The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1893-01-06
WHAT al sTArE cAeI 90.
Missouri's State Tobacco Warehouse, and
Its Benefit to the Citizens.


houses and ownership of railroads by !
the general government. if we can
show that a state can own. manage
and operate warehouses, etc. success
fully for the people we have gone a
long ways toward establishing the fact
that the general government can also.
In this state. writes w. j. Courtney
Of Liberty. Mo-. ia the National Econ
omist prior to the war and up to De-
cember 18th, 1865 Missouri owned
and operated state warehouse at St.
Louis known as the state tobacco
warehouse. The legislature of the
state conceived the plan to construct
at state expense. tobacco ware
house at that place for the purpose of
encouraging the tobacco growers of
the state. This was before the war.
when we had slavery in this state.
and the tobacco and hemp industries
was the brag Of Missouri.
This warehouse was built and
managed by the state until December
Is 1855, when it was sold to Jami-
son & Getting for 1882 600. The
plan in detail was about this: A
tobacco grower along the Missouri
river would raise his tobacco bulk it.
ship by boat to ST. Louis. store it in
this state warehouse receive certifi-
cate for the same take his certificate
go TO some commission firm. broker
or bank. and receive large amount
Of money on this certificate until his
commission men could sell. This
certificate was good anywhere in the
state and many places out Of the
state. It answered all the purposes.
and enabled the tobacco grower to
get the best prices possible for their
tobacco. and he was not forced to sell.
This proved a remarkably good thing
for the tobacco-growers Of the state
during the slavery times After the
slaves were freed, the tobacco and
hemp industries Of the state almost
ceased. The state having no further
use for the warehouse. sold it. as
stated. in 1865.
In 1851 there was not mile of
railroad in operation in the state of
Missouri. The Democratic legisla-
ture of the state pledged It's credit for
payment Of bonds to build five trunk
lines, to the amount of a24. $50. 900.
When the war broke out these lines
were not completed. The state held
the first mortgages; the contractors
grew disheartened on account of the
war; threw up and abandoned the
Missouri Pacific and one or two other
of these lines TO the state. and in
June. 1866. George Fletcher took pos
session of the Pacific road only partly
| completed. in bad condition. and ap.
pointed General Clinton B. Fisk to
, operate it. General Fisk took charge
and operated this road for the state
but short time and turned into the
treasury Of the state $25. O00-a
handsome profit to the people Of
, the state on a road with nc
, terminus and in wretched condition
5 just after the close of the war. when
the road was sold by the state.
? Also on February 10. 1865 Gov.
Fletcher took possession of what va:
: known as the Platte county railroads
and operated them for the state sue.
!. cessfully and profitably for the state
! until they were sold. Now we have
. shown that Missouri has successfully
owned. managed and operated ware
1 houses and railroads for the state
s Why not the government And thi
4 was done both by Democrats and Re
' publicans and at time when. in re-
" lation to railroads it was a very I'm
9 certain business in this state.
{ These facts can be found by tn
/ acts of the general assembly Of tn
s state of Missouri and we offer then
# to the thinking mind of the Ameri
Q can people. 1t seems to us that W
j. have strong proof that at least stat
t can do these things and with benefit t.
a the great mass Of the commonwealth
.Neixhbor john changed His Mind.
:. Th's story does not say anythin!
= about coons but the writer lives u
- the head waters Of the Iowa river Q
that name.
- Coming home from town few
- days ago found my neighbor, farm
- err John. engaged in digging ditcl
:. alongside the road. He stopped M
~ and poured into my ear a dismal tale
y He said he had worked hard all tn
. year. economical in every way. livee
~ on poor food. and went scantil
= clothed yet could not raise none
~ enough to pay his banker the Is pc
= - cent In years gone by had ten
, dered him my sympathy. but on thi
y occasion I looked him squarely in tn
g eye, and said. emphatically:
y Your statement causes my soul t
, dance with JOY"
His head went down and he siam
:. mered out:
- why. thought you a friend 9
'. mine!"
:. 80 am John. and this is why
- 70 ..ejo;ce at your statement"
~ Why. Mr.. Bunder what do 20
70 raean?"
- Il mean Just this: Last fall wer
"a to the polls and cast vote to Civ
~ you money at two per cont or doubl
~ what the banker pays for the none
he loans you. did this to help jus
" such men as you. Now what did yo
:. dop You came to the polls arm
-. arm. with the eighteen per cer
=, banker and cast your vote as he di
=, tated. Now. sir you voted for eigl
- teen per cent interest and voted IL
two per cent tax and you won and
lost Your vote killed mine dea'
You got what you wanted. and VIII
Il, you voted for while did not No,
n. John, don't you think would be
=. chump if di6 not feel glad when W