The National tribune., 1909-01-14
DEFENSE OF NIGHT RIDING.
A Correspondent Claims That 1t Was a
Nccessity.

Editor National Tribune: There ars
two sides to the night-ridcr question. p
You entertain one view of it, there IS
another. The basis of all the trouble
is found in the special taxes levied
upon tobacco and the methods en-
ployed in its assessment and collection.
whereby swarms of officers are en-
ployed in the tobacco-growing districts
to harass the people and eat out their
substance. Under cover of the law
and induced by the increased price OF
tobacco which comes with it. the trusts
control the tobacco crop by combina-
tions under which the price received by
the grower is ninimized, so that he is
not allowed living and must go out OF
business. In my County, have been in
touch with this business, as a crop re-
porter, for about 20 years, and know
whereof I|speak. Tobacco raising was
profitable at first, and until large pro-
portion of the people had embarked in
it, They had provided the necessary
barns and appliances for handling the
crop, AT large expense, which helo them
to it for some years after it ceased to be
profitable, by reason of the control OF
prices by the Tobacco Trust. The COM
bination of the dealers paid less and
less, as the years went by, until the
growers were utterly ruined financially
and were driven out of business. In
the meantime other localities were in
duced TO prepare their land and houses
for growing tobacco by the inducement
of good prices, and they. in turn, were
squeezed to make fabulous profits for
the combine. In this way the whole
country was being ravaged. and the
agricultural population impoverished.
few only of the tobacco raiSerS
could analyze the situation and per-
ceiVe the cause. These tried in vain to
organize ard combine their interests 20
meet the buyers in an. effort to main
tain growers prices at living rate. A
large proportion OF the growers were
small farmers. who could not reduce
| heir acreage or hold for satisfactory
price, being obliged TO accept what was
offered. The price for their output
necessarily regulated that of all.
| Upon this condition arose the Night
Riders, who hoped to compel the great
mass Of growers 70 do that which per-
suasion had failed to accomplish. Here
followed the outrsges by the Night Rid
ers against those OF the community who
accepted employment as buyers for the
trust and were active. In efforts to
| thwart the purpose of those who sought
to compel the payment. of fair prices
! for tobacco.
If you could look over the field and
see whole communities that have been
| impoverished where once was thrift
and content, you would appreciate the
| fact that those involved were striking
for their homes and an opportunity to
| live.
Out of all this has come the grossar
outrages which followed what was at
first comparatively trifling offenses
against law and order, any and all OF
which are deplorable and not to be in
dorsed
The remedy for it all is to repeal the
tax on tobacco, dismiss the army OF
special agents that its collection neces-
states. and allow the tobacco business
to return TO normal conditions If there
| had been no stamp tax levied by Great
| Britain there would have been no Reso-
luton in 1776.-E. A. Bennett, Hunt.
| ingtOn, w Va.