The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-10-04
TOBACCO MEN OUR
WELCOME GUESTS
Initial Steps Taken to Form National
Association.
ORGANIZE ON BROAD LINES,
Constitution and Bylaws Being Framed
With This End in Yiew-Great Enthg-
siasm Eyinced-Cordial Addresses OF
Welcome-A Fine Attendance.
ORGANIZE ON BROAD LINES,

The process of forming q National AS
soc1ation of tobacco men began IN this
city yesterday morning. The work will
continue to-day and tomorrow and will
probably be concluded in the early part
of next week.
The convention in the hands of which
has been placed the work of creating the
satisfied the expectations and hopes OF
all. The attendance yesterday, for a
first Gay, vas excellent. To-day it will
be much larger and much more represent
ative. Many of those who could not
reach the city in time to be present at
the opening exercises will have arrived
by the time the convention enters upon
its second days work and there
is every indication that the attendance
will thus be swelled to something like
three hundred persons by to-day. The
personnel of the meeting is all that could
be desired. The membership is made
up of men, able and earnest such as are
calculated to complete both speedily and
we'll the task they have entered upon.
During yesterday they were mostly en-
gagged in getting acquainted with one
another and securing a grasp upon the
work they We're expected to get through
with. The Introductory exercises passed
off most pieasantly-a. fit beginning to
what will be one of the most successful
conventions ever held in this city A
generous welcome was accorded to the
visitors, who in turn expressed great
pleasure at being in the capital of the
Old Dominion and accepting the hospi
tality Of her sons. These reciprocal
greetings expressed, the convention trans
acted one or two matters of business,
and thereafter adjourned for the day.
A short while before adjournment the
body resolved itself into a National To-
bacco Association and appointed it's Com
mittee on Constitution and Bylaws,
which will report to-day
This concluded the session of the con-
vention for the day. An elegant repaSt
was served, all of the attending dele
gates and visitors partaking. In the
afternoon the Trigg Shipyartls were Wis
tied and inspected, much to the pleasure
of the delegates.
NOT a TRUST FIGHTER.
About 2:30 O'Clock in the afternoon the
Committee on Constitution and BYLAWS
met. The session wound up some time late
in the afternoon, and will be continued
this morning at 10 O'Clock. General Stith
Boiling. Of Petersburg, was chosen chair
man of the committee and Mr.. II. M. Car
rington, of this city, secretary.
1t is not expected that there will be
fight over the constitution and bylaws.
There will be nothing to fight about. The
rules will be constructed on broad lines.
and are designed for the benefit of all and
the detriment of none. One fact will be
brought out clearly. The association is to
be an organization for the mutual good
of all who enter its membership. The
impression that has gained a certain
amount of circulation that the body is or
ganized to fight the trusts is absolutely
false. The association is to be essentially
not such an organization. AS stated above,
it will operate to benefit all and to injure
or antagoniZe none. There are tobaccon-
lists, leaf dealers and manufacturers, in
this very city who are more or less in
stiu1ately associated with the trust. No
discrimination will be made against them.
They are as free to join the association
and enjoy it's benefits as those who are
hostile to the combine
The constitution, among other things,
will call for the election of Board CT
Directors, which will have immediate con-
troll Of the affairs Of the association. TO
this board will in all probability be left
many matters of detil, the question OF ap-
pointing a permanent and salaried sec
retarys and treasurer, and other things.
The convention will have to do. mainly
with organization.
THE MEETING YESTERDAY.
There were probably one hundred del
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