The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-02-04
rHE rIMEs-RlcnMoND va SUNDAY FEBRUARY 1891


=, The following letter from Mr.. y. X.
Bowman. one OF the laigert leaf dealers
IN lhe south. ION the eNlis or Tree lea.'
Was received to-day. and Is given In fun: A.,
To Elif,r Richmond Daily Times. Dear |
Sir.-The rapid growth of the traffic in |
Tree leaf and the proportions that TINS
trade has already assumed, mas awakened !
some interest even created some alarm,
In the tobacco trade. And some efforts !
are beiut, nut forth on the part OF some
OF the Trade TO BRING this matter 10 the |
attention OF Congress- ana u induce the
reveal Of this clause o. tht revenue law.
YET. as compared 10 the iar-reaching and
vital ifanortauce of the subject. the in
terosf rnsntfeetci is slight and the efforts
being put forth 20 correct the evil ana
averl The damage That IS being wrought
10 at-r,. f,ter.ar involved in the tobacco
industry IRON planter 20 g0vernmenD
are Ufntted and feeble. by this / do not
intend h. fnsiuuate that the efforts which
have been and are no" peips made are
lukeRarm and ireoic III hl.u, ana that
which rsve presented this matter TO the
C0ulr..tt..s If Congress are not earnest,
Jealous expoueuts on the sentiments OF
the bodies that they represent, and able
advocates of the caust they nave IN mana,
but I moan 10 assert that the efforts
ara NOT ga degree and extent at all COM
menst,r,tc with the vital importance OF
the subject The trafhc i'm free leaf, un-
der the PROVISIONS ~ III $3.50 90, 90
amended law of 1890, has gone into chan
re.s "a assumed proportions never in
mad. f,,s-,,,cnt contemplated or anticipated
la he r.trons and original advocates Of
this measure Whilst there IS great
i.tt..I a. .rn liter Of this bill, as APP
49, - ti,e sales OF leaf tobacco, yet
.r, almost sure that the spirit and
or.ot,si intent az the provisions removing
au restrictions from lhe SAFE OF rear TO-
barco was that me FARMER or producer
rff IF If f"tH mi ff
hie nrodnot free from tax. I venture 10
aseert maj the whole Of the real intent
OF mis- measure on the part OF US adNo-
r5feg H. c0urhad in the first clause OF
section - of me acl oI Ocl0DeI J. low
..,rt,t ali provisions Of the statutes inn
r.osir,, rosfrlcfi0ns Of any kind Whdtso-
ever uuOn farmers dud growers on "
tacro fn REGARD 20 the sale or leaf To-
Iaero the keeping of books ana the le5ls-
trsffrr AMI rDnort Of the sale of lear
tobacco or imposing any tax on account
of such sales, are hereby repealed.
And / am frank 90 say that IN so far
as this provision was IN good lallh ieally
designed as q bfntNt ah9 relsl 10 li7
producer 10 was proper ana commentaries
AS "a benefit f0 the grower, however,
10 is inoueratiye and signal failure, IN
asmuch as the farmers nave not, as q
rule. 10 any noticeable extent dNdlied OF
its privileges ! ana quite sure that II
was in no sense designed as a relief ana
benefit 10 the dealer and trader IN leal
tobacco nor DO / believe that free leaf
was conceived of IN the interest OF the
consumer II tine latter be true ana IL
was designed in part as feilel ana peHe-
fiji To- the consumer, as slNlnB a cheap
chew and smoke. then, as logical con-
clusiOn. 10 would be the proper ana just
thing 10 go further ana remove an lt-
strictiOus and all taxes from an classes
of tobacco. 40. DC was never thought
Tfff
principle except as direct OF
indirect benefit 10 The farmer
Whereas. and in point OF facL
IL u.s. if not directly, certainty IN
directly, detrimental To me interest -. ~
the farmer, for the pam reason 1nat
the sale of nOn-taNable leaf demOrallzes
and disOrganizes the manufacturing
branches. diminishea the prosperity ana
ability Of the manufactures VINO l5 the
natural and reliable customer Tor the
farmers product. This is not theo-
retlcal view and far-fetchei reasoning
and q strained conclusion. ~ is plain,
practical view Of the matter
II IS limited and superficial view
az the subject % conceive mat ~ affects
only the manufacturer of tobacco ID
iuJuriOusly affects "a large and important
class OF Industries UNNECESSARY To specify
and pnumerntp which furnish vast
amount of supplies that enter INTO the
manufacture and preparation or TOBACCO
for the legitimate trade 10 also lhMr-
diately concerns large population OF
operatives and labOrers who are depend
ent for their daliy subsistence upon the
existence and prosperity OF the numer-
Gus factories now operating throughout
the country. And, az the FISK OF appear
ing 20 the advocates or TINS Ifee-lell
privilege as INDUCING an absurd PROPOSE
tons j repeat ana affirm that IL Is al
ready. and If not corrected VIII ultl-
mately be- vitality inju'tous 10 the farm
er's best interests. Intelligent Farmers
can comprehend and appreciate tIls pio-
position, and IL the farmers could be IN
duced as class 20 give this subject inelr
consideration and attention, II would De
the proper thing and venture 10 say
the safe thing 90 do, 90 commit the Wnoie
matter Of correcting this eVh into their
hands.
I have looked al this subject from the
standpoint of its effects upon the tobacco
trade-the general tobacco interests. As
90 the revenue feature OF the subject
1 have only to say. in brief. that 80 does
seem inconsistent that Congress should
now be contemplating and asitating the
question OF an Increased tax ON tobacco
20 meet the necessities Of the government
and have already most unmer~tully IN
creased the tax on one class or manu-
featured product, should still hesitate to
repeal this free leaf bill, which Is all
ready so seriously diminishing the revenue
from this source. and which has no good
and real foundation boo justice, eNpeIlency,
or good viii 10 any class
] regard the sale 0f free, nOn-taXable
Leaf for consumption as serious and
grave menace 10 the future veal and
prosperity OF the general tobacco Industry
of the country If. in this view Of the
matter, 1 should be regarded by any ms
unduly and eXTavaganty magniiying
the evil let the figures speak and indicate
the importance of the subject. IN is
asceItained that whereas there We're
only three dealers in raw leaf prior 10
the passage of this free-leaf clause in
1890 the number has increased to about
| thirty thousand. with an increase Of
three hundred and siXty-one IN the month
! OF November. Contemplate this ratio
Of momentum and calculate the result
| IN the near future.
am not treating this subject and CIV
| ing these views from "a manufacturer $
standpoint. for / am not manufactured,
! but simply as one interested DO the pros
perity and health OF thc tobacco industry
Of the country.
Every branch Of the trade and every
| interest involved should arouse and move
, in solid column 10 have this evil corrected
by the prompt repeal or this ifee-ieat
clause, and have the law So amended
as % entirely prohibit the sale OF non
staXable leaf tobacco Tor consumption,
y. il. -.
Lynchburg, Va. Feb. I. 1894.