Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-11-23
HuRrs QUA TOBACCO rxTEREsTs.

Az Concord n. H., on Monuay heipo''
Myrick. editor of the American Agficui-
turist and Orange Judd Farmer. mace
an address to the National Grange OF
Patrons of Husbandry, in which he dis-
cussed Imperialism. and said that farm
ers should oppose any form or annexa-
ton which would admit products OF the
new Colonies into the United States duty
free.
Mr. Myrick said further:
"The best things in agriculture today
I'm the United States are the specianties
free trade with the tropics would KNOCK
out. That policy would permanently
blight Florida and almost annihilate her
agricultural industries, making FLORIDA
only n way station to the tropics. IL
would seriously compete with the impor-
tant industry OF growing early fruits ana
vegetables both I'm Southern and Northern
states 1t would probably obliterate cigar
leaf-tobacco culture in New England,
New York. Pennsylvania, Ohio. Wiscon-
sin. Florida. and Texas. 1t would trans
fer to Ponce, Santiago, Habana, and Ma
Mia the vast cigar manufacturing indus
try OF the United States whose skilled
labor and millions upon millions OF capt.
tai could not compete with labor at one
fourth our wages working on tropical
leaf. The extent to which the vast semi
tropic fruit industry Of the South, South
west. and Pacific coast would be injured
by free trade with the East and West
Indies is self-evdent The fruits OF the
northern belt would also be affected.
THE production OF sugar in the United
States, already given hard blow by the
annexation OF Hawaii would be most Sc
riously interfered with. In fact sugar
raised by the yellow and black labor OF
the East and West Indies. IL admitted
duty free, would probably annihilate our
domestic sugar. producing industry"
We may add to what Mr.. Myrick has
said, that the cigarette tobacco industry
of Virginia and the Carolnas would be
greatly injured If Manila tobacco should
be permitted to come into free competi-
ton with ours.
The Dispatch does not believe that Ma
Mia cheroots and cigarettes are as good
as ours, but they would find market in
this country, nevertheless The leaf can
be produced and manufactured very
cheaply with Asiatic labor and wherever
these goods found a market ours would
be crowded out or reduced in price to a
considerable extent. Indeed, what with
Habana and Manila cigars coming into
this country, many who are now in the
habit of smoking pipes, cigarettes, or
cheroots would be tempted to buy cigars.
Thus the demand for our goods would be
lessened, and their prices cheapened.
What would be the result? The
tobacco-grower would get less for his leaf
than he is getting now. Our cigarmakers
would have to content themselves with
smaller wages. Girls employed in cigar
cite and cheroot-factories would also be
sufferers.
If there is any Virginia interest that
will be advantaged by the annexation Of
the Philippines we do not know what it
is. Our tobacco interest would probably
be struck severe blow-unlesS Congress
should safeguard us with something in
the nature OF protective tariff, and TO
do that it would have to turn its back
upon all the teachings of the Constitution.
And, again, while such a tariff might hold
for a few years, the day would certainly
come when it would be abrogated, and
when we would have to stand face to
face, upon equal terms. with Asiatic
cheap labor!
1t is decided beyond recall, we suppose,
that Porto Rico is to become a part of
our country, and that Cuba will also be
ours after a probationary period under
military rule, but we shall hope TO the
last that the Philippines will not be fast
ened upon us Dewey and various other
naval and military funetionaries are
| quoted as saying that we ought to pos
! sess ourselves Of those islands by all
means. But they have not viewed the
matter from our standpoint. We doubt
IL our country has any just claim upon
| those islands; but no matter, we think 1t
would be a mistake for the United States
to take them as a free gift plus 10000.
| 900 bonus from Spain.