The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-12-24
TIL LAST STRAW
ON THE EXPORTERS
New Bonus Scheme From Tbs
Imperial.
CRUSH OUT INDEPENDENTS E
English Piper Calls it an Impuden
Proposal, and Takes Some Sharp
Cracks at the Big British
Trust.

The future Of leaf tobacco exporters in
this city and State is involved in the
latest development in the tobacco world,
which, through papers and letters from
England. is just becoming genetal.y
known here. 1t would seem that they
are to have taken from them that little
left after the trust system entered Egg
land, which little, by the way. is prac-
tical.y. their sole means OF support
When the Imperial .Tcbacco Company
was formed and began to buy F1rs1 Ia
and North Carolina tobacco directly from
the farmer and. not through the nlida,e-
men-the commission merchants in Eng
land and the exporters here-it reno. ed
from the latter large slice of that teri.
tory from which they drew their support
1t was a severe blow which knocked sjme
OF them out of business others STUCK
depending upon the trade with the IL
denendent factories of England whoa
had NOT aftIlia ted with the Imperial But
the latter has now instituted move
ment against these same Independent
factories obviously for the purpo$e @
absorbing them or driving them out OF
existence The effect of this last sirdw
upon the exporters can be easily INA
gined.
NEW BONUS SCHEME.
Advices received here are to the effect
that the Imperial 4.as issued new bonus
scheme, by which the wholesale and re-
tail distributors place themselves entire
~ in the hands Of the big trust 1t is
clearly implied" says a British paper.
that only the goods and show cards OF
the company are to be displayed by the
corner of the bonus. and the decision as
to whether there has been breach OF
agreement or noe IS reserved entirely to
onn party, Of it in tn. cause. If at am
time we shall be Of opinion that you have
failed to perform any stipulation on your
part. we may wholly or partially annul
Your participation in the benefits or the
said bonus scheme. Except for the diSa-
bilities which it may be in the power OF
the Imperial Tobacco Company to impose
as a penalty for tnon-acceptance. there
seems little inducement In the bonus
scheme itself to attract retailers. FOR
a small proportion Of the profits DIVIDED
arbitrarily. they practically place their
business at the disposal OF the trust It
sis:=certainly a cheap way OF practically
securing the goodwill of the tobacco
trade, but it can scarcely be imagined
that those to whom 1t is offered will &C
cept such an iupudent proposal. Srch
from Br fish paper about British con-
Germ is significant
+ CROWD THEM OUT.
The effect Of this movement. If success
full, will be to crowd the independent
concerns out of the retail stores anr
theme g out of the business. Many CT tht
exporters would go out with them. mat
this seems to be the a,..nus Of the bonus
scheme appears from the following talse1
from 9 recent issue OF the Liverpool
Courier: cit appear probable. however
from the latest Developments in .connec
ton Will, one of the most powerful com
bina tons that have yet been formed. tina
immunity from the evils which are the
ultimate outcome Of the Trust system
cannot be counted upon indefinitely. The
Imperial Tobacco Company tof Great
Britain and Ir.lanD. Limited which waS
formed with reat flourish Of patriotic
trunlpets tc combat the American tnVa
sion, Of our industries. has succeeded IT
beating its rivals from the field. ane.
no ewenjoys so comma ndins position
that unless the smaller competitors
themselves form combine, the appear
ances are that they must either agree to
be absorbed Q, go to the wall. VIVA
the effect of absorption would be is pref
ty plainly apparent from the latest bonus
agreement Of the Imperial Tobacco Com
pany. Limited, which has just been IS
sued"
The article then goes on to declare that
The: consumer will have to pay TOR the
bonus that the scheme Is in fact re
straint Of trade and that as usual the
poor old consumer comes out underneath
But it is well.",it adds, that he (the
consumer) should understand just where
he is and not be bamboozled by any talk
of the American invasion or about the
vast economies in production and dis
tribution effected by combination.