The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-08-23
THE FIGHT IS NOW ON.
THENEW TORfCCO COwBTNE TO IN
TER THE ENEMI's TIELD.
VIII Make War Upon the American To-
bncco Company-P. ". May" ana
Thomas Atkinson May Take Hand.

20 yesterdays New lolN Noi"'
..Tho meeting was prcsldsd over by
Paul J. sorg OF ihc =. J. Sorg Com
,s.nv. of Mddlctown. o. II. l. Drummoud.
OF the Dfummond Tobacco Company. wa'
elected secretary. Those present IN au-
diiicn 10 the two named were pierre
lDrl,lard, Jr.. Of J.. lorilafd 90
Jersey. CITY, Koocr; McG,hnis' OF nu "nd
Thor as Atkinson. Of y. Mayo & .;
Richmond. Va; Orrin soften OF 'anlei
Scotch & Co. Detroit, Mich. OK n
ger OF FINER Bros. Loh,Nil ic. ny ny,
Roller; Duia Of the DIumn ond To. i .'.'
Con.pany St Louis. VI. &. Wetmorc ana
c. y. noriwcli. Of the .Lseett Myers Myers
ti,n PepDer Of the Christian Pepper
Tobacco Company. ST. Louis. 50
The meeting was called 10 oricr ~ ly
o'clcck A n. and ;ho first session lasted
mill noon. The work done at this ses-
sion Was largely explanatory ana pre-
paratory The Drummond Company An9
The ligRett G Myers company Stattu
liza. because the trust had entered the
rlug.tobacco field and had begun cutting
prices right ana left they han ittihea W
:ctallatc 10y invadi1g the on, !" ~
tory and beginning the manuiact l.e i'u
salc OF cigarettes. They SAID thnt W.
were already placing machines IN uh.H
factories for tbs purpose. ana IN '1 ~ ~
or six weeks would have these goods OF
the market.
WAR INTO THT rSFMY's CAMP
.This statement Mas received with
r,arte1 opprcval ana the sentiment Of
carving war into The enemy camp
was heartily .applauctd Then the mat
ter Of profits was discussed. The STU
alton IN the manufactured tobf Geo mar
ket was gone into thoroughly. There
was some little wraneling. but me meet
adjournment the following was giv"n
out for publication by the Press Commit
"Rosolvcd At n meeting OF tobacco
manufacturers this day held al 81. Louis.
that. after thorough discussion the
sense Of the meeting IS that the manufac-
.urc Of cigarettes offers great induce
menfs TO engage therein. and tnat the
meeting DO now adjourn until Wednes-
day September ith. the place OF The
meeting to be New York city.
Resolved. Further. that the Secretary
be authorized 10 invite TO this meeting
such other manufacturers as i'm his iuos-
ment II would be proper to nave present.
"Of the nine concerns represented AT
to-day's meeting six concluded 10 &c
hin the manufacture ana sale OF cigar
cites as soon as they could establish
their plants They are f.icgctt q Myers.
the Drummond Company. i. LorillaTi a
Co. Paul j. SCrg Tobacco Company.
Scotch Bros and the Christian Pepper
Tobacco Company.
'Whne the others would not say def
nitely what they would do. they indl-
Gated that their disposition was that
way and that they would doubtless go
into the cigarette business soon.
TIE orrIoFus.
''rhe organization perfected to-day is
in the line of an association similar 10
railroad association. The officers ar"
J.. j. Scrg. President. and H. J. Drum
mond. Secretary. and the agreement
which holds them together is that they
shall all begin the manufacture OF
cigarettes as soon as possible and carry
the wa right into the stronghOlds of the
trust. The six concerns mentioned
above signed the agreement. and be
cause the others could not definitely
make ID their minds an adjournment
was taken until September 4th At this
meeting. which. as stated. viii be held In
New York. an attempt will be made TO
have all manufacturers not in the trust
present and 10 get so many 10 manufac-
ture cigarettes that the business of the
trust will be- cut right In halves maybe
worse.
President Wctmore. of the Iiegett &
Myers Company. and n. !. Drummond
appeared well pleased when the meet
ing adjourned. II was brought about
through their efforts, and the result ful-
ly equallcd their expectations.
''Niessrs. Lorillarl. SOrs, and Scotch
said they had not vet decided which
machine they would use nor could they
tell when they might begin the manu-
facture OF cigarettes.
In general way all present say that
the result of the meeting will be 10 make
= big shaking up and the sharpest sort
of competition Ia the tobacco market
NOW 1HI NlMN VA NfNrlNID.
The information that the fight against
the American Tobacco Company WAS on
was NEGATIVE TO ION siderable gossip
in tobacco circles of this city. j was
stated 10y several tobacco men that me
cX-plug men were probably not preparin.
TO engage in active warfare. out simply
getting themselves together Tor SELF
protection.
tobacco man In this city are. that when
the American Company organized IT
was with the intention OF carrying on
cigarette business. However. in a
short time the company enlarged its HELD
and began the manufacture of plug ana
other tobaccOs.' which was Followed ~
plug fields they encroached upon the
territory of some of the most powerful
tobacco firms IN the world.
For some time the manufacturers out
side the trust have wagcd war on those
within consequently the trade has been
somewhat demOraiized. II is claimed 10y
some manufacturers that the prevailing
prices-male to meet the trust cuts-are
ruinousiy low. and that an organization
10 fight the trust is an absolute necessity.
CAN MAKr STRONG TIGHr.
Several members Of the Tobacco lcx-
change when asked about III" matter yes
,erday said that IL was Impossible 10 see
into the future and declare the outcome
OF the 81 Louis meeting or the pfohaplll-
ties for a tobacco war. Ihcy tClt tuat
in. plug men were merely getting to-
eether 10 be able II necessary 10 nght
The American and National with similar
weapons, and TO do this II will be neces-
sary 10 put In cigarette plants ana pace
new brands on the market. Ihat the men
IN the new combine are powerful enough
TO make a strong fght y conceded ana IL
Is known that they nave money 'hou-i,
to stand long war. II was also stated
that the American and NaiOnal companies
seeing active preparations 10 stop the en-
croachment into the plug field, ana 20
enter the cigarette business, would go
to the plug combine and try 10 erect q
than ever. IL the latter should be the
result the small manufactures would DC
forced out OF the business.
All OF the higher officials OF the Ameri-
can Tobacco Company IN this city are
absent. and no information could be
learned here IN regard 10 the effect the
new combine would probably have upon
The trust or what action would be taken
by the latter.
Mr. " C. Mayo, secretary OF the I. HI.
Mayo Company. when asked II his firm
would enter actively into the proposed
combination OF plug manufacturers,
stated that ne was not in a position 10
rcYiv definitely 10 that question a. pres
crt. 90 far as he was aware the I. II.
Mayo Company had not decided upon any
definite course.
The stock OF the American Tobacco
Company has dropped In the last week
from ten 10 fifteen points II opened
yesterday morning at sc 10. and al once
slumped three points. later gaining nearly
all the loss. but closing weak and un-
ST IOITIS Mo Aucref Nofvrffh-