Iron County register., 1894-04-05
ToBAcco TARIFFS.


A Galloway County Tobacco Man Writes
q Letter to Senator Cockrell, Asking His
..KiDd Attention to q Few Points
There are Times When "Things at Home
Sometimes Need the Most Attention"
ST. LOUIS, March 2S-The following
open letter to Senator Cockrell, which
appeared in the st. Louis Republic, ex-
plains some points not generally known
in Missouri:
Hon. r. M Cockreu Washington. D. c.:
AS one OF your constituents. interested both
in the welfare of our producers and the general
business prosperity of our state, fntlmateiy
connected with the tobacco interests OF Caila-
way county for the past fifteen years, ana
having gone through its ups and downs
during that length OF time, I think l am
justified in asking your kind attention TO
few points stated as briefly as posslole.
In regard to that clause in the tarln
bill 'doing away with the sale OF free leaf TO-
bacco'' we have known for some time past the
manufacturers OF leaf tobacco have had pow
erful lobby In Washington trying to bring this
about. They tried it IN the house with the
trainers OF the "tarin BILL" but could avail
nothing; they also made strong effort with
the senate subcommittee, and up to Marcn ~
they had not been able to get them to make
clause discriminating in their favor After
this bill left them it seems that tine
clause" was inserted. and the same seems
to be entirely for the benefit and protection
OF the corporations 1t could not be for reve-
nue.. II so, why did they not put tax on manu-
factured goods OF 12 cents and on raw leaf OF D
cents. put the old tax of S3 license on every
merchant who sells tobacco in any forms
Either of these would have brought a mucn
larger income. 1t is very evident, to my mino
and to any man fully acquainted with botn
Sides that the manufacturers want the entire
control OF the final output of all tobacco no
man on the outside knows the power OF money
abilities these corporations have reached DUR
ing their co-partnership with the government
There is no doubt but what 1t is monopoly
that the government has sustained. and
they have received good income from It,
but no better than the other side, and from
this protection the manufacturers have be-
come even strong enough to turn over to any
one state they may choose the whole plug and
smoking tobacco business The business OF
the dealers and rehandlers of the leaf in this
state has been ruined by these large corpora
tions absorbing the small manufacturers and
then turning over their entire patronage to the
state of Kentucky This simply because IS
pounds of Kentucky hurley leaf stemmed
will absorb 40 to SIS pounds OF cheap
licorice, sugar. whatever they want
to put in. Missouri hurley will not
absorb so much, yet there are very few but
that will admit Missouri goods make the best
chew but you can not get 40 pounds OF scent
stuff in any Missouri filler. This 40 pounds
sells at % cents to IS cents, owing to grade.
So you see manufacturers can and do own
pound of manufactured goods at about the
same the raw leaf costs us. Four five OF
the largest manufacturers in the world. located
in the city of St. Louis, verv little. II any,
Missouri tobacco. They are seldom. ii ever.
represented on the breaks Of the st. Louis
market.
Missouri has no market, and her dealers and
producers who had not gone to pieces when the
law was changed so as to allow the sale OF raw
leaf at once took advantage OF an outlet for
our tobacco. knowing that good Galloway,
Pike, Howard or Usage county virgin soil leaf
made a better chew or smoke than nfne-tenthS
of the manufactured goods of to-day, and for
the past three years have been endeavoring to
work up outlet for the production OF our
counties. These large corporations ask that
they be made to step down and out again or
else pay the same tax manufacturers do, which
they can not do. So much for our little busi-
ness interests.
But what of our producers and that large
portion of our state finely adapted to rails
ing tobacco-the timbered lands? They can
not raise wheat at the price. This land is not
strong enough for corn, so tobacco is their
best and only show, and they must have mar
ket or outlet for their production. The farmer
can only retail very little. and manufacturers
know this, or that clause would have been left
out, too. Suppose you take the tax off manu-
factured tobacco-make them retail their own
productions at home in their factories only
as they ask farmers to do Put the tax on
leaI, give Inc I1rmeT tQ0 aSSlSuduCc OL tuc
retail merchant and jobber, and in thirty
years there will not be thirty manufacturers
In the United States but every quarter section
of tobacco land in our country will blossom
with beautiful homes filled with some of the
comforts that make farm life worth living. in
stead of an eternal drudge-the profits of which
continually go into the hands of a favored few
to build granite blocks of beautiful edifces in
our cities. Tobacco in it's raw state is not a
luxury to the producer, but his bread and meat,
and should be free from the barter and
trade of every man as corn, rye, oats, wheat
or potatoes. The farmers OF our state are
preparing to plant large acreage this year.
What is to be done with it? This will be
produced especially for the retail trade.
being largely old-style virgin soil filters.
In many sections there is no market for
any such tobaccos, as manufacturers are not
using them. II allowed the same facilities to
dispose of this leaf as manufacturers have
there is market for them on a paying basis,
and our virgin soil filters will not be long in
again assuming their strong position both in
the open and retail markets Many merchants
refuse to handle them yet because of the red.
tape business placed over them by the special
rulings of the commissioner OF internal
revenue. But not word of complaint has
come on this score, nor have the producers
and dealers asked for any more than was
granted them by republican congress.
To have the free sale OF the products of their
soil taken away by the demand OF corporations.
backed up with eStaDl1SneQ DrandS and I'M.
nense capital on a bid OF 6 cents per pound
for the entire control of one OF the most inl-
portant industries of our country, would be
shame upon the name of democracy and for a
body of men to grant such request knowing
that they represent a people whose cry as they
marched to the polls was. Away with the pro-
lection of monopoly and centralized capital
tending to monopoly" should and will
tainly furnish food for serious considera.
ton on their part. Finally would mod.
estly suggest that manufacturers Go not
want the tax taken on manufactured to-
bacoo. You will doubtless recall that in
1890 there was an effort made by the small
manufacturers to do away with the whole
thing and many congressman favored 1t. but
the big manufacturers came in and said:
Don't do it." Why? They know that as soon
as the government takes its watchful eye Oh
manufactured tobacco there will be an end to
the special value OF trade marks. brands
and prescribed packages, and the lit
tie man. would be as big as
the big man"-they would be out on
the world-on equal footing with other
men, with no show to say: This brand must
goods" or, IF you sell this cigarette you must
sell 1t exclusively" Has this been done: Inc
records of the supreme courts OF seVeral states
will sustain the statement.
Pardon me for taking so much OF your valua-
ble time when the eyes OF all men seem to be
ON import duties but it is at just such time
as this that things at home sometimes neeo
VIC 1'o'' CALLAwAY COUNTY.
FOREIGN STATISTICS.