Morning journal and courier., 1894-05-29
COmMUNIOATIONs.

The Register and the Present Price OF
Leaf Tobacco.
To the Editor OF the JOURNAL AND COURIER:
It 10 well known axiom that . success
full evasion is Q proper fulflment Of the
law, and possibly the Register, in 9 recent
issue, had this In mind when 1t answered q
question before asking 1t relating to the
present price of lsaf tobacco. No one be-
lieves that the present price Of this article
Is In keeping with It's cost or value. having
fallen fully seventy-hve per cent. within
eighteen months.
The main difference of opinion relates TO
the cause.
For comparison, equal qualities must be
sought to prove statements. This can
readily be done by taking the 1899 crop
which was of excellent quality and thanks
to legislative wood saving has changed In
value % In about the ratio of 25 to 8,
while having increased in quality by sgs.
And this under the Mckinley protective
law, which, strange to say is made
ineffective by being muzzled and
choked into submission by those
passing sentence upon 1t. Herein
the ''Rsgister" seeks for light and
in other columns will be furnishing it.
We will not assume that all this fall In
prices is due to pending legislation regard
ing the duty levied upon this one article,
but certainly the law of supply and de-
mand has an influences of immense account.
What has affected the demsndi What
power has wrought such havoc In our in
dustrial situation and made all kinds of
business prscarious and uncertain. Surely
If the pending bill is anticipated by the
"great majority" we should now be expert
encing its beneficial effect. Instead of
that look at the pitiful situation. 1s 1t to
dreaded trusts, combines and robber tar
iffs in danger of snnihilstion. or have they
s',subtle power so great that even Democrats
fall victims to the Satanic hypnotism when
once they are shown the vision of eternal
beauty3
Possibly the Register forgets some of Its
past assertions and promises to those who
looked upon the wondsrous image of
American progress stripped of its protec-
tion from the heat and cold, war and pesti-
lence of the whole world and takes swell
ling pride In looking upon this sorry
emacisted form, rather than upon one
full of the developed and manly qualities
that 20 to make American homes the most
perfect on earth.
The piping voice of some "Co1eyite" is
worth half price" No one asks for duty
to protect q poor article from being sold
upon its merits.
1t is certainly unfair to compare q crop
injured by hail stones, drouth and winds
with one more favored by nature. The
truth is many farmers hold on hand their
two (2) years crops of fine tobscco one OF
which had been contracted for at fair
price but which the buyer repudisted
when he saw the possibility of tariff
changes There is no denying this for the
proof is easily obtained from the hles of
Independent rural papers. The Register also
says leaf tobacco has sold as high as rs
cents per pound without any duty. Rs
marksble fsc,i Did the writer ever ride
over the Consolidated road paying three
cents per mile, 30 per cent. more than the
present rate, and did the road then pay so
per cent. dividend instead of 10i The
truth is, the Register knows better than II
would like to bluff its readers into believ-
ing. 1t knows that ipcspacity to deal with
the great national questions by the party
in power has upset confidence in the future
among all the Industries. No one dsres to
plan ahead. Labor is uneasy and feels
that the captain has no contIol-the crew
is unframed.
Dear Register, for the good name of our
most favored nation, for the saving of the
party you pull with do change your stroke
seek safer waters and keep our national
colore floating. "SMKLLo."