The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1893-03-02
HATSON'S BELL OPPOSED.
f0baCc0nists Object to the Bill Aimed al
the Tobacco Trust,
TIE MEETING HELD IN RALEIGH.
Nearly Every Market in the State Rep
sented-MaDy Farmers Also in
Attendance-The Winston Com
mittee Returns-What Mai. Brown
Saws About the Bill

nittee Returns-What Maj. Brown
Says About the Bill.
The committee from Winston which
went to Raleigh Monday to oppose
Mr.. Watson's tobacco bill returned
home Tuesday.
A member of the committee said to
SENTINEL reporter that there were
large number of tobacco men present
from all parts of the State, represent
ing every branch of the tobacco indus
try, for the purpose of opposing the
bill which is now pending in the Leg
islature, the object of which is to
break up the So-called American To-
bacco Company Trust in North Caro-
lima. Nearly every tobacco market in
the State was represented. The to-
bacco men met and organized by
electing ID. Y. Cooper, of Henderson,
president, and G.. E. Webb. of Win
ston, secretary. A number of reSolu-
tionS froln various markets were SUBJ
mitted, and arguments were made
showing that such legislation would
result in serious injury to the tobacco
interests, as well as to the tobacco
producers. The tobacco men appeared
before the judiciary committee yes
terday afternoon and presented a
strong case in opposition to the bill,
showing that the effect OF it will be to
force the farmers to market their to-
bacco-in some other State.
The tobacco men and farmers who
were at the meeting expressed them
selves as favoring such law were it
made national, but for it to apply only
to North Carolina, it would simply
prove disastrous to every market in
the State by driving all bright tobac-
COS IT, other States.
The gentlemen representing the
North Carolina markets claim that
they have been working for 20 years to
keep all of the bright tobacco raised
in the State where it belonged and to
have it sold on the home markets.
Maj. Brown, who was a member of
the committee from Winston, says it
was hard to tell when he left Raleigh
whether the bill would be passed or
not. He says that if it is passed it will
damage every market in the State but
will prove more disastrous to the East
ern part of the State, where SO much
of the brightS are raised.
Maj. Brown was told by ware
houseman from Rocky Mount that if
the bill became a law he would at
once close up his business at the pre-
sent place and moye to Virginia.
Representative Watson, of this city,
who is author of the bill, claims that
it only refers to the American Tobac-
co Company.
The bill was to have come up for
further hearing this afternoon aud it
was understood that Mr.. Watson
would make the speech of his life in
favor of it.
DIVERSITY OF OPINION.
From what THE SENTINEL can
learn there is a diversity of opinion
among the tobacco manufacturers and
dealers in Winston regarding the bill.
At a meeting of the Tobacco Board of
Trade recently, there was warm de-
bate between warehouSeman and a
| manufacturer over the natter. The
former spoke his sentiments in oppo-
sition to Mr.. Watson's bill while the
latter expressed himself in plain Eng
lish in favor of it.
There appears to be growing SEN
timent among several tobacconists
favoring the passage Of a law which
will prevent the American Tobacco
Trust from buying leaf on the Win
| ston market.