Hopkinsville Kentuckian., 1902-10-14

pdu1s udNS bSCh w ~
ic of discussion among the trade
during the past week. Just what
the new deal signifies and what EFF.
feet 1t will have on the trade seems
to be a question which is variously
answered and the solution is not
vet apparent. Many believe that
there is more beneath the surface
than in sight.
THINKS AMERICAN WON.
A prominent official of the Amer
lean Tobacco Company is quoted by
the New York Herald. as follows:
"Peace has been signed. The
present news means little more
than that the war which has been
waged at a great cost to both sides
for more than a year has been con-
cldded. and that an agreement has
been reached which means that in
the near future there will be formed
an international corporation, a sort
Of world company, the first and
greatest of its kind.
There has been an impression
prevailing that the Americans have
been worsted IN their contest in
England, . think that when the
truth is all known it will be found
that a mistake has been made.
There has been a compromise, with
the advantage resting with the
Americans.
MR.. GALLAHER S OPINION.
Mr.. Thomas Gallaher, the great
tobacco manufacturer of Belfast,
Ireland, was interviewed at Owens
boro, KY, few days ago by the
Ow ensboro Messenger, and said in
part.
"Woe to the independent Leaf
Tobacco dealer who tries to contin-
Nue in business now. This new COM
bin alton of the American Tobacco
Company and the Imperial Compa-
nies of Great Britain is the greatest
stroke towards the Capitalization
of the worlds tobacco interests
that has ever been made. I want
to assert right here 1t is an Amerl.
can victory and not defeat. 1t is
true that it is given out American
interests will be given seats on the
combin ed board, but that is a blind.
That company will have the
Tobacco interests neck and
crupper and J. B. Duke will
be its Leading Spirit. How
could the English control the To
bacco interests? Don't the Ameri-
can Tobacco Company control SO
! per cent. of the Cuban Tobacco in.
terests? In this deal the American
Tobacco Company gets back all the
money expended in the recent fight
in England and will have the con
trolling interest. You cant get
ahead of Mr.. Duke.
"If this combination does moi
mean death to the independent leat
tobacco handler it certainly does
not mean life. The indepen den'
dealers have heretofore found buy
, ers in the Imperial companies, bu'
] they will not any more. What viii
they do with the stock bought by
them? They will simply have t
lay 1t away and wait until the trus
: gets ready to buy it. There is al
,, ready a 2H years supply of darl
tobacco on hand in English ware
houses, which of itself cuts quite /;
figure in the market. My advice t
the independent lie af dealer in thii
country is to go slow while you can
"What effect will it have on tn,
independent manufacturers? Well
sir, in the British dominion i
means that the small manufactur
ers will just have to go out of bust
] ness. l admit that will have t,
1 do business on smaller margin
] and must suffer like all the res
= from the combination. You know
4 the methods of the trust are to ge
D the trade even though all competi
S tors are driven out Of business. O
e course, all my manufactured good
a are sold in the old country. Their
is one portion Of my trade that viii
not be seriously affected, that is
j. the gold-rolled Cigarettes that W
put out. l see no benefit to be de
rived from this combine except
the members Of the corporation.