The evening times., 1900-05-01
MARYLAND TOBACCO DEALERS.
Political Administrations of Stnte
Warehouses Vigorously CrIfIeised-

Warehouses Vigorously Critieised-
BALTIMORE. May 1.-The Leaf Tobacco
Association at its annual meeting yesterday
reelected its former board Of directors and
unanimously adopted the annual report OF
the directors. which was read by Secretary
Charles a Martin.
The rePc-. severely criticised the politi-
cal administration OF the State tobacco
warehouses. and suggested that they be
taken out Of politics and the appointment
ot employees OF the warehouses be vested
in the association. In discussing this sub
ioet the report states:
with every change in the state Admin
istratiCn new set Of employees comes into
the State tobacco warehouses. even IL the
new incoming Administration is Of the
same political party as It's predecessor.
and these periodically recurring changes
are an unmixed evil 10 the tobacco trade.
Wien the last change in the state Admin
istraJion took place. in 1856. a new anl
inexperienced force was installed and for
three years the result WIS many com
plants as 10 their faulty sampling. In the
fourth year of these incumbents the expert
ence they gained. assisted BY the constant
efforts and watchfu.ness OF the Leaf Tobac-
co Association. produced an improvement il
pleasing contrast with the three previous
years
1T is with great discOura cement that
we contemplate the sweeping changes il
the personnel Of the warehouse employees
now being made by the recently inaugural
ed State Administration. and we feel that
il is time that the disturbance OF the ma
chiHery which handles our great State pro-
duct should cease. The Maryland tobacco
crop annually draws from foreign consum-
oTs 81 Isl, 600 10 81 5C0 eco which is dis
tributed among the tobacco growers OF
Southern Maryland When our samples
n ;rit tie confidence Of the European buy
ers the trade prospers: when. through
faulty inspection, the samples DO 'ict fairly
represent the hogsheads the tra5e suffers,
and the first TO feel this are the farmers
themselves
Experience has shown US that 50 long
as positions in the State tobacco ware
houses are treated as other political pat
ronage II is impossible 10 have the per-
manency II once which is essential 10 the
intelligent performance CT mis- duties by
the employe. ard we would urge a radical
change in the method OF appointing these
officials to whom is entrusted the handling
and sampliRg Of our great staple We
earnestly recomend that the men who draw
the samples be elected BY the Leaf TOiac-
CO Association. rs is done in many tobacco
markets in this country.
The Leaf Tobacco Association has the
greatest stake in the welfare OF the to-
bacco trade; il is in close touch with the
tobacco growers and the tobacco c0usum-
ers and Il is better informed as TO the
qualifications and fitness or the various a9-
plicants fIr the above Offices than the state
executive can hope 10 be Why. there
lore. should not the selection Of these men
bs left 10 the Leaf Tobacco Association -
The report also stated that the MARYLAND
tobacco crop OF 1889 amounted to 8. HS4
hogsheads. about ). Geo hossheads less thar,
for the year before. and greatly inferior TO
il in general character. much being rough
and coarse and mi>ed with green France
contracted for smaller quantity than the
previous year. but later increased her de-
mands so that shipments reached l.. $50
hogsheads. being the largest quantity ever
shipped 10 that country any one year
Considering the undesirable character OF
much Of the crop. IL sold Wen. prices rang
ing from 10 13 cents. The crop O;
groundleaves was about 3.200 hogsheads
but, owing 10 their lack OF color. salfs
we're slow. Upper country tobacco was OF
poor quality and color, making sales diff
cult The quantity was small. about eco
hogsheads. Of which some 300 or 400 hogs
heads were air-cured-
The directors announced that they had
arranged for full selection of all types of
tobacco grown in Maryland az the Paris
Exposition. the exhibit being made in the
name Of the Leaf Tobacco Association OF
MsTy:1cd by the United States Department
of Agriculture
It was announced that the French Gov
ernmeTit viii give cut contract during the
month of May for about Is eco hogsheads of
Maryland tobacco. This purchase by
France VIII be one Of the largest ship
mentS ever made