The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-02-07
NINE TOWNS REPORT
The Exact Shortage is SIS, 1895.
This Report is Based on Returns
From Raleigh. Wilson, Rocky Mount,
Winston, SmithfieId, Warrenton,
Louisburg, Oxford and Kinston.

News comes from the tobacco counties
OF the State is that the farmers are tired
OF working for the Tobacco Trust and
will greatly decrease the tobacco crop
this year This is the season Tor pre-
pairing plant beds and the farmers who
were busy getting ready for large crop
a. this time last year are now doing lit
tie or nothing about crop. In the
Eastern part of the State the reduction
OF the acreage will be very large. Tie
highest estimate from any county is that
the crop will be only fifty per cent icss
than last year, and in some counties il
will not be more than one-fourth.
Everybody knows that it is because
the Tobacco Trust that arbitrarily fixes
the price of tobacco, regardless OF the
law and supply and demand, has this
season virtually robbed the tobacco grow
ers of North Carolina of several million
dollars. The amount that they have ia
ken from the farmers OF ----- toWig
is $--. If the trust had pail
the farmers who sold on these -----
markets the same price per pound that
tEey paid last season they would have
paid $-- more than they did
pay. The trust, by reason of the morcp-
oily they have obtained, have taken the
tobacco from the farmers AT A PRICL.
BELOW THE COST OF PRODUCTION"
to quote Colonel John S. Cunningham,
President of the State Tobacco Growers
Association.
Is it any wonder, when they are paid
- e., &1as,, f1lo 1-oN
the farmers are going } quit working Tor
the Tobacco Trust and boarding them
selves?
j. R. Chamberlain, President Of the
Caraleigh Phosphate and Fertilizer
Works, in a conversation last night said
that the orders for fertilizer for tobacco
farmers was now much smaller than at
this period last ear. He says that this
is because few tobacco beds arc being
set out and without the young plants be-
inz prepared there can be but n small
tobacco crop. He states also that in
Eastern North Carolina the conditions
are such that there will be but half
tobacco crop as compared with last year.
This is no guess work on his part but
from the orders received and from lis
own observation he finds that the presses.
planting is for half sized crop.
Ask any tobacco farmer whether he =
getting living prices for his tobacco grown
in 1903 He will confirm the statement
of Col. Cunningham. OF course now Ind
then a very small pile of particularly
fine tobacco brings good price. and the
Raleigh Morning Post prints that in
prominent place and almost every day de
clares that the farmers are getting good
their tobacco Ii has never
yet quoted the price paid to single
farmer on his whole crop or quoted
sure enough tobacco grower.
When every tobacco farmer knows the
trust is robbing him every time 1t buys
q pound of his tobacco, the repeated dec
larations OF the trust organ that prices
are good diSgusts farmers and others WHO
know that for most part, the trust has
only paid one-half the price paid last
year.
In order to get at the real facts, tire
following letter was addressed TO well
posted citizen in the most impertsnt to-
bacco marts of North Carolina;
Raleigh. N. c., Feb. 1. 1904.
Dear Sir: We are desirous of printing
a statement in Sundays News and OBJ
server, giving some information that will
be OF very great value to all the tobacco
world Please answer the following
questions, as approximately correct as
you can.
LIST. How many pounds of tobacco of
this season have been sold on your mar
ket up to January 31st?
End. How many pounds same period
last year?
Ord. Average price paid per pound this
saason2
Attn. Average price paid last season?
If YOU will add any facts or statements
in addition that will make good tobacco
story for your town, we will be greatly
Obliged. We are sending this letter to
all the leading tobacco towns.
Very truly yours,
JOSEPHUS DANIELS.
Ralnw we rrint such answers IS rsache.