The Washington weekly post. (Washington, D.C.) 1878-1916, 1899-02-28
Consolidation of Union and
American Companies.
ITS EFFECT on DANVILLE MARKET
The Combined Companies viii Control the
situation, Including Prices f2id 10 the
Producers of Tobacco, which Has Fallen
in Value Since the Report If the Consoi-
idation Got Out-Anti-Trust Legislation
ia Il. Asked For-Other Virginia News
Special to Tie Post

Special to Tie Post -
DanvilIe. Va. Feb. $.-N ME ruilot
have been numerous enough, ana ID the
main accurate. il was not dennlteiS kHo"H
here until yesterday that the new mon
Tobacco Company and the older cotpOta
ton, the American Tobacco CohlpahS' no.
actually consolidated and fsrmed sF
gantic trust, with Sleo.o,o.e" capital
Naturally the news created a great deal
of conservation and caused no little
comment on this great bright leaf To-
bacco market. Leaf tobacco dealers. VINO
had suffered BY the squeezing out policy
of the American Company, had hope that
the Union Company. coming into the heId
when il did a. a strong opposition. would
weaken the control OF bright tObaccoS.
which the American has so long heid III
this market and many OF them Hdu
bought leaf on speculation accordingly
To these especially the news of the con
sOlidation came with something AKIN te 4
shock. All grades of leaf went OF IN
prices from 10 to - per cent on TINS mar
ket. in consequence of the combine. Inc
consultations unquestionably makes the
American Tobacco Company absolute
master of the situation on this market
Blow TO Tobacco Producers.
The sentiment Of the DanviIle dealers is
summed up bv one who yesterday talked
to The Post correspondent. Said he:
This stupendous combination is a dis
astrous blow 10 the tobacco interest any
way you look at it. 1t gives the great
American Company, with its SlV),VOVld
capital absolute control OF the mdnufac-
turing interest Of the entire country, and
absolute control of the producers OF to-
taccc. This trust can dictate first TO the
. Iii 30
shall bring on the market. and second, 10
| the consumer as 10 what he shall pay for
the manufactured article. Competition by
smaller dealers is absolutely out of the
question. and inasmUch az this monopoly
{ strikes at and strikes down such a power
/ full industrial interest. | look for some
/ thing hike a popular uprising against it
That this latter suggestion is taking
root is evidenced by the fact that move
ment is already on foot to urge and Sc
cure State legislation against the tobacco
/ combine. The matter will be. brought to
/ the attention of the Business Mems Asso-
/ citation of Danville at its general quarter
/ ly meeting, 10 be hel2 next week. 1t is
/ probable that in this way the Governor
/ will be petitioned to call an extra session
! of the Legislature, and that that body
! will be asked TO pass stringent laws that
! will tax the trust out of existence, SO far
I as Virginia is concerned.
! Woman Fatally shot.
/ Mrs M0lie Hampton. who was shot
| last night by Edward Brown. is still alive
/ She was to-day removed to hospital
! where the surgeons prObed for and re-
/ moved two bullets There is no hope for
| the woman, either of the two wounds in
| the abdomen being regarded DIS nsees-
| sarily fatal.
| 1t was learned to-day that Brown made
I his escape last night on a horse. which
I ne succeeded in securing from his
| mothers stable. The officers are on his
| track and his capture is momentarily OK
! pected.