The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-01-19
Southern Tobacco Journal.)

tSOulUeTu 3lODdCCO JOuludI.J
To the Tobacco Farmers of North Caro-
lima, South Carolina and Virginia: You
arc to be congratulated on the advanced
prices which you have for the past few
months been getting and are now receiv-
ing for your tobacco, and the plan or
method adopted or pursued by you that
caused prices to advance is indeed to be
commended.
There should be no doubt in your
minds about the cause of the advanced
prices for leaf tobacco, and you ought to-,
and l believe you do, know just what will
keep prices up.
The extra preparations which are being
made to increase the crop this year
prompts me to offer fewFwords of warn
ing and little, what seems to me, time
ly advice.
The 1899 crop of tobacco averaged less
than seven cents per pound; in fact it did
not net you six cents. The acreage of
the 1900 crop was less than that of the
1899 crop by % Per cent, and the price
advanced over 80 Fer cent, which advance
would, without doubt, have been much
greater had it not been for the enormous
circulars which all manufacturers and
dealers accumulat ed from the 1899 crop.
This surplus, however, was partly con-
sumed On account of the decreased guam
fifty r 1900. Therefore prices continued to
advanL. as the trade realized the scarcity
OF stock The 1901 crop is estimated to
be ten per cent short of that of 1900,
while prices have advanced over 40 per
cent
Rocky Mount. which handles as fine, If
not the finest bright tobacco that is
grown in the world, sold out Of the 1899
crop 1l,75C,O00 pounds for $4,000. To
January 1, 1902, she has sold 100000
pounds OF the 1901 crop for $685.
which shows that since 1898 the pounds
have been reduced about 80 per cent,
while prices have advanced nearly 100
per cent.
These figures and facts should, accord
ing to my idea, prove conclusively and to
the entire satisfaction of every man, who
las any brains in his head, that the only
safe and sensible thing for him to do, is
to reduce his tobacco acreage this year
instead of increasing it.
am aware of the fact that this advice
does not coincide with the narrow, biased
lllIIc, SELFISH VIEWS VI oOlliC Wui SAiOooS
men, leaf dealers, manufacturers and
guano trusts, who say that seven cents
per pound is enough for you to get Tor
your tobacco and that more than that
Price makes you an uncontrollable, extra
VACANT fool. That gang OF advisers ana
pretended good wishers are either your
enemies. entirely ignorant OF the lear
tobacco situation, or belong to the Dig
and little you clique, whose advice should
not, and l trust, will not, be adhered TO.
Warehousemen who advise an increased
tobacco acreage can have no other than
selfish, Individual gain motive. The leaf
dealer would have you increase. your
Crop in order that he may run his steam
plant to its utmost capacity with low
rriced tobacco, thus increasing his profit
at your expense The small manufac-
turer and his sympathisers would nave
YOU raise surplus of tobacco In order
that he might supply his little wants
without creating the slightest compet-
ton and thus carry prices down TO a
three or four dollar level. The big man
ufacturer or trust, would nave you plant
tho face of the earth in tobacco IN order
that he may gobble it up at Whatever
price he may see fit, while the guano
trust sits back with an air Of full salts
faction laughing in their sleeve at the
long profits, and consequently big money,
they arc going to make this year out or
the thousands of tons of guano you are
roing to bury under tobacco. And
night add that the owners of print.-S
dresses are no less jubilant over the pros
pects OF extra profits for printing extra
to pyfrd ln6GDtC0-
ness, should you plant an extra large
crop of tobacco. Will you do it? Surely,
surely not
Let me entreat you not to increase your
crop of tobacco this year, for in my hum
BE opinion the condition herein above
described will be yours if the acreage is
increased to any considerable extent. Just
so sure as profitable prices arc the result
of short crops IF tobacco land no sane or
we'll informed man will dispute it, just
so sure will financial disaster and de-
structon to you follow a big increase OF
tobacco These are inevitable and I'M
disputed facts which are borne out py
the history of leaf tobacco since you or
your fcrefa.hers laid down their worn
out muskets at Appomattox on the 9TH
day of April, 1865.
Why is it that those who advise an IN
creased acreage do not give some reasons
for such advice? Why did not they ad-
wise you to decrease your crop when your
tobacco was selling so low that 1t would
not pay for the fertilizer you put under 1t !!
Whence cometh all this special interest
which such advisers would have you be-
licve they feel in your success? They tell
YOU that they have information to sus-