The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1909-07-12
Courier-JOtlrnal.

Under existing regulations the sale
OF tobacco Is limited to those actively
engaged In the business as dealers. re
handlers OF what not, who must keep,
for the use Of the government. a set
OF books showing the origin and dest-
ination OF their purchases; the sale
of tobacco by the grower In retail
quantities is not permitted, neither
may he handle Il otherwise than in
the leaf OF the hand, and, when he
packs II into a hogshead. Il must go
through the regular licensed channels
Of the trade Every step In its his
tory il traced by the federal authori-
ties. and its disposal in any other
shape or to any other parties Is never
so much as attempted. Even 20 twist
up a few hands and dispose OF them
is at once to qualify az a manufact-
urer, with all the pains and penalties
attaching to an Industry which is a
carefully guarded source OF revenue.
For some time past an agitation has
been sedulously fostered Intended 10
force the hand OF congress and secure
for the farmer the right TO sell his
tobacco when and how he pleased. in
bulk or in detail. by the hand or By
the hogshead In any shape he might
choose. provided that under no CON
structIon could u BE- regarded as a
manufactured article. II was repre-
scented. and properly represented. that
he was deprived OF a privilege inner
ent In the very fact that he had raised
the crop. and n was pointed out that
he alone OF all farmers was denied
free trade in the product OF his farm.
So strong a case was made out as
successfully carried the repeal three
times through the lower house OF
congress, only to meet defeat In the
senate. Finally II has been incor-
porated In the tarif bill now pending
and will. we may assume, shortly be-
come a law.
SO much for the fight; now for the
fruits of the victory. There exists
throughout the southern states. and
particularly among the negro laborers
In lumber. mining and construction
camps. a well-known preference for
the "long green" as II is currently
known. for tobacco In its natural
state, unfiavored and unsophisticated
II you like Il that way. YOU like moth
Ing else quite 80 we'll II is pre-
sumed that the tobacco raisers will
take advantage OF this existing de-
maud and will prize their tobacco and
ship II south where II can find a mar
ket. As a matter OF fact. however
such a transaction Is quite outside
the range Of the average farmers
activity: he is much more likely to
use an agent OF to sell outright TO a
dealer. and the profit on the deal.
which Involves an unavoidable risk.
will accrue to the middleman, who
must take care OF himself. The very
notoriety which has been given the
action of congress Is precisely such
as TO focus the attention OF the farm
ers wherever tobacco can be raised,
and that, we are learning, is a con-
stantly expanding area. Some excel
lent tobacco was grown In Kansas
this season and sold on the Louisville
breaks; Missouri has respectable
crop. 50 have Indiana, Illinois and
Ohio; North Carolina, having all but
displaced Virginia, Is now threatened
by South Carolina Though the farm
ers organize never so wisely. supply
and demand must ultimately deter
mine the price, and there are few
crops which so readily change from a
condition of scarcity to one OF
plethora as does tobacco. Sentiment
ally the farmer Is freer and TO that
extent Is an additional and clinchlng
plea; IL was urged that here was an
admirable opportunity to undermine
the power OF the tobacco trust. II so
happens. however, that those who are
expected to use the natural leaf, are
for the most part, consumers OF twlst
tobacco. its nearest substitute, and
such tobacco is peculiarly the product
OF the. smaller, independent manu-
facturers They. therefore are more
likely 10 feel the blow than the big
and bloated adversary.