Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1891-09-11
What Protection is Doing.
TOBACCO PLANTERS IL sUMATRA COMPEL
ED TO COME TO THIS COUNTRY TO
PURSUE THEIR INDUSTRY.

TOBACCO PLANTERS IL sUMATRA COMPELL
ED TO COME TO THIS COUNTRY TO
PURSUE THEIR INDUSTRY.
A Chicago dispatch to the New Yo'k
Press gives an interview with ). kaui-
man. of Deli, Sumatra.
Kaufman is a several times millionaire
having made his money IN the last few
years on the tobacco plantations OF SUI
matra. lie is at present the owner OF
several plantations on the island in the
Indian Ocean, is interested IN a company
there that has for years annually sent
millions Of dollars worth of the Sumatra
leaf TO Europe and America, aud now MI
Kaufman comes forward and declares that
since the passage of the Mckinley bill the
planters in Sumatra have lost 500 OOOVUo
! because they could not afford to send the
leaf to the United States under tie new
tariff law and the only way the planters
can benefit themselves in order to get
even is to come TO this country and start
the industry here. Kaufman has Just re-
turned from a TIP to Virginia, Louisiana
and Kentucky, where he has found soil
that will produce the Sumatra leaf just
as well as on the island, and before long,
Owing to the tariff the Mckinley bill
places on the leaf an industry that an
nuallv took away millions Ofdollars from
the United States VIII be be started in
several of the Southern states.
"Tbat ID Mckinley bill compelled
us to come over here" exclaimed the Su-
matra planter when discussing tho sub
iect. 1--WE knew the leaf could he cul-
tivated here before, but we did not wish
to come to this side of the water, as with
our cody labor we could afford to ship 1t
to America cheaper, But the Mckinley
| bill killed the industry for us, and now we
must start Sumatra leaf plantations here,
and we will have TO have American labor
| to do our work, as we are not permitted
to import coolies, who are tbs best and
cheapest workers in the world"
Kaufman emphatically denounced the
high wages the wOrkmen of America re-
ceived. The workmen, he said, owing to
tue protective system, are able to make
enough money in one day to remain Idle
for four. "Tbey are paid altogether too
much" he added. 'In Sumatra coolie
IS compelled to work every day in the
wear, and he has some respect for white
man. If he doesn't show respect be IS
given twenty-five lashes, and for fort
night is not able to work. whenever a
coolie meets a white man he shows his
respect by getting down on his knees and
taking off his hat. The cOlOred man
in this country never shows his respect
and the nottingham thinks he is as good
as his employer. The wages here are so
hieh that a laborer is independent, and
he only works when he feels like it. In
Sumatra the planters, who are Holland
Dutch, rent the land from the Malay
chiefs for seventy-fYc years and hire the
coolies for the period of three years. The
planters give to each coolie they hire
piece of land, and he is compelled to do so
much work. The planters feed ana
clothe them. Every man Is held until he
has fulfilled his contract. They are not
paid from 81 to 81 day, like the labor
ers in this country, but they make from
$50 to $50 a year, clear OF expenses some
times. When a man has bad luck he
only makes s. a year, and sometimes finds
himself in debt to the planter.
ooh, no, they are not slaves, but we
give them the lash whenever they deserve
n. and they are not permitted to leave the
island. All the vessels that leave the
island arc searched, so the coolies are not
apIe 10 BtJ AWAY IL AhholiOau i"yoi
was treated to some Sumatra ideas the
country would be more prosperous, and u
the Mckinley bill had rot placed a stiff
tariff on Sumatra tobacco forty planta-
tons would not have had to shut down.
We shall start up forty plantations, how
ever, in this country next year, but 1t
Will 90 hard with IA to pay such high
wages. The workingman IN this country
wants all the profits"
Two other wealthy Dutch tobacco
planters ale with Mr.. Kaufman and Trey
agree with everything he says. They
pronounce the soil in some parts OF the
South better for the Sumatra leaf than
the Indian Ocean islands. They are Oh
their way home to complete arrangements
for removing their vast interests to Amer
lea