Hutchinson gazette. [volume] (Hutchinson, Kan.) 1895-1902, 1899-05-18
WILL MOVE ON TRUSTS.
COL. NETWORKS SPEECH TO
HIS Ex-EMPLoYE9.
Long Fight Made by Him AsniaAt the
Tobacco Combine Refused to Work
for tho Octopus ON salary Of $40, 900
Year.

more, retiring President Of the Llggett
and Myers Tobacco company In ST.
Louis, to his 5000 ex-employes;
"My friends, the trusts, which have
got such hold on tho manufa cturlng
and commercial interests OF this coun-
try, IRE bound TO go down. God never
intended that few men on the Allan
tic seaboard, or any other section,
should control the financial and indus
trial destinies OF 10000, 900 or 49, OOO,-
900 OF people, II Is not possible that
the American people In their intclll-
gence, and with such patriotism, will
allow this condition OF things TO last
"And In this connection ! wish to
say to you that | have 10 grievance.
One Of the evening papers said that
Wetmore evidently had grievance,
or was disgruntled or something TO
that effect. have no grievance and
! want to say to you that ] never felt
better In my life, l have been making
fight against the trusts, In my feeble
way, for the past twelve years, and |
have lost temporarily-that Is ALL Aud
/ say TO you now that am going to
continue in the fight At this time II
Is impossible for me to say just how,
but SO long as God spares my life in
tend to fight Rll trusts and Illegal
combines until they are wiped out
Therefore, there Is no necessity for
you people to be cast down, You have
got 10 work for living, and 1t is
hardly possible for You to work now
unless you do 80 for trust, but | will
tell you what you can do. You gen
tlemen who have got votes can vote
against the trusts and the trust system
when election time comes, That Is
what shall do, and am an old-fash-
Toned democrat, but l will say TO you
that II the democratic party ever allies
itself with the trust system, then |
will join some other party whose prin-
ciples are opposed to trusts and COM
bines
During my entire connection with
this company l have never advised any
man In Its service how TO vote and
would not now were II not that any
thing have said or may say regard
Ing politics can have no influence to
make any Of you feel that he has got
to believe as / door vote 40 vote
to save his situation.
"In leaving the service OF the Lig-
gett &c Myers Tobacco company have
no feeling Of luminosity or resentment
against any gentleman or any person
who remains. We have made long,
stubborn-and, II may be permitted
to say it-a gallant fight against the
trusts. ! am sure that II ! had been
supported by one Of the principal
stockholders we should have brought
them to their knees. But was abso-
lutely deserted and the only stock
holder who was at all times and uuder
all circumstances opposed to the alb
sorbtion Of this company by the trust,
On tho day this great business was
surrendered we had them on the run.
In fact, In my Judgment the battle
was won and then we politely said to
the trust "Will you please allow us to
surrender" There is one thing in con-
nection with the whole distasteful
business that is gratifying to me and
that is we made the trust pay more
money for this concern than they paid
for the Drummond, Lorillard, Sorg,
Brown and Butler combined and we
could have just as well received $780,
100000 for the business as the amount
we did receive.
"There was absolutely no necessity
for the surrender, except that ma
iority Of the stockholders wanted TO
count their money. The business OF
the company has always been proHta-
BILE and prosperous. 1t has made on
an average during the past Ave years,
over 100000 per annum, / do not
know exactly what the other gentle
men obtained for their stock, but oh.
tanned for mine, when found that
would be forced TO sell, Mt the rate OF
s15,00O,O0O.
~ want to say to you, ladies and
gentlemen, that am going to live in
st. Louis. / like ST. Louis, and / like
Missourians. The people Of the great
west are good enough for me. In my
Judgment, there is more honesty, in
tegrity and intelligence among them
than any other people on the fuce Of
Gods earth, and my destinies for good
or i'll are going to be cast with The
good people of Missouri, and whenever
l can do anything for you come TO me
and l will, il possible, do 1t.
~ could have remained with the
trust as the head Of this concern. l
have document signed by the pur-
chnsers which agrees that II Istay with