Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-08-23
PLUG MEMS COMBINE.
Little Known KeTe Of What lie St
Louis Meeting Means
ONLY FOR SELF PHoTb'iioN'


manufacturers lust held in ST. Louis.
/ Some are inclined 10 think that II means
/ war against the American Tobacco COM
many while the majority Of Richmond
tobacco men seen yesterday rather IN
! cline to the idea that the reported com
b,nation IS designed 90 put those wnom
f., embraces in position TO insure SELF
nro,ection against tho inroads Of the
trust.
The matter was discussed on Change
yesterday with great earnesiness. The
only information that the members oil
tho Trade had on the subject was the
! Dirnatch's 81. Louis telegram. stating
| ,n,t a. result Of the conference held
there Wednesday the =. J. f0rillard To-
lacco Company. Of Jersey CITY, !. }.
sorg IAegett 4 Myers, and the Drum
mond Tobacco Company, Of ST. LOUIS
,yul ercaee I'm The manufacture Of ci-
garettes in opposition 20 the American
! Tobacco Company as soon "a plants can
be- installed. and that other large manu-
! racturers. including =. II. Mayo & Bro
| ther. Of this city. viii also embark 10
fhe business. 81 g. S. found satisfactory.
II is wei recognized that the local manu-
! fact.rer- cannot DO anything Win the
trust unless they have the cooperation
| % the great western factories
Tho attitude Of the plug trade IS one
II latent conserve tism and expectancy.
| They are willing q Dee aifera OK the
-r,et western factories IN the nshi
against the trust II the necessity ARISES
Those who manufacture hurley pug
chiefly are more directly interested than
those factories that wo-k Nlrs .nia hIl--s
or those doing mainly IN export trade
THEY ARE NOT INFORMED.
,fr L C. Mayo. secretary Of The =. u.
! ,favo Company when asked n hi3 hlin
world enter actively into The prop' u
coordination Of plug manuf ciuTer-'
Ftgted that d. wa8 not in position l'
retfv definitely 90 that question. 20
Tar MS D.. was aware. the j.. n. Mayo
Company had not decided upon any ue-
Alaisr Frei. Il. scott. Of the J. wright
,'.Iurauv. Nesfrs. All. Dill IA. WI
ipms. r. A. patters. n. Bowie. H.il WIZ
s1r and tho United states ISi eco COM
+ -onV who were seen yesterday. say that
=, for as they now know. there is no
probability az their concerns going mo
The combine. None Of them have been
,rorosch,i on the subj sc- or asked 10
go IN. ..-,
The 81. Louis rroet'-r 81 &C. understo' J.
: has adjourned - September III, without
~ov furfher action than tD resolve that
n was e~n-licnt 20 n.ht thr American
.r~hgc-o Company. TFe declaration or
no Ii.-rett = Nvcrs Company was n
tnld one seconded FL Tie same snr.t
hy letters Of the prummond Tobacco
~9uranv. that th " were both going mo
tho 0pht rot for protection. but for
the money that was 70 De made eng or
/ cigarettes. II these letters are hai rs
sincere 81 fact as in ton'. taen o. rw q
rent anti-trust organization VIII pr1hl-
bly ia Effected; and 70 seems probable
mat the adjourned meeting was 10 give
more time for others To come into the
? .frsucbold a. cp.oaiticu. and So 10 per-
foot ar-arrcrI ute Incidentally repre-
sentative az The Winston IS. O. cigarette
manufacturers romnrks thai the several
firms there favor the an,'-comhination,
and would join % O.. any equitable basis.
WHERE THE TROUBLE IS.
The American Tobacco Company was
formed for the purpose OF carrying on
the cigarette business. but IN snort
.tne n enlarged i.s field and began th'
manufacture OF Plug ana other t,'accaf
p Tus va followed ~ ne c-'lng ~
nrices. l. IS claimed hy some manu-
the trust cuts are ru'rously low. and tha'
an orrani-otI. n "a greatly needed 20 pro
vent further inroaGs being made on tn
business. ,
4, the Office # tho American Tobacco
CompsDv. Il was said that there Wa'
nothing 20 be given out regarding inc
effect # the new combine on TINS O.,
ranv. or what action would be takeh D,
the latter All # the higher ol'ca''
are out II the city
EFFECT OF THE TRUST
Discussing the situation. a well-knowI
tobacco man said:
"The iobhers an over the country. ret
f. tered. hampcref. ana chaiin2 under un
arbitrary rule Of the trust. are very ih
10 ratian, or n change that viii emancipd'
j them. The New England Grocers Asso
p cation and the Tobacco Trade operative
. ORGANIZATIONS North ana West are method
T. icallv opposing trust rule. The DEGREES o
;, the Illinois and other state courts are
o stronger and stronger against trusts an
= II IS these things that emboldsn the anti
r trust element and brighten tn hopes c
o. the down-tr0dlcn leaf dealers. many o.
% whom have been f1r years deharr-d tA'
10 privilege OF dealing IN cutters and kindred
= toharc0s. The supp0si''on that the IRE
Ing Of much cigarette machinery is a prlm
i factor IN altering II ager assiveness OBJ
O N. trust IS erroneous. o. has even
r stronger power stu behind that n ln
!, mens- incomes ard accumulaions am
their trade and brands-that Is. the tobac
co stock. tn raw material In cutters, %
which IL has from two 10 four years sup
-. ply on hand. o. al grades and ages o
u available stock that any competition woui
have 10 accumulate out OF the n0w cfol
& 10 Put their brands in real competition
. with the trust. The National Cie1rett
and Tobacco Company has bought III
=, whatever supplies the dealers had in oil
stock. so that there IS now only the i-s
.. crop stock u draw from. Buying sue
- stock would delay use for year al loisi
This is no doubt. what the often reporte
New York brokers base the opinion, tina
II viii BE- several years before the opposi
: ton to the trust is felt. and that dividend
a may be paid regularly for several year
J. yet.
"The Liggett & Myers Company" thi
! gentleman continues. "the holders Of III
So situation in Bur.ey leaf. which the trus
n woul! like 70 shake them out Of by thei
e low cut prices In plug. selling lately as To-
r ga 10 cents per pound. This is dcm0rall1
y ing and the jobbers and dealers will *
l. ,,act manufacturers OF the future TO prof
or at least. not lose. at such prices. an
vylu resist much Of an advance toward
old prices. The battle royal may yet lea
IN giving away plug tobacco and cigar
y ettss. with perhaps a prize or premium
TX ,~itb each package. Every rumor is use
10 e., manipulate the stock In New York.
:. ,s rsported that one party sold thir,
Ia fn-1V