The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-02-05
r,r nSrr-MoNoPoLy BILLS.

! mi III ~
b;s hill tomorrow. bIr. Wrights
I'm aims exclusively at driving tho American
Tohacco Company out Of business in Rich
mond. and had Just as well have been entitled
- hill to drive the American Tobacco Com
many out Of business in Richmond city," 1t
ia needless 70 analyze the bill. It's patron
knows that il was aimed at that company
the company and every one else recognizes
that fact-so we pass at once TO a considera-
ton OF what such a measure would to.
And we remark:
LIST. The Virginia tobacco grower IS not IN
terested in the matter. OF all the tobacco
used by the American Tobacco Company
only about fire per cent. Of IL IS gro'c" y" W.
ginid. The remainder comes from North
Carolina and Kentucky. We have TINS lac1
from the books OF the American Tobacco
Company. Mr.. Wright can get them also
il he will call at that company's ONCE; DuO'
%. The Virginia farmer is interested IN
having the American Tobacco Company 90
business here. The only Virginia tobacco
used BY the American Tobacco Company isa
light brown tobacco, AMI this company con-
soupes all Of this tobacco groicn Z" '"9"''a.
When Allen d Ginter commenced making
cigarettes. no light brown tobacco was raised
in Virginia. They developed the growth Oh
it and the American Tobacco Company, their
successor. continues its development. Iake
CHS industry away and tie Virginia farmer
will have no market for the tobacco which
they use.
80. So far as the price the farmer receives
for his tobacco is concerned, this, Of course.
depends upon the laws Of supply and de-
maud. When the crop is short he will get a
high price; when the crop is abundant the
price will be less. But this can be said: that
the average price to the farmer is about the
same now that It was when the American 10
bacco Company commenced to do business.
ltb. Some one is undoubtedly hut 10y the
operations of the American Tobacco Company.
WHO is that somebody? II Is the c,Dtmiss'o"
merchant. And why should he not be hurt
Why should he not be killed entirely: OF what
benefit is he TO the farmer: His business lssim-
ply TO load the farmers product with another
burden which must, of course. come out OF the
| farmer. The American Tobacco Company
| however. buys directly from the farmer ana
sells directly to the consumer, and thus relieves
the farmers product from all the charges OF
Intermediates. If, then, it is not the farmers
interest to abolish the commission merchant
and encourage the American Tobacco Com-
pany. logic has lost its place in discussion.
And we may as well say here that the commits
sion merchant is doomed at any rate and Is q
thing Of the past. Commission merchants be-
loneed to the era Of slow transportation and
tardy news.
But now that the manufacturer can CON-
municate instantly with the producer on the
one hand and the consumer on the other
there is no need for storage warehouses and
commission merchants to hunt up buyers.
The manufacturer finds where the stuff is
and hunts up the producer. He buys from
the producer and sells to the consumer,
delaying the product in his factory long
enough only to put it into the form required
by the consumer. For whose benefit IS this?
Is it not plainly for the producers beneftI
We could develop this idea further if space
did not absolutely demand more important
matters.
9Th. And what would result if ,lr. Wright
should drive the American Tobacco Company
! away from Richmond? We have inquired
and found that everything it own in Rich
mond outside of its machinery and business
is real estate valued at about $3.50 900. This
is choice real estate and easily marketable.
and could at once be turned into cash. Pass
Mr.. Wright's bill and what will happen? The
American Tobacco Company will at once sell
its real estate and invest the proceeds in a
New Jersey town. IL will transport its ma
chinery there and 90 on with its business iust as
usual. having suffered no sort Of Inconvenience
but the transportation of its machinery there.
But this will have happened: that its thou
sands of employees in the city of Richmond
will be turned adrift without bread; that they
will have to leave Virginia to find employment
in a more hospitable cline; that Richmond's
thrift and busines viii have received q mortal
stab: that her merchants will no more sell the
vast quantities of supplies now consumed by
their employees; that her taxable values will
be enormously decreased; that the States tax
able values will be enormously decreased; and
finally that the Virginia farmers will no more
sell 10 her merchants the vast quantities of
farm products which they have heretofore sold
them for the consumption of the company's
employees. And what will happen to the Viz
GINA tobacco grower? Simply that he will
have to send his fine yellow tobacco TO New
Jersey to the American Tobacco Company
and pay the freight on it from Richmond to
Jersey City.
9th. In addition to the foregoing consid-
~erations We commend a few others to Mr..
Wright's attention.
The American Tobacco Company employ
in the city of Richmond 1000 hands. 500 of
which are men and $40 Of which are females.
Allow FIVE mouths for each man and three for
each female and We have 1000 mouths sup
ported in Richmond by this concern. Drive it
away from here and all these 1000 persons
are left without food.
The company pays out every week about
$4,000 in cash to employes-s7sO. 900 O year.
Drive this company away from Richmond
and You would deprive her of the benefit OF
this enormous annual expenditure for the
advantage of some dirty little New Jersey
town.
18th. And finally. On AIr. Wright. how can