Richmond daily register. (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1917-1978, 1921-01-11
7th District Congressman Says
Big Buyers Want Only Half
of 1920 Crop


figures heretofore unknown to the
public were offered as evidence that
the only salvation of 100000 hurley
tobacco producers Of Kentucky, In
diana and Ohio is an absolute cutout
of the 1921 crop and suspension of
sales on the 1920 crop for at least 90
days by Congrcsma- James Campbell
Cantrll in an address before 1000
Central Kentucky growers, ware
housemen, bankers and merchants in
Woodland Park auditorium Monday
afternoon.
Declaring that he had absolute
knowledge that the manufacturers in
tend to buy only one-half of the 1920
crop of 325,0O0,OO0 pounds and force
the growers to hold the remainder un-
til merit season, the congressman adj
viSed the growers to hold the entire
crop in bonded warehouses until APP
ril Is, :, pose of half of the leaf at
that tin, cut out the 1921 crop and
hold the remaining half of the 1920
crop until December.
A total of 642,OOO,OOO pounds Of
hurley tobacco, two years supply, is
now being held by the manufacturers,
warehouscmen and growers, Are- as
serted. Sworn statements made to
the government by manufacturers in
compliance with the Cantrill Law of
$1913, showed that on October /,
1920, forty million more pounds of
hurley were held by manufacturer
than had ever ben held by them on
any previous October first since the
law has been in force.
Approximately $4,000, 900 pounds of
the 1919 crop is held by dealers. The
total amount held by manufacturers
and dealers, 342, 100000 pounds, and
the 300,000,000 crop Of 1920 gives a
supply Of hurley unapproachcl in
recent years, the congressman said
by far tho most important factor
IN the situation, and one heretofore
uncmphasizcd, Representative Can
world tobacco market. Europe has
not money to buy food for her stary-
ing millions, he asserted, and it is
out of the question to expect it to buy
our tobacco, when at the present rate
of exchange, ; cent tobacco i'm the
United States would cost the Italian
so cents pound, and the Germans 81
Il pound.
The warning millions created an
unparalleled and unreasonable dc
mand for hurley tobacc, the congress
man stated, because tobacco was an
integral part of every soldiers ration,
and European nations taxed their pco-
pie to exhaustion to buy tobacco,
among other things, at unhcard
prices.
Wheat, cotton, corn and all other
farm products which are important
sources of revenue to American far
mcrS have slumpcd in price from 80
to 60 per cent and more in recent
months, the speaker reminded his
auditors, but the Blue Grass, speak
ing generally, has monopoly on the
production Of hurley tobacco that no
other country or section has been able
to contest.
The situation in tobacco and other
farm products is vastly different, he
asserted, and the manufacturers arc
able to pay price near to the cost
of production and faircr to hurley
producers than buyers of the "Big
-Four" offered in opening sales here
and in other hurley markets, he said
The address, declared by many of
those present as the most enlighten-
ing ever given on the hurley situation
and the greatest of Mr.. Cantrill's Ca
rcer, was given to capacity house.
Growers and business men unable t.
find seats stodd in the rear of the
auditorium.
There was no chairman and Mr..
Cantrill spoke without an introduc-
tion. He assumed full responsibility
for his visit and declared that it was
not made under the auspices of any
organization or group, but was in
spired by valuable information he
obtained in the nations capital. He
explained his change of opinion on
the cutout since last Thursday, when
he gave out statement in Washing
ton opposing an absolute cutout by
revealing the fact that he did not gain
possession of much of the vital in
formation Incorporated in his re-
marks until Friday.
Congressman Cantrill's address
was made after series of confer