The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-12-07
WILL FlGHT The
TOBACCO TRUST
Continued From First Page.)


J. NJ. p. Mcleod, Swan Station Har-
nett county.
The newspaper men present were ask
cd to act as secretaries of the con-
Tention.
On taking the chair Mr.. Philips spoke
with regret Of the absence of Chairman
Grimes, and directed the secretary, on
behalf of the convention, 10 express to
Col. Grimes regret at his absence and
sympathy for him in his affliction.
Il am very sorry that Col. Grimes
is not here He is well posted in the
matters that this convention is called to
consider. And TO us these are matters of
vital importance. The price of tobaeco
is steadily going down and has been for
several years. We must either stop
growing it or get better price for it.
We must find the cause and finding it we
must set about remedying it. The price
Of the leaf is all the time declining,
while the price of manufactured tobacco
is advancing"
price is no longer governed by sup
ply and demand Then it must be con-
trolled by the trust. We must do some
thing or it will continue to grind us
down. We must do something. il only
10 eUIcI IiblESt. SuSStSl llidl lltio
meeting adjourn without taking any ac-
ton and meet again in March, We Will
then know better what to do. Let us
in every tobacco growing county in the
State send delegates. The convention
will be a more representative one and
one better able to take proper action on
this matter"
Mr.. Sykes thought the earlier the
meeting was held the better. He sug-
gested January
Mr. Jordan opposed both suggestions.
He had been long in the leaf tobacco
business. and had fought the trust from
the very start. He had In this time
Intended many meetings similar TO this,
bnt they had all dealt only in general
ties and SO very little had been accom-
plished. He wanted something definite
done.
THAT is the reason this meeting to-
day Is not better attended. Now ! have
a llan. but | doubt the ACCESSIBILITY of
making it public at this time. have
been arranging for a convention next
Max of the tobacco men of Virginia.
North Carolina. South Carolina. Georgia
and Tennessee, and at that time | pro-
pose TO submit the plan in all its de-
tails
Mr.. Cooley. Of Nash. wanted the plan
suggested to this convention 50 that the
farmers might be thinking about it be-
tween now aud next May and if they
considered it a good plan they would
then be prepared to adopt II
THE meeting today / look upon as
j sort Of preliminary meeting anyway
fer the discussion OF ways and means.
A. for me I'm free To say / see bet
one thing to do. that's 10 control tor
haeco ourselves-its product. manufae-
tu1e and consumption. Ia other words
Ka'l have to form u trust among orr
selves. Fight the devil with fire. While
we cass trusts, lets form a trust. The
reason We cIlss 'eIn Is because we are
nc1 In 'e-n Let's start the racket our
selves today and hear what folks have
rot to say about it. We can do il as
well MS ii we had Il thousand men here.
perhaps better There's no use post
poniEss the matter.
Mr. Toon Of Robson county, said he
woald admit that he was not expert
eneesi il tobacco culture or the methods
IL handling it.
..But / am willing To adEast my ignor-
ance by making this inquiry Is the
warehouse system necessity. don
believe it i. We SCH orr cotton TO the
highest bidder at private sale. or 10
svaomsoeyer Ne please. Why shouldn't
re do the same with tobacc0g The
warehouse system robs Us Of the adj
vantage Of competition.
Il do hope we viii have something
practical brought before this convention
enabling us to fight the trust and the
warehouse system The warehouse fees
are too large and ought to be reduced.
IL this convention does nothing more
than suggest some plan by which these
fees can be reduced it viii confer great
benefit On the tobacco growers of the
State"
Mr.. Al. C. Green. Of Wake, said he
would be unwilling for the convention to
adjourn without taking some sort OF acs
ton. He wouldn't feel like he'd been III
a farmers meeting. He moved a COM
anittee on resolutions be appointed, con-
sisting of FIVE members. to report resolu-
fions to the convention for adoption.
This motion prevailed and the char
named on this committee: Col. John >.
Cunningham, of Person county, w.
Darden. of Greene county; w. Il. JET
fries, of Nash county; T. f. Toon, Of
Robeson county. and j. 4. Jordan, Of
Gnilf0rd county.
Later Col. Cunningham declined to
serve and asked that Mr.. ". g. Smith,
of Caswell. be put on the committee III
his place. 1t was done.
Mr.. K. G. Beasley, of Halifax county,
Virginia wanted a plan Of some sort
adopted by the convention ut This meets
ing.
.I'liere is nothing like making a begin
ming in these matters. You'll ind some
times that from small beginnings great
results grow. / would be glad also to