Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1908-02-07

Baltimore. January "A, 1908.
M. Editor
Owing to the many Inconsistencies
and imaginary visions proclaimed
through the public press by State Agent
Hill and representatives Of the tobacco
growers. referred to in my communiea-
ton Of December 9th, felt somewhat
justified in ascribing to them the posi-
bic possession Of rare attainmeuts ae-
quired as pupils Of a certain defunet
school Of Mental Science / must
confess, however. that was not aware
at the time Of the fact that these gentle
men actually claimed to possess and
demonstrate these wonderful faculties
until read the two specially prepared
interviews in The Sun. Of Secretary
Weems, and the report Of the Executive
Committee at the annual meeting held
at College Park. wherein Secretary
weems declares that if the Legislature
will only decree to apply the tobacco
fund to the erection of modern ware
house, and lift it out Of the political
mire in which it has so long travelled,
by placing the management in the hands
Of the tobacco growers officers, we are
led to believe that at the touch Of the
magic wandn Of public spirit, all Oh
staeles now in the way of success, will
Immediately vanish, and the tobacco
districts will become veritable eden.
The annual report lays special stress
upon the woodworking results Of the
grading bureau, alleging that by elassi-
flying the crop Of 1907 and its market
reports, they are now enabled to foretell
the comparative character and even fix.
the relative prices for the next two or
more successive crops. Indeed, IL this
amazing declaration be true, the present
name Of the Bureau is a misnomer, and
should at once be changed to represent
its proper functions, to bureau Of
Clarvoyancyf and to complete its en-
chantment, the office should be provided
with one Of DR.. Whites Wonderful
Breast Plates, - composed Of love pow
ders, the blood of black cat, and three
hairs from an old gray mules tail. They
m ght then, doubtless, be able to dis
cover the whereabouts of that hogshead
of tobacco which seems to have been
'-fioated on the air'' by DR.. Hill, instead
Of the sea, and lost in the iungles Of
South Africa.
We are aware, however, that the
claims for this grading bureau is the
last hope of a discredited leadership,
wherewith to conjure the growers and
bsmboozle the Legislature to hand over
/ into their hands the control of the ware
houses and State appropriation ''look
\ fnr new markets, but plan, If granted,
that would prove fatal to the growers
interest, unless they purpose to become
both buyers and sellers, as is well
known, that self interested inspection
will never elevate its standard in the
markets, the lack of which, the mode of
handling and packing are the most Sc
rious difficulties in the way of our sue
cess that no manner of dubious schemes
nor eoercive measures will ever over
come.
But instead Of the great benefits al
legged to have been derived by the grow
ers through this Grading Bureau by
classifying the crop, raising prices and
creating a ''new Revelation" THAT has
been the annual practice of the Leaf
Tobacco Association for % years. of re-
porting the number of hogsheads that
went 'by sea" to the various foreign
foreign ports through the efforts of State
Agent Hill, yet notwithstanding his
claims, after the most diligent inquiry
among the buyers and sellers, have
been unable to trace the sale Of a single
pound to this source. Upon the con-
trary, | am prepared to prove by actual
facts from the commission trade, their
own selected agents included, that had
they sold at the generally graded prices,
the growers would have lost thousands
Of dollars, and further, that this system
being simply a matter of guess work
I he art .f kE !. l..
powerless to do otherwise, it acts as a
two edged sword, for, in many instances,
it was estimated above its then market
value, and under the arbitrary rule es-
tablished, it could not be sold for less.
but since, under declining market. the
necessities of these unfortunate mem
beFs have compelled them to order sale
at much less price than could have
been obtained at time of inspection.
Had the Executive Board continued
the wise practical plans agreed upon BY
the growers sales committee ia their
second conference with the Commission
Merchants Union at the Hotel Rennert.
whose cooperation they had invited and
would not accept only as a unit. we
might have hoped by this harmonious
alliance to obtain the object sought by
I
this concerted plan did not meet the de-
sign OF those leaders, for later, we dis
cover them ignoring this compact and
secretly conniving and deyising schemes
with single member of the Union,
looking only to their own personal inter
est, but in betrayal of that of the Asso-
citation by the former, and the latter, in
violation of an honorable pledge to the
I nd kau ~.
Merchants Union declined to aequiesee
in the impractical and foolish schemes
devised by those conspirators, surrender
their Judgment gained by long exper-
fence and contribute TWENTY-FIVE cents
per hid. to this guessing bureau to
swell their salaries, they have been
made the objects of SANDER and held up
as enemies Of the Association, thereby
inviting antagonism, the only thing
they have ever accomplished, towards
the truest friends the farmers have.
Now, Mr.. Editor, in my first commui-
cation declared that Association was in
the hands of designing men, seeking
only their own self aggrandizement- In
this, my third and final summing up of
their schemes and many subterfuges re-
sorted to to attain that end, feel that
have fulfilled a duty to my struggling
brethren in presenting facts that have
doubtless convinced all, who are not
still laboring under their hypnotic in
fiuence, that these chosen leaders are
the greatest humbugs that ever posed
as magieians before confiding and en-
lightened people, which is fully attested
by their wisdom in screening themselves
behind the veil of silence.
VIM. r. BURCH.