Daily tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1895, 1891-06-04

6funuy, ScNlert
Hamblen, Trousdale,
Hamilton, Unicoi,
Hancock, Union,
Houston, Van Buren,,
Jackson, Warren,
James, Wayne,
jefferson, White.
''It thus appears that fifty-four out of
ninety-six counties are absolutely de-
prived of the luxury of sub-treasury. 1t
will further be observed that the esti-
mate contained in the census embraces
all farm productions. Now, if you will
eliminate barley, buckwheat, rye, fax,
sorghum, clover, hay, rice, potatoes,
hops, broomcorn. peas, BEANS peanuts
and other products of the farm from the
gross productions of the remaining forty
two counties it will be found that the
production of cotton, wheat, corn, oats
and tobacco will not, in some instances,
come up to the minimum standard of
100000. Again, the census estimate in
cludes all farm productions, whether
''sold, consumed or on hand, while the
bill provides that sub-treasury shall be
established only in the event the amount
of cotton, wheat, corn oats and tobacco
sold exceeds S500,000, The amount con
sumed or the amount retained by the
farmer for consumption is not included
in the estimate required by the bill.
Now, | will venture the assertion, and
refer to the statistics for the verifcation,
that there is not one county in all east
Tennessee that would be entitled to a
sub-treasury under the proposed act.
Giles county produced 1880 bales of
cotton and Rutherford 12,414, while
Montgomery produced about 4,000,-
900 pounds of tobacco. This bare
ly entitle each of them to a
sub-treasury, 1 will, however, fur
ther venture the assertion that
there is not another county In all that
magnificent basin of middle Tennessee
that would be entitled to government
ware house. Not county in the state
produced $50, 900 bushels of oats, and but
one county produced over 100000 BUSH
els of wheat, and that was Williamson,
which produced 315,O0O. The farmers of
middle Tennessee are more largely en-
gagged in stock raising and the produc-
ton of corn, clover and hay, which is
consumed at home. They realize from
the sale of stock and not from the sale
of crops, and this accounts for their
prosperity.
"There are few counties in west
Tennessee where the annual cotton crop
sold exceeds $500. 900. to-wit: Fayette,
Gibson, Hardeman, Haywood, Lauder
dale, Madison, Shelby and Upton.
These counties, under the bill, would
each be entitled to a government ware
house. But do they need such an insi-
tuition? OF all crops, cotton is the east
est sold and commands the readiest
cash. Its price is not fixed in tue
United States, but in foreign por 8,
where it comes in competition with the
cotton of other countries. Those who
have had the largest experience in deal
ing with cotton will say that the
farmer who habitually sells his crop
of cotton when it is ready for market
gets the better price. Then again,
cotton, as / have already said, is es-
pecially a crop produced on the shares,
in which the planter, merchant and
cropper all have an interest, and in the
majority of cases it would be impracti-
cable to store it in sub-treasury, even
if it were desirable to do so. | there
fore conclude that the farmers of Ten
nessee would take no material benefit
under the bill, and from their stand
point and without reference to 9th 9r
weighty considerations l would oppo1e
enacting it into law.
"Second-The bill is distasteful to me
because it will entail upon the people
wherever the sub-treasuries are estaO-
lished, political agents of the party in
power. In the southern states these
agents under Republican administta-
tlon would be obnoxious, especially 10
the farmers.
''Third-It would involve avast expen-
diture of public money, $5O,0OO,OOO to
begin with, to establish and maintain
these government warehouses, which,
under the existing system of taxation,
the farmers would pay the principal
part.
"Fourth-The measure tends toward
Capitalization. 1t multiplies power at
Washington, and gives the party in
possession of it the means to perpetuate
its administration of the government
"Fifth-It is class legislation. Why
should the farmer engaged in the pro-
duction of wheat, corn, oats and tobacco
have the exclusive right to deposit his
crops in a warehouse, built and main
tanned at the public expense, and to bor-
row from the government at per cent.
interest 80 per cent. of their value? Why
should the farmer engaged in raising
stock, or in the production of hay, pota-
toes, rye, barley, hemp, eggs, butter,
wool, fruit or vegetables not have an
equal right to borrow money at 1 per
cent. Why should the mechanic en-
gagged in making furniture, wagons,
plows, shoes, harness, brick or imple-
ments of wood or iron be deprived of the
privilege of borrowing money at / per
cent. on the product of his labor?
Il apprehend that these are questions
that will perplex any intelligent friend
of the measure who will calmly take the
time to think over the matter.
"Sixth2The measure will necessarily
involve an annual imitation and contrac-
ton of the currency When the crops at
the end of the season are stored in the
government warehouses the treasury
will issue so per cent. of their value to
the class Of farmers producing the fa-