The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-04-19
To FIGHT THE AMERICAN
Franchise Tax, Amounting to $1,0C0
Was Paid on Yesterd ~.
ABlG FACTORY MAY BE LOCATED HERE
This Move VIII Necessarily Result in the To-
bacco Producers Receiving Fair fquiy-
aent For Their Product as ii Will
Break the Monopoly.

at never rains but it pours." Follow
ing closely upon the heels of the forma
tion of the Raleigh Leaf Tobacco Com
pany comes the news that the great
English competitor of the American To-
bacco Company has decided to make Rail
eigh its headquarters for the State of
North Carolina.
The Imperial Tobacco Company of
Great Britain and ireland, Limited. one
of the strongest corporations in the
world, has taken out its State license to
do business in North Carolina. 1t will
be competitor of all buyers of tobacco
in this State. The American Tobacco
Company has heretofore virtually fixed
its own prices for tobacco, having prac-
ticall a monopoly of this business, and
there has been much complaint among
the producers of tobacco of the low prices
which have prevailed. The entry of this
powerful corporation into the tobacco
markets of our State will necessarily re-
suit in the tobacco producers receiving
a fair equivalent for their producet.
The company is required by the law to
establish principal office in the State.
This it has done by selecting Raleigh,
and it has filed with the Corporation
Commission a power of attorney to Col.
John w. Hinsdale, upon whom all service
of process can be made.
There IS no reason now why Raleigh
should not become a tobacco market equal
to any in this State. The lands that are
tributary to Raleigh are pre- eminently
o6o cd tn ho Of no fine
bacco. and with proper effort there ought
to be sold on the warehouse floors of Raj
eigh the coming season as much as $780,
600 pounds of tobacco, at prices satisfac
tory to the farmers This will mean in
the near future a tremendous develop
ment in the tobacco interests of this
State and a wonderful prosperity among
the tobacco raisers.
The afranchise tax for the State and
county which the company paid on yes
terday was $1,000, five hundred dollars to
the State and five hundred to the county.
The general office of the company in the
the United States is. now in Richmond
The Imperial Tobacco Company was or
ganized in London, England, several
months ago, and some Of the most promi-
nent and wealthy men of England are
stockholders. Inc CdplJdl SbOCh 10 Soo,-
600 600 The main purpose of the
company, at its Organization, was to Gre
ate an opposition to the American To-
bacco Company, which at that time had
Just opened an agency in Great Britain.
The company since its organization has
been in n most prosperous condition, and
now owns some of the largest tobacco
manufactures in the world, situated in
L. sio1r
pany was seen to have no formidable
rival in this country it was decided that
Offices should be established in the Uni
tide States This was accordingly done.
A State office will probably be estab-
lished in every tobacco growing State In
the Union and buyers will be placed on
all local tobacco markets, not only IN
this. but in all of the Southern States.
AS yet the company has built no to-
bacco factories in the United States, but
considering the fact that it has been on
this side of the ocean for only few
months, great Roadway has been made.
1t is very probable that tobacco manu-
faeturies will be built by the company
at several points in the United States,
and it is not altogether improbable that
Raleigh may secure one of these fac
tories. A general office will certainly
be located here in a short time from
which the State work will he superin-
tended.