Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1906-11-30

Loousr POINT TOBACCO WAREHOUSES.
Baltimore, Nov. p, 1906.

more and Ohio Railroad, and charac-
srizss our Locust Point WaEshsesss:ess, az
the management is neither friendly !
20 the State Warehouses nor to the to-
bacco growers of Southern Maryland"
As So many Of the things said and 1
done along these lines have been by ire
sponsible persons, we have heretofore
declined to notice them, but since DIR.
Hill as State official undertakes to dis
credit our establishment, we feel impell- |
ed to enlighten those who may feel in
terested, or who are liable to be mislead
by his statements.
We have never attempted TO conceal
the fact that we are competitors for the
business Of the State Tobacco Ware
houses, but that we are at all unfriendly
to the tobacco growers Of Maryland we
most emphatically deny, and we ehal-
lenge DR.. Hill or any one else to produce
any evidence TO substantiate the charge.
In the meanwhile we will state a few
facts to show not only that we are
friendly to the tobacco growers, but
that the introduction Of our establish
ment has done them a great service. We
submit that the hundreds of them who
have brought their tobacco to our ware
houses have been courteously and con-
siderately dealt with, and afforded the
advantages Of first class establishment.
To substantiate this we offer the testi-
mony Of these hundreds of our friends
in Southern Maryland, to whom we take
this occasion to renew our appreciation
for their patronage, and the assurance
of the same friendly treatment and the
same business advantages which we
have extended during all these years.
And that they may not be fooled with
the same old story about breaking up
the State Warehouses" and monopoly"
and putting up the charges, !" and all
sorts of rubbish to brighten them away.
we now renew our proposition to con-
tract with one or more OF them to ham
die their tobacco at the present rates of
charges-including free storage-for the
next twenty-five years, or as long as we
continue the business. This contract
may be drawn by their own lawyer or
by ours, and If desired, our part Of it
will be guaranteed by first class Bond.
ing Company, possibly the one of which
the Governor is President.
As we have already stated, until some
one shall have tested the good faith and
efficiency Of this proposition and have
found it wanting, we are entitled to
have it accepted as genuine, and we are
moreover also ready and willing to unite
in an application to the Legislature to
pass law making it a punishable offense
to charge hereafter more than the pres
ent rates for inspection.
So far from being unfriendly to the
tobacco growers, we venture TO assert
that no commission merchant in Balti-
more, nor even the Tobacco Growers
Association itself, is more DESTROYS of
promoting and developing their interests
than we are. First, because it would be
our pleasure to see them prosper, and
second, because their prosperity would
continue our business relations and add
to our income.
So much for our friendly relations.
Now let us see what the tobacco growers
have gained by the opening up of our
warehouses to Maryland tobacco in 1898,
after the repeal of the law which com
PEELED them to send their tobacco to the
State Warehouses, and thereby main
I tanned a monopoly of the first water
They had to pay drayage of 25c. to SOC.
per hid, and although the law only per-
mitted a charge of from 25c. to soc. per
hid. for cooperage, the latter charge
was made upon almost every hid. But
one of the most trying features in those
days was the Crop raised in these
warehouses. 1t is said that considerable
/ quantities OF tobacco dropped on the
floors during the process Of sampiing
were packed into other hhds. and sold
ny those in charge of the warehouses,
and it is a well known story that i'd
hhds. were thus accumulated and sold
out of one warehouse in one wear. and
that there were sold out of all the ware
houses several hundred hhds. annually.
1t is apparent, therefore, that the grow
ers, in addition to the charge for inspec-
ton, had to stand this drayage, cooper
age and Crop" output, amounting TO
about 81 90 per lindsay So, 900. 90 per
year-a very considerable amount to
year after year.
II our rival monopoly. so obnoxious
10 Dr. HUI, did nothing else. il at least
put an end to the drain OF So, .s,oo 20 :
year upon his friends in Southern Mary-
land, since it saved them this drayase
and eOoperage, and did not raise anv
Crop" in its warehouses; and as a mat
ter of fact, established economies and
convenienees which materially improved
the business to the great advantage of
the people whom DR.. Hill claims to rep
resent.
In the Tobacco Growers Association
we feel the greatest interest, and have
repeatedly expressed our high opinion
OF its usefulness and our full confidence
that 1t will be conducted on fair and i'm |
partial lines, as its Secretary, Mr.. Weems
himself will testify. We cannot believe
that it will undertake to bind its mem
6ers to send their tobacco to the State
warehouses, and thereby probably again |
subject them to new restrictions similar |
TO those from which they were freed by |
the passage OF the law allowing them to |
do what they pleased with their tobacco.
just as is the case in all other States.
In short, we don't believe the Tobacco
Growers Association will permit itself
to be run by people who are discrediting
our business, any more than it would |
permit itself to be run by us il we at |
tempted to use it to the disadvantage of
our competitors, or for any other pur
pose.
One word more as to the bugaboo Of
the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Com
pany. 1t is simple truth that we are
citizens and taxpayers, carving on a le-
gitlmate business, but because we oceu-
py the premises of the Baltimore and
Ohio Railroad Company, and are intrnst-
ed with the use of its name to guarantee
our acts, land of this we are Justly
proud there appear to be people who
are manifestly trying to practice upon
the ignorance of those who may be mis-
led by holding up the name of the
Railroad Company as a Seareerow to
trighten them away, although they
themselves know perfectly well the bus
mess advantages which we offer. To
these advantages we will welcome our
old customers, while inviting new ones
to come to see for themselves whether
our business is conducted on the basis
of high efficiency and fair dealing, or
whether it is the sort of an organization
Thlch some persons are trying to make
u u n