The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1899-04-25
TRUSTS AGAIN.

the managers OF Llgget &c Myers To
bacco Company, of st. Louis, an
nounced that they would go into no
combine. Moreover, they issued a
statement in which they set for tn their
idea Of trusts in very vigorous and
terse English. This statement or ad,
dress was written in a plain, straight
forward manner: it had the right
ring" We have recently found a
copy Of this document, and give here
with the opinion of the company in
regard to the effects Of trusts. Read it:
"We are of the opinion that it would
be disastrous to all except the imme.
date benef1ciaries, or in other words,
those who belong to the trust or com
bine. Commencing with the tobacco
planter, he would have but one con.
Germ to which he could sell his prod
uct. It is fair to assume in that case
the purchaser and not the seller would
fix the price, and the result would be
that the planter would obtain q very
low price for his product. Tobacco
workers 1--WE mean by this those who
earn a livelihood by working in tobac.
CO ~factories) would have but one CON.
Germ to which they could apply for
employment. OF course the company
would fix the price, the workers would
be compelled to submit to greatly re
duced wages. The Wholesale grocers
and jobbers of tobacco would have but
one company from which to obtain
their supplies of this article. There
would be no question as to price. as the
Company would fix that, and there
would be no appeal from its decision.
The retail dealer in tobacco would
have to purchase of the product of one
concern only, or go out Of the tobacco
business; and the great army of to-
bacco consumers would be compelled,
if they continued to use tobacco, to
purchase from the dealer tobacco made
by only one company. The price at
tobacco would be virtually fixed by
the manufacturer, and he would be
compelled to Uss it regardless Of
whether it suited his taste or not.
Again, there are thousands Of tobacco
statesmen, now in the employ of the
various factories, who would be thrown
out of employment and thus be com
PEELED to go into competition for situa-
tions with statesmen in other lines,
which, of course. would have a ten
dency to reduce the salaries Of men
who earn a livelihood in that occupa-
tion. Thousands OF book keepers,
clerks, and men in various other
capacities, would likeWiee be thrown
out of employment and be forced to
compete with those in other lines, thus
bringing down the wages Of all. Some
of the largest interests in the country
have now been combined and others
are in process of pooling or consolidat
ing. Let US suppose that all manuIac.
turers in different lines we're pooled. It
does not require a great stretch of the
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binations getting together under one
management, and in fact become one
huge concern, controlling all commodi
ties and fixing prices on everything in
common use. 1t would be stronger
than any State government; it might
be stronger than the courts, and even
stronger than the General Govern.
ment, and without doubt would make
make ~stupendous efforts to control
legislation in it's own interests. 1t
would take away the independence Of
the people and make us a nation of
employees, without hope of lettering
our condition, for there would be no
avenues open by which a man could
build up q business for himself or i'm
prove his condition. The promoters
of trusts, combines and pools say that
the day of the independent manufac.
turer, wholesale dealer or business man
is gone, and that we are on a new order
of things; that there ia a great eco.
nomic force behind the movement for
consolidating and pooling; but in our
opinion it is more a principle of greed
and cupidity than of economy.
yours very truly,
"LIGGETT & MYERS TOBACCO Co"
But from last weeks press dispatches
we learn of the sale of this identical
company to the trust. President Wet
more held out against the sale for quite
while, but the trust finally offered
him 20 per cent. more per share than
was given the others, and he COO sold
out.
But the statements made in the let
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