The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1890-05-07
The Weekly Recorder
PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY
&c. HACKNEY. Editor a Proprietor
PRICE oFsUBscRIPTIoS {:
Cle Year in Advance, 81 30
Six Months. 70
EX-SPEAKER WEBSTER

Dear People---Seeking to
Win Political Capital.
Mr.. Webster, of the Reidsyille
Dollar Weekly published in the last
issue of that paper TRADE, abusing
our townsman, Mr.. Washington
Duke. 1t is not necessary for The
kRcoREER to come to the defense of
Mr.. Duke, for his life as for purity,
virtue, morality and christian man
hood is as far above that of his
traducer as heaven is above hell
The article starts out BY saying,
Tobacco growers everywhere will
be glad to learn thst the cigarette
trust has at last been arraigned be-
fore the law. and that its methods
and aims will be subjected to scrutiny
which it deserves. The grand jury
of Granville county last week found
true bill against the conspiracy.
Now let's look at thisindictmentl
Who were the witnesses marked and
sent to the grand jury? Were they
farmers? No, not one Of them.
The names on the indictment show
that eAery one Of them were specula-
tors in tobacco, men who generally
sold to the cigarette firms. Why
were no farmers summoned to testify
that they were being robbed by the
American Tobacco 60. Right here
we will say that the farmers who
sell their tobacco on the Durf am
market are as well pleased as they
can possibly be. We assert further
that the prices paid for Cutters since
the consolidation Of the cigarette
firms are higher than they have ever
been. Then who are the complain
ants? Surely not the farmer.
Mr.. Washington Duke Is doing
more every day to aid the farmers
and laboriag men than ten thousand
such men as his columnlator will do
in a million of years. Shame on
you, Mr.. Webster for publishing
such an article filled with such
malice, venom and dispicable
meanness. This selfrighteous edl-
tor says, speaking Of Mr.. w. Duke:
The farmers care butlittle how
Mr.. Duke spends his money so LONG
as he deals with them Justly. Il is
only when he over reaches the
bounds Of legitimate business trans
actions that be becomes the subject
OF censure. They want him to be
just before he Is generous"
Whenever Mr.. Webster does one
nillionth part as much for the
farmers as Mr.. Duke is doing every
day We may expect to see the
sun, moon and starsfall down at the
feet Of this grand self.appointsl
Mogul. We may expect TO see such
small political hacks turn benefac-
tor aud philoHthropist anu 10 some.
thing in g substantial way for the
farmers instead Of giving them 50
much gas (foal At that to deal Justly
with them.
There is not 9 farmer in North
Carolina, there 10 not . Iaborer in
this State. there is no. q citizen 10 the
world who can truthf.lly prove that
Washington Duke has ever dealt un.
justly With him. Is he real true
friend Of the fatmers9 Let's zee.
Last year he purchased seven million
two hundred thousand pound. Of to.
bacCo from the farmers Of North
Carolina aud virgina, for which the
very highest market prices we're paid
That purchased upon the warehouse
floor be paid higher prices far than
any one else thought II was worth.
Then, is this robbing' i. this siesl.
ing the farmers tobsccos No. lie
buys openly in face Of the compton
Of the world. He pays more for what
he 10 buying In Durham than has
ever been paid iur The same grad. Of
tobacco. The warehouse books prove
this beyond peradVeD.ure. No Mr..
Webster, you cannot gull the farm.
Of North Carolita. They are not
raising q howl ab ut not getting highs
er prices. Mr.. Duke l. far shove the
reach Of your pop quo attac*s. and
you may blaze away 81 him until IL
rebounds and damns you, but 4. vi
do him no harm.
You had as we'll attempt 10 check