Tobacco Documents Online

X The editorial and picture below have each been noted ,a - THE 8A~0 [DNION ~~; FtE1TIE4f-COl1RI1yR i s Sacramento, California fllva, Oklahoma February ?4, 1962 ~ February 16y 1962 .ee• ~i'tB'Y BROOKS BICKNELL dP c.K.`£q ,•,: ~ , • - ~ . . .-. TNIE SEEf)5`OF Freedom date 'back to our forefathers and the founding of' this nation dedicated •°,to liberty and the pursuit of hap- +"; pinss r noted from the James e.- .town Foundation,of Virginia a re- n. • mind of the power of seemingly small i events. ..all of' which pro- vide the parts that fit into the jig-: saw of the American Way. ~ It was just' 350 years ago that a few tiny seeds changedithe course. _of'.history, ass theV-vginiansput'~ it. The seeds were of tobacco and : they grew, into a salable crop which, saved the Jamestown col- . Since ~.Jamestown was~ tlie~e first y successfuul Edglish colony to sur .~, vive anywhere in the worldJ our future might have been different S it' had failedl Success meant to the Old World C that the New World over the track- less Atlantic ocean was notl only :habitable but, held economic pto-- mise: It was assurance,that other ``settlements would follow and could fIourish: . .Pilgrim feet' touched, Plymouth Rock eight years lat- arkedi the firm, rooting of', er. It m the English traditions of freedom, and representative government in the virgin soil of'the richest,con- tinent of all, those limits were but vaguelv known. It also manked i the start of our foreign trade:. Just for funa let's review.a little Amenicanearly history. When John Rolfe plantedl and cultivated and ` harvested his first tobacco eropin . 161E; the colony of Jamestown, was searching desperately for some medium of trade and the colonists had considered abandon- ing what appeared to be a for- lorn adventure:. But the first Virginia, tobacco to reach England was an instantt success. By 1618, tobacco from Jamestown was a healthy compe- titor for tobacco from S p a i',n which had enjoyed a world mono; poly, America was in pfoduclion Mood for 17-million A'mericans; in .andiindustry was establishedl eluding 700.000 farm families in 21 Andi it' continued with "off-shnots!" states plus the 700 manufacturin: into, everyy known area ofsupplyplants,,in 32'states whichmaketo~ and production until today this na' bacco products. tion is the greatest of all. And, in- Just in passing; may we com- eidentally; An..ricals tobaceo in- ment that' the tobacco seed is one dustry supplics an important share of the tiniest' knowni to botanists: of the nation's taa revenue. That's So {rern * tiny seed grew th4i an important f2ctorin adtlition to Seed' of Freedom. This too, Is a ., the industr~• furaisJa+na tlus- live{i, part' ai' our biaiorY and' our- Asliev ican Heritage. From the Jamestown Foundation of crop, in 1!812'„ the colony of Jamectown Virginia comes a reminder of the pow- w as searching desperately for some :, er of seemingly small events. medium of trade, and the colonists had `' IY j 330 th f cottsidered abandoning what appeared ' wasust. years agoat aew tiny' seeds ch.anged the course of his to be a forlorn adveai9tre. d But' the first Virginih tobacco ' ;` tory. The seeds were of tbbacco an to. thev grew into a, saleable enopl, which reach England was an instant success. Ry' 161' saved the Jamesiowat colony.8, tobacco from Jemestown was: 8ince Jamestown was the first ~uc- ' healthy competitor for tobacco. from 8 Spa' whieh had ' cessiul English colony to survive any-mPenjoyedP a worldi A'' whene in the world our' future might' mono ol ' Jamestown's shi ments in „ 1618 were ttvicc those of the year be- have been different if'it had failed: fore: A 11 merica was , in production. An Success meant to the Old World that industry was established-an industry the New World, over the trackless At- that,today supplies an important share ` lantic, was not only habitable but held of the nation's tax revenue, that is' an - economic promise: It was assurance irTiportant factor: in the livelihood of' 17 ' that other, settlements would' follow million - Americans -including 700;000 and could flourish (Pilgrim f e e t farm families in 211 states-and sup» touched Plymouth Rock eight years ports the activity of 700' manufactur- la2eri, It marked the firm rooting' of ing plants in,32'states„which make to- -'.the English traditions of freedom and bacco products that are enjoyed' representative government in the vir- around the world. gin soil of the richest continent„ whose Perhaps there is some sort of moral, limits were, Dut vaguely known.. It' in the fact that the tobacco seed:is one marked the start of our foreigni trade. of the,tiniest known to botlanists, and When John Rolfe planted and cu1, tobaeco, culture among, the most ardu- tiwated' and harvested' his first tobacco ous oflall agricultural pursuits. 3im pp 'Ess '' "" - John Rolfe & Pocahontas Will Plant Again Minatare, Nebraska, February 8, 1962 Next Yay, Virginia Colonist Joha Itolfi and htsiInd/an b- _ Poeahontas, wtll,be "te.created+ In Jameetownr Va., for a oe hraMon of the 8S0th anntvarsary of the tobacco indu.try fa iJ.S. They are portrayed above,,ptutttns totaacoo. Rolfe ptan _ and harpestedd thefirst, commencfalllysucceasful tobacoocror 1n the U!Si, saving the Jamestown Cclony from economic collapae, and mark!a~ the beatnnlne of fhb country't foreign trade eommeroe 1b. Jameatown abtWdatioa of iitritnta plam a ieftfau at Jamestow U 8[ nssy.