BoletiÌn mercantil de Puerto Rico. (San Juan, P.R.) 18??-1918, 1902-04-02
Resistance To Americans.
Efforts to Combine Rich Havana
and New York Companies with
the Imperial of England.

To New York tobacco men it appears
that the Americans who are trying toI
dominate Great Britain's tobacco man.
ufacturing interest have met an obstacle
of some seriousness, unless it turns out
that its bonus proves more powerful
than patriotism. That offer by Og-
dens Limited - IS conveyed byl
telegram 10 10000 English dealers
simul. ul.aneously-o a bonus of the entire
net profits of Ogdens, and also of ST.
100000 year for four years, to whoever
will trade in the Ogden products, is
taken as an indication that the American
invaders have been compelled to adopt
heroic measures and the vision OF
tcreating a worldwide tobacco CON-
bination, which the American Tobacco
Trust of this city has been contemplat-
ing, is not Sd clear as it was
Mr. ]. B. Duke, who was practical
enough manufacturer to build up a
considerable cigarette business in Vir-
ginia and enough of 6nancier to be
placed at the head of the Trust and to
be assigned to undertake the subjuga
: ton of the British trade, took with
4 him, so he told friend at the tue
: only $3o,oooooo This Imperial Com
! pany, which is appeal e to British
: patriotism and making ifficulties tot
{ him, has capital of .oooooo-and
when it was organized its common
$ stock was subscribed many times over
J. There is more money ready to back
Il it; there is too, money to back Mr.
J Duke, for the American Tobacco Trust
y has extraordinary resources. Two Of
9 Its five constituent companies have
shown net earnings for the year past
of more than $I4oooooo. It will be an
| interesting contest.
It is in England that our commercial
ls invasion of foreign countries has beSl
i..41aeA11 LessA +h< 4icsss ssrh
has prevailed there has been shaker
somewhat by apprehension, and it wa
said to-day that the tobacco operation
might lead to Developments whicl
wo Id alter the present course of histor,
History, according to Mr. VanderliI
being largely written nowadays in led
gers and balance sheets At hom
IS here the methods of tie America
e Tobacco Trust are steadily resisted
II they do not resemble those of tn
e Standard Oil or of the Sugar Trust
e. and, those outside the combination
NJ declare that it is demora1izing tn
70 whole tobacco business.
u At this moment efforts are bein,
n made, supposedly by the Universe
N Company Of New York, to unite witt
y itself the rich Book & Co. (Limited
&c and the Havana Commercial Company
both of Havana, and both more or les
10 English, with community of inte
10 rest, and to bring the combination
IS thus effected into the Imperial Tobacco
D. Company Of England. That would b
a powerful opposition to the American
trust, which includes the American
the Continental, the Havana American
1.-THE American Snuff, and the Americal
Cigar Companies From late informa
ton it was believed here today tha
y the contest would hasten situation
Is which would thus line up the contes ANTS
'e American genius for specialization
% and for economical production might
n it was remarked, overcome in a littlt
Q. time the resistance which the English
e are making in this case. Still in seem.
= to be felt among tobacco men lnat the
K American Trust at home has not beer
e SO managed as to prevent its business
: from falling below that of the indepen
: dent manufacturers. Cigarettes, al
d first the sole product of the Trust, are
e not SO popular as they were; census re
It turns published the other day recorded
a falling-of in production of I6I 100000
while the small cigars increased I25,-
: 100000 and cigars 100000.
Criticism of the Trust is especially
directed toward its way of running fac.
tories after buying them up. It soon
makes it necessary for the original
owners to have the superintendent of
these factories, and IN their place the
Trust places, not practical tobacco men,