The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-11-03


being put upon the interior tobacco mar
kets. on order for China and Japan. and
these interior tobacco markets built up
largely by Richmond capital have now
become formidable rivals as the markets
tributary to Louisville. Ky, became or
were likely to become rivals OF hers. I'M
ti she checked them, and how?
when Louisville saw that she was fast
losing her prestige as tobacco market.
that the interior markets were being
built up at her expense. and Cincinnati
was fast becoming the tobacco emporium
OF the west then IL was that her pub
lic-spirited citizens In meeting assembled
pledged themselves not TO buy any to-
baccos, save and except tho tobacco was
stored and sampled IN one OF the tobac-
co warehouses in the city of Louisville
and Trey rigidly adhered to their pledge.
Sellers came with samples OF tobacco
from other tobacco markets. but the in
variable answer was. we won't look at
any tctaccos until and except the tobac-
co is brought to Louisville, stored and
sampled In Louisville, and the tobacco
came and Louisville increased and multi
piled and extended her borders until she
is to-day the largest tobacco market of
the world.
IL Richmond would emulate the exam
pie Of Louisville, she might recoup her
lost advantages. forge ahead and take the
leading place in the markets OF the world
as she ought to do. 1t requires great
public spirit and unity of action on the
part OF our citizens and it remains for
our people TO say whether Richmond cap
ital shall be used in the future in build
ing up other markets TO tho detriment OF
her own.
Richmond never can be a great city
unless manufacturers make her great,
the idea Of her being great port, or a
great commerce centre has been effectual-
ly exploded by the long results Of time
The railroads have made her a way
station. and erected Newport News and
West Point into ports in her stead, and
unless her citizens rise i'm their might and
act together with the determination that
she shall be great and a power in the
land, she will decline-progressi is the
law OF nature-when progression ceases
decline begins and II our people are so
inert. and so disunited as not to act when
the time is propitious the opportunity
which is golden will be lost, and some
other, on the doctrine Of the survival OF
the iittest will take her laurels from her
The tobacco interest Is the largest and
most important Richmond has, and unless
her citizens do all in their power to foster
this industry, IL Will in time become the
possession Of some more active rival.
our tobacco history coeval with the his
tory OF the Commonwealth, shows the
great radical changes which time has
wrought
The learned historian says: That por-
ton of Eastern Virginia where tobacco
was first grown and used by the Indians.
has now, 10 a great extent, ceased TO be
tobacco producing.
THE finest tobacco, which was Of the
dark grade, was grown chiefly in the
Tidewater section. and bore a high stand
ard abroad, but is now thing of the
past, Ohe foreign circulars in enumerat-
ing stocks on hand, would now state,
FORK river tobacco "-none).
Just prior to the war the finest dark
English stemming and shipping tobacco
was raised I'm the counties of Henrico
Hanover, Chesterfield. Powhatan, Amelia.
Cumberland buckingham, Amherst, Nell
son and Albemarle.
those were the days Of wagoning tobac-
co 20 market-then came the days OF the
James river and Kanawha canal, whicir
facilities with the fact Of Richmond being
n port where tobacco could be loaded on
vessels direct for foreign ports, made IL
par excellence the greatest tobacco
market Of the world
Now the producing area has become
more and more circumscribed. Henrico,
Hanover and Chesterfield have not I'm the
last thirty years made any tobacco
worthy TO be cassed with that they made
before the war. and the other counties
find equal facilities for shipping that they
make to Lynchburg and Farmvile, where
the regie buyers most do congregate, and
10 Petersburg where there is a demand
FOR heavy dark tobaccos for manufacture
ing for foreign countries. No such manu-
factories existing here. the demand does
not exist. and the tobacco goes where the
demand is greatest.
To attempt TO bring. these tobaccOs here
from first hands would be equivalent TO
sending Louisa and Caroline counties sun
cured tObaccOs 10 Lynchburg, where such
goods are not wanted, the shipper would
surely lose on his venture.
But though these dark heavy tobaccos
do not come here from first hands, they
40 eventually find a market in Richmond.
for it is here that the Austrian, Italian
and French reggie buyers fiji their orders.
and they do not do so unadvisedly or
lightly. but upon mature, and i'm some
cases sad experience which has proved
10 them that there Is safety in the Rich
mond inspection. which as we have said
before. stands high above reproach in
this country. and in all foreign coun-
tries.
In fact interior markets have shipped
tobaccos TO Richmond and stored 1t I'm our
warehouses and sampled II here. simply
10 avail themselves Of the imprlmatur Of
our Richmond inspection.
The remedy we would suggest for the
falling off i'm our receipts from first hands
would be the establishment Of joint stock
warehouses and let each Of our citizens
take an interest in them TO a greater