The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1892-11-24

MIR. MASON ON TOBACCO.
Interview With a Western Tobacco
journal Representative.


Thomas Mason, of the Western To-
bacco Journal, Cincinnati, o., was in
Winston, and a SENTINEL reporter
had an interview with him, as fol-
lows:
"What is the condition of business
in the tobacco trade, Mr.. Mason?"
Encouraging, as a whole; better
now than for several years. There
was an over-production of leaf, which
caused cut-throat business and the
putting on the market of cheap to-
bacco. About seven-tenths of the
trade in Virginia and North Carolina
tobacco is in the Southern States,
where there was also an over-produc-
tiOn of cotton, which brought low
prices and seriously effected Southern
business conditions. Now, however,
cotton is advancing and this years
crop is not as large as last years. This
will have tendency to make the to-
bacco trade better. Again, the polit-
ical situation will do much to restore
confidence"
$50 you regard the outlook in the
South as very gOOd?"
Eyes; as a good indication of trade, I
will say that about ten days ago there
was sale in New York of 485, 200
bales of cotton, the largest ever known
for any one day."
what is the yield of tobacco this
year?"
THE Western hurley is estimated Is
percent. short of the '91 crop; in quail
ity good fair average. Common to-
baccos that have been a drug on the
market have advanced from 100 to 300
per cent; tobaccOs that sold at and
II last fall are today bringing 81 and
81, and scarce at that"
"How is it with Virginia and North
Carolina?'
mo other states can compete with
them in producing brights, owing to
the peculiar soil"
"What do you think of Winston,
Mr.. Mason?"
ut is growing more rapidly than
any other point as tobacco town. In
the number of tobacco factories this
is the most remarkable town in the
United States. The sweetness of her
plug filters is great factor here, and
this is due, in large measure, to the
virgin soil hereabouts. Another fac
tor here is the maintenance of the
character and quality of her plug"
SIS the use of our tobacco growing
in new fields?"
1.-THE use of Virginia and North
carolina plug IS growing In the WeS-
tern and Northern States, owing to
your manufacturers having put trav-
cling statesmen in that territory dur
ing the past five years"
''DO you think, Mr.. Mason, that a
cigarette industry could be built up
here?"
'Ihere is no reason why cigarette
factory should not be success in
Winston. The reputation Of this city
as a tobacco center would give 1T pres
tige, and with the aid of travelling
statesmen representing your forty-fve
tobacco manufacturers, a cigarette
factory could be made success"
''Haye you any suggestion to offer
in this matter?"
cit would probably be a good idea
to have all the local manufacturers
interested in a cigarette company as
stockholders, in order that the pro-
duct might at once be pushed; each
manufacturer would then take Spe-
cial interest in the introduction of its
goods. The extensive sale of Winston
cigarettes would be great advertise
ment for Winston among consumers"
Don't you think, in view of the
large Federal tax paid here, that Win
stOn ought to have public building?"
81 certainly do, and | would sug-
geSt that a movement be inaugurated
to procure the land where the court
house stands as a site for Federal
building. | am also firmly of the
opinion that Winston ought to be the
headquarters for the revenue depart
ment of this district"