Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1890-09-08
TO THE PUBLIC.
\ Card from the President Of the West
Virginia Tobacco Company.

fIEihift
f. 10 The Ed1or ofHc Register:
In the record of the Court proceedings
published IN your paper of Thursday last.
under the heading of Not True Bills, "
meaning those who escaped Indictment at
| the hands of the Grand Jury lately in scs-
sion. appeared the following item in regard
TO this Company: The West Virginia
Tobacco Company-setti up and promo
ting a lottery"
The charge against the Company sub
mitted 10 the Grand Jury was that il had
set UP and was promoting a lottery, and Of
this charge, as the record shows, the Com
pany WAS acquitted.
The Company might, perhaps, rest its
case on this acquittal and vindicIti0n and
let the item 20 without comment or cXpla-
nation 10 the public.
But such is not the sentimcntO of the man
agemcnt. 1t yields TO feeling of indigna-
ton and resentment, which calls for some
thing more than Il mere verdict of ac-
quittal.
In other words it desires the public to
know fully and appreciate just what there
is in this latest exhibition of sptc and jedl-
ousy against the West Virginia Tobacco
Company.
1t is due TO the Company to proclaim pub
lic!y the fact that ever since its Orgdniza-
tiOn il has been made the attempted victim
of Il systematic annoyance and embarrass-
ment mat is lCiihoW precedent IN THIS com
miHitB.
At the very outset Of its career AN effort
was made 10 nave its product tabooed and
boycotted, as the output of the so-called
''scab or nOn-uniOn labor and so secretly
and persistently was this effort carried on,
as TO almost defy all the agencies il could
employ. to ferret il out, expose and count
cract IT, IL took a long time and cost the
Company no end of trouble and expense to
set itself straight before the public in this
particular
Other anoyanccs of a like character in
conception and spirit went hand-in-hand
with this one, the final elimination of
which was this attempt at injury through
the medium of the courts.
The prctcXt for this new attempt was
that the company because Of premium
which it offers 10 its patrons a premium
such as other reputable concerns have been
Offering for years. was setting up and pro-
noting a lottery No charge cOdd hare
been further from NC truth A lottery is a
scheme TO get money without giving those
who patronize it a certain full and fixed
value for their investment-a scheme in
which there are many blanks and few
prizes.
The West Virginia Tobacco Company
never had ana never will have any CON
ncction with such "A scheme.
II gives everybody a full and complete
equivalent for their money and the bonus
which this company offers is the same that
a newspaper offers, when it gives an extra
copy 10 the promoter Of q club Of subscri-
bcrs
The West Virginia Tobacco COMPANY
charges neither more nor less on account Of
said bonus, but gives precisely the same
quantity and quality Of goods. that il has
always been accustomed to give, when 10
bonus was offered.
In other words-the bonus comes out Of
lis stockholders and not out of the public.
10 has. therefore, no similarity 10 a lottery
and this was the just and appropriate yer
dict of the grand jury before whom an at
tempt at persecution mot prosecution was
recently made.
This explanation as 10 how the good
name OF this company was dragged before
a grand jury by an irresponsible person and
finally published in list OF acquitted sus-
poets, is deemed due 10 both the public and
the company.
The West Virginia Tobacco Company
has reputation for square dealing and
law-abiding management. which il does not
propose 10 have tarnished without en-
phatic protest and exposure by
Yours truly, AUGUsTr~ PoLLACK.
President.