The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1900-04-16

AVE been tOlu anu leu 10 OelieNe that w
his particular company is due all the
woes and dissppointments which have
,efallen tobacco growers during the past
decade.
The growers are interested In this be-
cause, if this company only requires and
takes for its business one seventh of the
amount offered on the warehouse floors
of the three States, aud its taking controls
and fixes the price for the market as con.
tended by many, then there must be seven
times more tobacco grown than the legit
innate demand or the requirements of the
world will justify. The Journal says,
however, that each of several companies
not at all connected with the American
Tobacco Company buy as much on the
Danville market as the latter company,
which shows not only competition, but
further sustains the assertion that, with
this competition, ii price. are below the
proper level, that far too much Is pros
duced; otherwise this competition would
necessarily keep up prices. But if $780,
100000 pounds are offered on the market,
and only two-,hirds of that amount is
required for manufacture, 1t is more than
foolish to expect prices to average so
high as would be the case If the supply
only equsled the demand.
But like cotton, the tendency is to in>
crease the output rather than 9th srwise,
aud this at much greater rate than the
den and will increase. The profit. there
fore, to the individual farmer must de-
pend entirely upon the quality of his
crop, and so far throughout the markets
we believe good tobacco has commanded
good prices. And while good tobacco
will command good prices, the excessive
supply, the great bulk of which Is in'
ferior, will certainly keep the average
quite low
There Is another matter of local and
personal interest 10 connection with this
business.
Several Of the larg stockholders in the
American Tobacco Company are North
Carolinians, residents of the State. and
deyoling their energies and fortunes TO
the upbuiIding of the State. Besides the
immense tobacco plants owned by the
company and immedistel,' managed By
these North CarOlinians. these particular
gentlemen are largely interested in i'm
portant industries other than tobacco
already established in the State and in
others being developed. Those estab-
lished and now 10 operation al different
points, including their tobacco plants.
employ, and by such employment support.
over $4,000 people-aIl citizens of the
State. The weekly pay roll in all these
industries-ss'aries and wages-exceeds
$4,000 The Messrs Duke and Mr.
Watts have for some years invested quite
ali o! their income 10 the State, mostly IN
establishing new, to much extent 10 en-
lsrging existing industrial enterprises.
notably cotton mills. I'VE make no refer.
ence here 10 their charitable and benevo-
lent gifts. Many Of these are known,
but very many. involving thousands Of
dollars, are not known to the public, as
these benefsctors refuse TO furnish The
press with information concerning them
These facts 90 to these investments, en-
ployment and wages, Il is due to state
We learned from Mr.. Watts himself, som,
months ago.
This American Tobacco Company Il
controlled largely by North Carolinians
Millions Of dollars Of the money they
have accumulated are invested in the
State, giving employment TO Thousands
and furnishing markets for the products
Of very many more. II these North Car.
oliniaDs, therefore, controlling this great
company, are guilty Of the oppression
and robbery Of their own fellow citizens
as their personal and other enemies have
90 assiduously proclaimed, they would
deserve the execratlon Of oil good citi-
zens; but when, as the DanVille Journal
shows, they have conduc' ed and are con.
Quoting their great enterprise strictly
along the lines Of legitimate business
methods, dealing 10 the markets In :heIr
particular branch - 4stks,s do on other
markets and 10 other lines Of enterprise,
governed by the same great laws which
govern the business world, and are de-
voting the profits they secute, not from
North Carolina, but the world, to the
development Of various enterprises and
resources within the State and giyIns
employment and support to increasing
thousands Of men and women 10 North
Carolina, We ask 10 the name Of ell thai
10 honest, 10 the name Of that high char.
acter for justice for which tue people Of
this State we're once % noted, n the cru
SADIE made and persisted 10 by designing
and enviUus men In particular aud well
meaning hut nfainformpd mpu tuo lafve