The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1900-01-23
EVIL DOZEN DY TOBACCO.
Far Exceeds That Done by the Trust,
Says Mr.. Fleming.

To the Editor: As much is being said
about the tobacco trust, l would like
to say Il word in you paper which has
SO large a circulation. | know You may
fear to publish my thoughts. because
it may not be popular to do so, but
being satistied-fully satistied-that my
view Of the matter IS correct, | can but
make the effort to place 1T before the
public for consideration.
What the tobacco trust is doing Is
well known. That it has utterly 'mpov-
erished whole sections is well known;
that it works men and women, boys
and girls and consumes the stock md
finally the farm of many a tobacco
raiser is also known. In new fields
fields we see sometimes profit
given the raiser of tobacco until
he builds his barns and pack horses,
losing every year, hoping that prices
will be better, but they are not to nc
better for him. Finally all It's tirst
profits are gone; then he begins to mort
gage and at last, after working himself
land family, living harl and earring
his children without cdHclti"n, he IS
sold out Of house and % &c: lhcn he
sees he has speut all 20 enrich the to
bacco trust. An awful picture, ut
bad as it is, it is not the worst.
| have worked many Il day on i
tobacco farm and i'll a .o5acco crop. Ny
father was a tobacco raiser. | have
many kindred and frien IS who are en-
gagged in raising tobacco, 50 | can say
nothing against the tobacco raiser.
Where the tobacco trust has blighteN
one home. in my Judgment. :,hacco Las
blightcd many 1t has destroyed and
is destroying many live. l. is manning
and rendering unfit for usefulness more
people than the wars Of the Wo:'i.
Filthy, poisonous plant. What benefit
to the world that it should be raised:
[ would sugges to the tobacco groWtrs
association to discuss at their next meet
ing the question. rs tobacco Il curse
to nankind!' If the use Of tobacco IS
hurtful TO mankind, may it not BE- that
a kind Providence is bringing good out
of evil, by using th0 tobacco trust I"
destroy the profits Of tobacco raising that
its growth may cease i'll this fair and
Of ours. If the tobacco trust by III
poyerishing whole sections. breaking up
homes and causing the young to grow
up in ignorance and putting the profits
of tens of thousands Of workers INTO
the Golfers Of a few, can awaken tn
people and let them see the rum and
death aud Decentralization tha. tobacco
is bringing upon SO many O. the human
family. Notwithstanding its LONG list Of
evils, | would hail the tobacco trust
as Il blessing rather tllan q curse to
man. In my opinion the Opium Of the
Chinaman. the whiskey Of the American
and other poisonous substances used by
other people are not to be compared
to the ruin wrought upon the human
family by this poisonous, seductive
plant-tObacco.
Ii the Tobacco Growers Association,
instead Of dcvising means to make the
cultivation of this poisonous weed prof
liable, would consider the evil tobacco
is doing and dcvise means by which
to prevent its growth, 1t would deserve
the thanks of mankind and | believe d
benign Providence would smile upon
their labors and bless their effort.
i. II. FLEMING.
Raleigh. Jan. II. 1900.