section ought to weigh with Presi
dentslect Harrison and with the leaders
OF the Republican party. We publish,
saxs tie Neu York zimes coma teatiua