The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1897-02-04
MR.. WOODS VIEWS.
The Future of the Tobacco Interests
in North Carolina.

The Future Of the Tobacco Interests
in North Carolina.
Mr.. ". w Wood, a well known to
bacconist, writes as follows on The
above subject IN the Industrial number
of the Greensboro Record, and wha,
he says will be of interest 10 the trade
generally:
Real prophets were divinely appoint
ed TO fJretell events to come in God S
dealings with men. Thus inspired they
did not err.
10 common parlance, we still have
prophets (seit appointed ones) dealing
with the future of nearly every interest.
Many Of them would be called guess
erS. .
Writing by request on "The Future
OF the Tobacco Interests in North Car
DINA trust will not place me on the
"honor roli' of appointed prophets
CT guessers.
shall not venture a guess nor pre-
dIctlon, and certainly not prophecy,
but leave those things for the reader to
do for himself when | have in very few
sentences called up before him some
thing of The Past Of the Tobacco In
terests n North Carolina, from which
10y contrast we may in some degree
forecast its future.
Prior to the carly part of this CEN
fury Vagina was almost the sole pro-
duCer and manufacturer of tobacco in
America, indeed in the world Early
IN the century It's production began to
extend southwark into Tennessee and
Kentucky. Later on its manufacture
followed.
| The rapid increase Of its production
and manufacture in those States eX-
cited fear in the VIrsinians that their
State, the mother of tobacco enterprise,
would be ouidone, and that valuable
interest wrested from her by these
States
| Especially were they fearful and jeal-
Gus OF North Carolina, which grew not
only tobacco Of the same type as hers,
but OF superior color and flavor.
For long time only few counties
IN this State gave tobacco much atten-
tlon-Caswell being the central one
bordering on VIrginia-the entire
State producing less than 1000, 900
Wounds annually.
ana otlc.'est and most reliable sta,is-
Th ne j., REVIEW I'D published in
cs-those>c0ilateu afend Csnts'>' TO-
the Raleigh Nevs and Ob5S>tor HI
bacco edition last year-now show the
annual production Of leaf tobacco IN
North Carolina to be above 50, ooo,-
900, and the amount of the manufac-
tured product in all forms about 49,,
900, 900 pounds.
In the face Of this enormous growth
of the tobacco interests OF North Caro-
lima, covering Virginia's entire south
ern border, the mother State still holds
a proud position in tobacco interests,
though North Carolina passed her some
years ago in the well-run race.
1t was not that old Virginia ran
slower than her wonted speed, but that
the younger State ran faster.
There has been continual progress
and advancement in the tobacco inter- |
ests in both States for more than three
quarters of century. Each year now
shows Improvement in the growth and
manufacture of tobacco in North Caro-
lima; especially is this true of the great
Piedmont section in which we are 10
Gated.
We are now on the eve-almOst in
the midst-Of a wonderful revolution
in the manipua,ions and methods EN-
ployed for manufacturing tobacco in
this State, the final and full develop
ment and knowledge Of which would
be marvellous revelation TO the aver
age manufacturer now
With the foregoing reflections on
the past Of the tobacco Interests IN
North Carolina, what can we have to
fear for us future, seeing as we do that
the movement has all the while been,
and is today, forwarde
A better educated and better trained
people are taking up where each gen
| Grafton lays down the work. We need
not fear production South Of US since
| Virginia has withstOOd more than I'M
plies by competition in several adjoin
| Il
peel competition SO formidable to con
tend against as she had in us. Our
geographical position, soil and climate
conditions, together with our advanced
and scientific methods, place our to-
| baCCo interests almost in an unvulner-
| able atrunghold as it were. One thing
would strengthen our position, and
that Is great exporting city, OF which
Virginia has Two. Without them it is
doubtful If her tobacco Interests would
have been So we'll sustained down to
the present.
As Promised in The outset | have
briefly called the past 10 the attention
Of the reader, and now without aft let
lns him with my own prOphesying-
whether Of pesslmls,c or optimistic
tone II M gh, bel leave him - figure
out his own choice as l., Whar IS in
store Tor rs in line Future Of he To-
bacCn Interest in North Carolina" as
seems discovered IN this brief review
OF lis past
The Onward March
OF Consumption is stopped short by Dr.
Pierce's Golden Medicrl Discovery. Ii
you haven't waited beyond reason, there /.
complete recovery end cure. Although by
many believed to be incurable there is the