The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1889-05-28
MAJOR RAGLAND REPLIES TO
PLANTERS" DEFENSE
Of Excessive Tobacco Warehouse
Charges.

Charges.
Planter" in the Southern 1obac
eoasst of May 9th, endeavors to con
trovert the position taken by me In
No. 2, of a series of articles In THE
PROGRESSIVE FARMER, on "Some o.
the Ills which Af1ict the Agriculture
Glasses and Cypress the Farmers" and
essays to defend Warehousemen'S
present high tariff of charges fol
selling planters tobacco, although ii
was shown by statistics, which "Plan'
ter" cannot and did not attempt tc
refute, that these charges are now full
100 per cent. in excess of what they
were in times past, when planters
realized better returns from tobacco
than it has paid for the past several
years.
Planter assuming to speak from
a planters standpoint (D, failed to
answer through the medium opening
the discussion, and through which
Planter readers most interested in the
subject-on the score of numbers at
least-could be reached, chose a to-
bacco trade paper for the following
reason: 81 have thought to furnish a
few thoughts in reply to that position,
and choose the columns Of the South
ern IO6occonist, because [ am sure l
shall meet with a class of readers
more likely to examine this matter
with care and impartlality (?).
We are led to infer, therefore, that
In Planters opinion only ware
housemen are " likely to examine this
matter with care and im~partiality; "
that all planters except himself are
biased by self.interest, which warps
their judgment and prevents their
taking a proper view of the subject;
and that warehousemen only are COM
PEELED to form an "smparhal" opinion
as regards its decision.
The question very naturally sug-
gests itself, May not Planter be in
huenced by some bias Wrapping in
determining his opinion 2 His opin-
ions are at variance with his occupa-
ton, and we venture to suggest the
propriety of his changing his nom de
plume affixed to his efforts to sustain
the cause of the warehousemen.
We protest, that though he
-"Wears a countenance as clear as friendship
wears at feasts,"
He, nevertheless, comes in Disguise,
Wherein the pregnant enemy does much wicked
ness"
"Planter says, all the trouble with
the tobacco planting industry-"the
real i'll which af1icts the tobacco
farmer comes from the revenue
tax. This is, indeed, one and a griev-
Gus i'll, but certainly not all, if, indeed,
the real or principal one. Let US
carefully examine into the matter and
see how stands Planters " assertion,
and whether or not increased and op.
pressive warehouse charges do not
constitute some portion of the burden
carried by the planting industry, as
well as the tax.
We remember that when the reve-
nue. tax was "a cents per pound, the
cost of selling tobacco on the ware
house floors was l6 cents per 100
pounds, and no ertras, as now, for
auction fees, commission or other
charge. The planter then paid only
8 cents of the l6 and the buyer paid
8 cents per 100 pounds, and this on
stituted the entire cost of selling to.
bacco-low enough, certainly. The
tax was reduced from "a to l6 cents
per pound, and subsequently, to s
cents, where it now stands, but ware
housemen's charges for selling, instead
of being lowered parj passu with the
tax, or permitted to stand at former
rates, have been increased in inverse
ratio to the lowering of the tax.
Reasoning, therefore, from analogy
and experience, we may very reason
ably infer that when the entire tax
has been removed, warehouses will
increase their charges, as they have
heretofore done, on the principle that
as the government lifts it's heavy hand
off the tobacco industry, it can the
more easily bear increased individual
pressure.
We here pass by " Planters "gratui-
tous charge against this scribe, and
the editor of the National Economist,
of "abuse of middle tobacco men :"
and alleged "sneers at buyers, manu-
facturers and warehousemen plead.
ing persecution, because he has been
promptly met and answered through
the Southern 7o6accondSt.
Planter" says: 81 look to compe-
tition among warehouses for the re-
duction of charges" * * & It is
q fact that the more warehouses are
established-outside of the Alliance
the stronger the plea becomes for an
creased charges to meet expenses
through decreased sales consequent
upon division of patronage. And
"Planter" surely must know, that all
warehouses, except those of the ALI
ances, are virtually pledged to stand