The Newtown bee., 1903-03-20
Ten Ppges.
LITCHFlELD COUNTY.
 NEW MILFORD.

| MEETING OF TOBACCO GROWERS.
 The meeting of the tobacco growers of the Housatonic valley at Roger Sherman hall on Monday afternoon was attended by about 400 men. The meeting seemed to lack in enthusiasm, although the sentiments of F. H. Plumb, the New England Homestead representative. were warmly applaud ed.
 | It took the meeting some time to organize. w. O. Corning of Marble 1 dale called the meeting to order and asked for the nomination of moder ator. Every man named declined till Frank Hallock of Washington named w. O. Corning, who accepted. It was equally hard to get secretary. E. O.. Marsh, Charles A. Mallory, Daniel Garfield, Ex-Comptroller Staub, Ar thur Knowles and many others were named, but all with one accord refused. Walter LeavenwOrth of Worthwhile was at last nominated, and accepted. MT Corning then introduced F. H. Plumb of the New England Home stead, whose address was very atten- lively listened to. MT Plumb talked in convincing way, and was earnest in what he said and spoke without affectation. He first told of the meet ing of the growers in Hartford, where 
 from 400 to 600 of the best growers in the valley, representing from a half acre to 160 acres each, were present. Many of the men were active in busi- ness, in the Grange and cooperative creameries. He stated that the farm CTS "Out East'' were thoroughly aroused and interested. Mir Plumb said he had not come to New Milford to denounce any individuals or the trust. l find on inquiry you are situ- ated exactly as they are in the Con- necticut valley. Early in the season you received fair offers, while to-day you are selling for little or nothing. What makes the farmers mad is that the packers seem to have districted
 
 raised on about 1000, ,OOO acres of land. New England is known as the wrap per leaf section. The quantity of wrapper leaves raised is very light, so that enormous lots of Sumatra is inn ported, 6,OO0,00O pounds year. The market for tobacco leaf is so bare that the trade papers of late haven't even quoted it. Scarcely one grower in 100 knows what the manufacturer wants. There are some "A different grades of New England tobacco, as assorted in a warehouse to-day.
 Wisconsin raises large acreage, as does Ohio, New York and Pennsylva- mia, and some 25OO acres are raised in Georgia. The American Tobacco Co.,, better known as the tobacco trust, have gone into Wisconsin. For time it packed the tobacco in Wisconsin. Then it had the tobacco delivered at some central point and had it shipped to Richmond, Va., to be assorted by negroes This year the trust has come into New England and bought heavily, having the tobacco shipped from Windsor. It means great deal to the towns where the warehouses are To- cated to have the tobacco assorted in the North. If the farmers don't or ganize it means that all these ware houses will be closed, so far as the trust is concerned.
 We are met here to-day to see if the farmers cannot agree on some plan by which they can get together. Tobac- co growers are not looking to the future. They are not getting out of the crop what they should. Great applause.) We want to first get 5000 acres pledged, then the location of the warehouses. and the hiring of super ed by your committee. The first thing is to get together. If you can get together and hang together you can hire capable man to sell your tobac- co. If you have read the papers you know that the Tobacco Trust made s3O, ,0O0,000, last year, and they also paid enormous salaries. In the town of Sufield, the largest tobacco town in New England, 22OO acres are raised and nearly all is pledged to the new movement. In Whately 300 out of 400 acres is pledged. The committee in charge of this movement proposes to hold nine meetings in Massachusetts and nine in Connecticut.
 M. w. Frisbie of Southington, tall and impressive looking man, was next introduced. He thought it de cidedly important that the farmers take hold of this matter in a strong intelligent manner. We ought all t( unite and put our shoulders to the wheel and stand together. Now is oul opportunity. If we pass it over we art at the mercy of anyone who sees fiji to make us an offer. Hartford bank
 CTS have been to the committee an(
 offered to loan money on tobacco pack
 ed in warehouses on the plan suggested
 Hon Nicholas Staub suggested tha
 the pamphlets touching on the matte be distributed. He raised some ? acres himself, but he would be unwill ing to subscribe for any stock until h. had some definite knowledge of tn : proposed plan.
 Frank Hallock oi Washington thel
 arose and made quite vigorous speech He said: We are called together il
 the interests of the farmers. Ever
 man of us knows that the farmers ar . producers. The farmers in the Housa