Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1896-02-21
DIR. CLARDY'S SPEECH.
HIS ARGUMENT FOR AN OPEN To5Ac-
co MARKET.
HIS Bill Passes the House and VIII Not
BE Likely To Have any Trouble In the
Senate

WAsHINaToN, Feb. l8 DIR. Clardy
has won his fight. His amendment
to change the methons of selling to-
bacco and other farm products has
been adopted by numerous vote.
His speech in favor of his amend
ment is here given in full.
Mr.. CLARDY. Mr.. Chairman pro- |
pose at the proper time t. introduce
an amendment to this bill which has
reference to the sale and introduction
of tobacco and other farm products
in foreign countries. / will say now
what | have to say upon that amend
ment, and also upon some other mat
tiers connected with the general bill.
MIR. Chairman, l offer this amend
ment because in my Judgment it has
reference to a matter which has re-
ceived little or no consideration. Not
because it is of little importance, but
because it is not generally under
stood. Ny amendment may apply
to other farm products, but it is my
purpose to confine myself for the few
moments l have to speak to the one
product, tobacco. No other product
of the greatest and most important
of all industries is so trammeled in
it's efforts to reach and supply the
foreign demands.
England and Germany are free
markets and offer to the American
farmer an opportunity to sell this
great staple without let or hindrance,
and afford by far the best outlet for
the surplus, especially for certain
grades of tobacco. Nearly all the
strips chat is, leaves with the stems
taken QUIT made in this country are
sold in England, and considerable
quantity of rich dark tobacco is sent
to Germany. This still leaves very
large proportion of the crop not need
ed in this country to seek other mar
kets, or, / might rather say, to be
sought by government contractors to
supply the demands of other foreign
countries. The Governments of
France, Italy and Spain, and proba-
bly, some others, buy entirely through
what is termed "ReRie" contracts.
The contracts are let TO individuals
and Arms, they agreeing to furnish 80
many hoRsheads OF the particular
TYPES wanted At a stipulated price.
The entire trade is a government
monopoly. Austria and Hungary
buy through their cousuls, but the
monopoly is the same.
| Now, my object in offering these
amendments is to try to open these
foreign markets to the individual
producers OF tobacco in this country.
In France and these other countries
no individual is permitted to sell
hogshead Of tobacco at all, Tobacco
| is treated differently in that respect
from any other product, and this
great industry is a very important
one TO "a large part Of the people of
this country. These contracts are
made with few individuals. These
individuals set the price OF the pro.
duct in this country, and il must so
into their hands, because there is no
outlet for it except through these con
| tractors.
The contractors are few in number
-generally three OF four men control
the contracts for these Governments
and of course with an nbundaus
supply they get together and fix the
price on all export grades, from which
there is no appeal, as ell this tobacco
must 20 into this trade or it can not
be sold at all.
Now. the object Of this amendment
is to start an investigation OF this
matter and by friendly intercourse
| with these Governments sock in time
to get them, for advantages offered
them in the sale of their products to
this country. to at least modify this
method of supplying their wants, 80
as to allow our dealers in tobacco, or
our farmers, If they think proper to
do so, to ship and sell tobacco in
these countries as freely as other pro-
ducts are sold, under such custom
duties or restrictions as they may see
proper to impose. England puts a
very high tariff on tobacco; still, it is
our best market for ccEtain grades.
| That this may not appear to be a
trivial matter, desire to present a
flew figures to show the Importance OF
this crop, at least to Kentucky, Ten
nessee and Virginia, and especially
to Kentucky, as that State produces
about one-half of the tobacco grown
| in the United States
For the year 1895. hhds,
Tobacco sold at Louisville, l74,885
{" +" Cinciunati,* 100000
/" /" Hopkinsv'le,* 5000
" Clarksville,* 15,000l
" Paducah,*- 1900
:" Mayfeld,~- 5000
Estimated bought loose and
markets : 2O,Oool
ESTIMATED. Total III $3.50