The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1892-08-04

1891 Manufactured and sold 1888,
. 900 pounds, an increase of over /;
. million pounds and now sells his good:
: in every State in the Union.
!: Another, in one of these smaller to
. bocco towns with a census population
of only 1900 will manufacture a mil
} lion pounds of chewing tobacco, whel
f ten years ago he made less than 100,
900 pounds and the total product 0
said town is now three million pound
of chewing tobacco.
wAREHOUsEMEN-L DEALERS.
Those engaged in the sale of leaf a!
warehousemen have also made surpris
ing advance in their business In ont
instance the sales in 1881 amounted te
not more than 100000 pounds, and
in 1891 had increased to four million
Another in a different market sold in
1881 one million and in 1891 approx
mated five million pounds. Those
whose business is limited to the broker.
age in the raw material have also bull,
up large interests, supplying not only
the demand for leaf tobacco from all
parts of the U. S., but ship direct to
European customers, under through
bills Of lading drawing their Liverpool,
London, Glasgow and German ex-
change with the regularity and conf
dence of inland bills.
EXPORT TRADE.
North Carolina tobaccos are also
sold direct to these European Govern
ments that monopolise the purchase OF
tobacco in their Kingdom, such as
Spain, Italy, Austria and France, and
this export trade of leaf tobacco now
exceeds five million pounds per annum
and is yearly increasing.
A staple that is profitably raised in
forty. five counties in the State; that
exceeds in value the tobacco crop with
one exception (Kentucky,) of any one
of the States of the Union; that has
builded the most prosperous cities in
our State; that has created the only
millionaires in the State; that gives
employment to thousands of men,
women and children; staple, that in
fact, has done much to make North
Carolina popularity known to the
nations of the world than even her
Mecklenburg Declaration of Independ-
ence, or the superb fighting qualities
of her matchless soldiers, such a staple
should be proudly displayed in every
attractive feature at the Worlds Fair
ECONOMIC VALUE OF TOBACCO.
Twenty five years ago some OF the
poorest regions in what now consti-
tute the yellow tobacco belt of North
Carolina offered scant living to the
poor inhabitants dwelling in huts amid
uninviting surroundings.
But yellow tobacco came, and 10!
what change! The log houses have
given place to neat and substantial
dwellings, commodious schoolhouses
and imposing churches are erected,
the very face of nature and all the
surroundings are changed, bettered
and beautifed. Then, too, see how
wonderfully metamorphosed are the
towns in this favored belt! Villages
have been transformed into towns,
and towns into cities, with all that
wealth, culture and enterprise can
impart. The extent and prosperity
of this industry in the past decade has
been phenomenal, and far exceeds in
profits any other farming interest any
where in any country in any time. Its
possibilities no one can compute for
it is still extending, carrying thrift,
enterprise and progress in its train.
The distinct feature of this phenom-
enon is that it has brought into,
requisition as most profitable, the
poorest soil in the State, and wrought
its improvements on the poorest
farming. 1t has also enhanced the
value of such lands until they actually
sell for more than the most fertile
bottom lands, and the spectacle has
actually been witnessed OF conten-
ton between counties as to which
could show the most poor land. The
effect of this is practically to increase
largely the wealth producing power
OF the State breaking down the ordi-
nary economic distinctions between
sterile and fertile lands"
That my hearers may not consider
the above statements extravagant,
would say that quote them from tine
L. S. Census.
WHY ARE WE POOR.
We will be met here by the enquiry,
how is it, that with these great natural
advantages of climate, soil, mineral
wealth, good laws and industrious
population, our State makes such poor
showing for wealth in the census re-
port The answer is twofold. First
the National laws are against US. They
tax us every year millions of dollars
to pay U. S. pensions to men who live
in Northern States and in every
country in Europe. The tariff laws
make what we have to buy cost US
more than it need, and this tax goes
to enrich the Northern and Wes-
tern manufacturers. Again, all pre-
miums for life and fire insurance paid
by our people are sent out of the State
to Northern and foreign insurance
corporations instead of being spent at
home. Again, we are denied our
constitutional right to have State banks
of issue, whereby we are deprived Of a
domestic circulating medium to enable
us to prosecute our business affairs to
the best advantage and our landed
property is deprecated in value,
because it is not receivable at basis
of credit under the National banking
act. These are some Of the injurious
effects of the National legislation over