The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1900-02-20
No. 2


south Carolina, Tennessee and North
Carolina be urged to send delegate
In response to this resolution you have
now assembled. We invite at this con.
vention the fullest aud treest discus
sion OF tie tobacco business in all it's
phases, especially in relation to pro
duction, consumption, local 80 opera
tive factories, markets, g C. We also
wish to ascertain as accurately as DOS.
sible the acreage for the various ooun.
ties represented, yield per acre, pro-
portion OF crop mark ted, class of
tobacco raised, prices, etc, and in ra.
gard to this last data would suggest
that the county Delegates prepare a
ta6ulated report for the secretary of
the convention. We would also like
TO hear from tbs various deleea ations as
TO any plans thai they may have to
offer TO this convention, remedial of
present distressed conditions. / trust
our deliberations will be calm, Conser.
Vative and business like without preiu.
| dice or passion and bafii in dignity and
counsel the great work upon which we
| are about to engage. In admitting
that prices are too l)w and continually
diminishing, lis cur acst duty TO seek
the cause; Shas satisfactorily deteru-
ined, f1nd q remedy, or attempt to
m axe one. We are informed that the
markets are continually exanding and
a hhAk
manufactured tobacco is rising.
The governments statistics show us
tha5 since 1890 there has been decline
of ab lus 30 per cent. in production and
a decline OF about 4S per cent. in total
value. The large crop of 1890 averaged
over 8 cents per pound, while the small
crop of 1895 brought only six cents per
pound and believe the average for
1899 will be considerably lower. The
question naturally arises, why the
price Of the rR y article should decreage,
as the price of the manufactured prod
uct increases3 The msrgin bet ween
the raw material and the manu- aCtured
article should not be so. great as to for
oid profit TO the grower. The profits
from the former should not be in in
verse ratio to the profits Of the latter.
Is this unnatural condition, caused, as
ls so frequently asserted, by q combi-
nation OF the capital, manipulating the
markets in defiance Of the great natural
and econ ounic law of supply and de-
mand8 There should be some equity
IN the sharing of profits. 1t is our
purpose to encourage ell legitimate in.
vestments Of capital and we hope allin
terested in the tobacco business will
take up this matter in spirit Of mU.
Eual interest and discuss actual cOndi.
tlons, aiding us in an honest investiga'
tion and in securing g thorough under
standing OF present depressed cOndi-
tions. Let US learn the truth and fear
lessly face it. Harmonious working
together of all tobacco interests, mu-
tually dependent, should secure benefl
cent results to both producer and
manufacturer; making certain IN
creased legisimste profits to the pro.
duser with no diminution OF profit to
the manufacturer. That man is an
enemy to the farmer who attempts to
up lstly array him against capitalists,
and wefwould no5 be put in p JeiEiOn
OF being antagonistic to any Legitimate
corporation, as that ls now the reoog
nIz9d mode of commercial progress ion,
al d has added billions to the industrial
wealth Of this country, where timid in
dividual capital would never have ven
Cured. We want organized capital 20
come into our territory and assisE in
developing our latent resources and
manufacturing our raw material. Give
capital absolute proe ctiOn, but let iE
understand that it comes to foster, not
destroy. When corporation becomes
| oppressive, the people, especially the
agricultural people collectively, are
aole TO control and restrain it. 90
| operation OF capital is a vital force and
necessary in handling all great enter.
prtses O. operation of agricultural
| interests are vitally neces ary and in.
5ellisenGly and aggreseively combined
c Al secure protective Iegislation and
industrial emancipation. 90 operation
| can control the acreage and enable us
TO prof ably market cur crop. CO.
operation can build us local factories
and enable US to share in the profits Of
| che manufacturers, giving us home
markets for our tobacco as well as
other farm produce It is stated as a
5ruism that purely agricultural prod
uc;s will continue to decline; and we