West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1902-12-11


From obtsinias ILeor.ce-Ho,v Deal
crs are intimidnscd.
Since It las leaA shown that Presl
Geat Roosevelt. ssuaiur s2ooncr and
other trust dcfcnacrs w>rs mistaken
when they said ina; ta.rs were mo du-
ties on anthracite coal or petroleum oil
tne Republicans have hit upon the to-
bacco trust as the best example OF n
trust which receives 70 benefit from,
tariff duties. They tell US that the OH
ciais of this trust want free trade I'm
tobacco and that therefore this cannot
be tariI protected trust.
Here again the high tarllites arc
mistaken. Some OF the officials do
sometimes talk In favor of free trade
with Cub. but that Is because the
trust. being highly protected from com
petition from the rest OF the world by
high duties and having control OF our
markets and partly of the Cuban mar
kets. whcrc !; Is said TO own much OF
the tobncco lands. would be bencfito
by free trade. with Cuba. II II coul.
save the S1.25 per pound import duty
tobacco which II now must pay and
retain the present duties OF $3.50 per
thousand and 20 per cent ad valorem
OH cigars, cigarettes, etc. and % cents
per pound on manufactured tobacco
from all other foreign countries. IT
could OF course show additional profits
of many millions of dollars. Such free
trade IL would welcome
But IL is possible for a trust TO be
protected by tariff duties on the prod
ucts of other trusts. Such is the case
with the tobacco trust Here IL the ex-
planation:
The tobacco trust produces 125.000.-
600 pounds OF plug tobacco year.
Nearly onc-third OF this weight con-
sists OF licoricc. Russian, Persian and
Syrian root l!coricc and Greek" paste
are mostly used. There is no duty on
the urSround Ioet. but there Is n duty
OF ~ CENTS per pound on liccrice and
pGste. The wholesale price OF mass
lcogicr v.,ea from so cents per
pound ifss 5ss cents last May, be.
iorc ir irust " formed and l. now
GiA 60 $ coDts
"ht lic< Ggst Is two headed
ahar CH 81 controls ihs mass"
and ihe .tr iIc stick" lredc The
''nlas5' ci1 y ihe trust Is now con
trollCd Ir Jag io'sccO trls. The two
euds OF tlir l.,5gice trust agree To keep
OF each o,!itss toes ard iY.Iitory and
10 protect td defend a'ch othcr. The
licorice idHag Ia CymaIa las been
paid = h.2 lpice 20 rcmain closed for
ten ycale
~ si.l s,lt contracts expire
the isael ud it manufacturers Cf TO.
iaccp Wis hr unable - obtaia licerice.
Thr .o'lgccp trust win need :. all for
isclt coat you know: OF course the
sd acnden.a ca..Jat prdUcr pllg to-
bacc0 witlrg. i.eaFice. They could Inn
port ait p3y he heavy dirty. hut
this val s3 aasGicap them that they
cai.Hc. csH.. -p. ghey mlSli, in time
cons:rnci 81 nts and is4rn to manu-.
facs1re q, ir own licoiicc. but this
wo,;ld De expensive and rte tain Of
success I'll = are FAR moic ilNely to
show tie wl.te Gag aad u out cheap
% the hi- t:f.t
Good Jids's say thAi this latest and
shrewGcst move OF the tobacco trust
H'''ilS alH"S't csltutn ucath 10 All ltS
competitions If the independents can
not make plug tobacco. they cannot
sell their other goods. for dealers must
have all kinds of tobacco and will be
compelled to buy plug tobacco OF the
trust. But the trust will not sell plug
tobacco to dealers unless they will buy
all their other goods Of It.
IL is not easy to kick against the
trusts BYRON w. HOLT.