Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1907-10-05

They also believe that all men who are
no; active members of their organiza-
ton are open allies of the Tobacco
and they make war on both
alike.
BY far the greatest part of the finan-
cial loss that has resulted from the
fight of the farmers against the to-
bacco trust has come through the
''scraping" of the tobacco beds. and,
in order to understand the nature OF
the damage thus inflicted, and its vast
extent, a slight explanation of the
manner of growing tobacco is essen
tial.
1t is a popularity of the tobacco
plant that, in the early stages of
growth. it thrives best in soil which
has never before been under cultiva-
ton. A bed, which may be anywhere
in size from one square yard upward,
is made by clearing a suitable location,
generally in the woods, and on the
south side of an elevation. The soil
is finely powdered, and, generally in
February, the seed is sown broadcast
and the bed covered with sheet Of
canvas. In May or June, when the
plants have attained sufficient vigor
to bear transplanting, they are taken
to the field. where the crop natures in
about ninety days.
Before the transplanting nothing is
more easy than for the "hoe-tater
to call at the bed. which is generally
remote from the residence of its owner
and, by firteen minutes dilligent use
of a hoe, cut down all the growing
plants and ruin all chances of crop.
Other methods of destruction besides
the hoe which are frequently used are
to sprinkle the bed with grass seed,
which is of more vigorous growth
than tobacco, and speedily chokes the
plants to death, or to cover it with
salt or kerosene. The 'scraping" OF
the bed by any of these methods
means the absolute loss of the crop,
for the reason that there is no time
to get a second lot of plants. 1t is
estimated that several thousand beds
have been "scraped" throughout the
dark tobacco district since the COM
mencement of the fight against the
American Tobacco Comptny, and the
resultant damages has been enormous
The "scraping" of beds has, in fact
played a large part in the curtailment
of the crop through which prices have
been trebled inside of three years
Only one man has been arrested in
connection with these instances OF
"scrauing," and he was acquitted in
GAINESVILLE, tennessee, after a short
trial.
There have been no arrests follow
ing the numerous cases of arson, and
the chances of conviction are small
if any arrests are ever made. Ken
lucky has a new state official who is
called the State Fire Marshal The
present incumbent, Mott Ayres, of
Fulton, Kentucky, is the first man to
fill the place. He has worked with
much energy upon the cases of incen-
diarism that have taken place in the
dark tobacco district; but, because of
the many obstacles in his way, the re-
suit of his labors has not, up to the
present time, been such as greatly to
encourage stockholders in fire-insur-
ance companies.
This is because the people in the
sections in which incendiary fires have
taken place are so largely in sympathy
with the members of the organization
of the farmers, and so bitter against
the American Tobacco Company, that
it is next to impossible to secure an
indictment, and convictions are even
more problematical.
Acts of personal intimidation were
not long in following the formation Of
the association. One month and five
days after it was launched at Guthrie,
Kentucky, a band Of seventy-tve men
called on B. H. Sorry, a buyer for the
Italian Reggie, who was camping out
on the banks of the Red river, in Ten
nessee. Mr.. Sorry had been the sheriff
Of Robertson county, Tennessee, and,
In the words of one who knew him
we'll, nobody ever bluffed him much
D. twice."
The call upon Sorry was made at
midnight, and for the purpose, as his
visitors expressed it, "of having a lit
ak" Sorry armed himself with a
pump" shotgun, and intimated that
he talking could be done at a dis
ance, and a loud tone of voice
4 any other program was attempted,
somebody might be hit so hard with
/ load of buckshot as to paralyze his
powers. The men left
he camp without having the talk"
Dynamite for protection =. .. .. e.
Later, at Adams, Tennessee, where
sorry owned a large tobacco warehouse,
our hundred men gathered for the
)urposse of burning the warehouse.
Il Sorry was in it at the time of the
he would have taken his
chances. A score of the friends OF
sorry were with him in the warehouse,
we'll armed and ready for trouble.
The association people did not like the,
and rode away.
+ = = - y = 4 = = + 4
Benjamin Hollins, a farmer living
lear Clarksville, Tennessee, was one
# those who had given out the i'm
PRESTON that he had placed dynamite
n his tobacco bed. On Hollins place
lived an old colored man named Dud-
ey, who was a share cropper," that
S, a man who raises a crop on shares.