The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1895-03-20
Who Can Tell Ita
Southern Tobacconist.

lima, respectively, last year, or for
any year previous 2 Who can
tell it, or how can any one get at
lit? We talk about the ridiculous
census reports and the Govern
ment reports as to crops, but no
one betters the record. In tobac-
co, no less than with other staple
products cotton, wheat, corn and
hay-the product, quality and
crop left over has all to do with
the produce, and what is the PRO
duct, and what is the product
without the value? It's a matter
of as much importance to the
planter to know correctly what is
produced as for any other dealers,
factors or speeulators in fact, the
lplanters suffer most by being in
the dark. The individual knows
what he has made or has on
hand, but no more. Then what
does his lone knowledge avail
him?
II is not our object to make
complaint without pointing out
some remedy, and this we have
done time and again before. Our
views have begotton a second and
general approval, but not beyond
that. We must, however, sooner
or later, come TO the point of fixing
and utilizing tobacco crop statis-
tics, or else ever remain in the
dark and behind all other staple
enterprises. We need not point
to the imperative importance Of
Of the issue; they are seen and
known to the most superficial
thinker. i
Should the tobacco trade rely
alone upon the Government re-
port? ? Surely the past complica-
tions have proven that we cannot.
But our reply is that whea pri-
vate enterprise assumes the i'm
portance Of stirring these matters
up and becomes interested, then
We can demand Of the Govern
ment and assist it intelligently in
this research and data, We have
precedence in the industry Of big
priyate Western tobacco concerns
in this matter. Some send out
10000 and more circulars for re-
plies in one State. In Virginia
and North Carolina we can do bet.
ter still. We get our tobacco crop
largely in the loose state; all we
need is keeping account of IL, sys-
tematically, as ii comes TO market,
and, as we have often repeated,
separating the planters from the
shipped, and both from the reof-
fered and resold tobacco. That
method would give US, without
much trouble and TO the satisfae-
tion Of all, the nearest approxi-
mate tobacco crop, when the sum
of markets are taken. A distinc-
tive mark or column for such dis
tinctiye tobacco is all that would
be needed on the record books,
whether receiving or sales's book.
Separate receiving books would
show the differences and sum To-
tails al d glace, and a mere check
or dash would show whether tie
tobacco was old or new, reshipped
or rcsold. ..-
The rcsold tobacco varies large
lly, according to speculative
chances. The boards Of trade,
then, could publish an official buI.
letin Of true transactions, valuable
70 all the trade. Some markets
would show heavy rcsales and
shipped tobacco, and others light,
and by this some markets would
record more life and activity and
variety afforded than Others, while
many small markets would have
an absence of resales and shipped
tobacco--the enviablo and i'm.
portant proofof their being more
or less original supply markets.
No warehouse need supply the
information desired independent.