The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-08-19
SHOULD NOT LISTEN TO TRUs T
, AGENTS.

The Wilson Times quotes the head buy
saying that "prices will be better after
awhile" The loud and determined pro-
test of farmers and merchants has already
done some good it has gotten promise of
better prices. The only thing that the
farmers and merchants can do now is to
keep on making it hot for the trust. The
trust will have it's organs to swear that
the indignant protests of swindled farmers
does no good. But, men and brethren,
though the hide of the trust is thick, out
ragged public opinion loudly voiced will
runcture its tough hide to some extent.
Promises of better prices, made on the
eve of the Rocky Mount meeting, shows
that some impression has been made al
ready. Continued agitation and fixing the
responsibility solely on the trust will
make it's impression on the trust sure
as night follows day. 1t will not, to be
sure compel it to pay fair price for
tobacco, but it will have an influence in
getting the price higher latter awhile"
At present the trust organs and agents
are telling the people three fairy tales:
1. That they have enough tobacco on hand
to last two or three years. Some of them
even say the trust has enough on hand
to last half dozen years. All this is
moonshine The trust has larger supply
than last year this time, but if the farm
ers should raise no tobacco next year
there would be a tobacco famine; 2. That
the American Tobacco Company IS I'M
able to secure funds at present to handle
the crop. This statement is not made by
any man high up in the councils OF the
trust. The statement is utterly absurd.
The trust has put up the price OF the
manufactured tobacco their income IS
very large and they can get all the money
they want 8. That the tobacco crop Is
very poor and the tobacco grown in East
ern North Carolina is of poorer quality
than in the counties of the old tobacco
belt. This is a new cry. A few years
ago the trust was telling us about the
wonderful tobacco grown in Eastern North
Carolina and encouraging it's production.
The truth is-and everybody knows it
who knows that two and two make four
the sole reason why tobacco is now sell
ing below the cost of production is be-
cause the trust wishes to buy up the
bulk of the crop at song. There is no
other reason If the farmers and mer-
chants at Rocky Mount place the re-
sponsibility where it belongs and focus
upon the attention of the world the rob-
they will do a great service in showing
the logical working out of every gigantic
trust that can control the market. Such
plain and determined action cannot harm
any tobacco grower, any merchant, any
town. any interest in the State.
The eyes of the State are upon the gath
ering at Rocky Mount. The trusts will
have its agents and advocates there in the
disguise of farmers and antitrust takers.
They will be deprecating what they will
call rash TALK and radical action" and
they will seek to have resolutions adopted
that have no point in them. IT their
advice is followed the meeting will be
worse than a failure.
The srust cannot of course be made to re-
form. 1t will give the farmers as little for
tobacco as the farmers will take without
raising a row. If the trust can induce the
Rocky Mount meeting to throw tufts OF
grass instead of rocks, it will then see
that the farmers and merchants are not
in earnest, and will laugh at them. The
resolutions adopted, at Rocky Mount
should fix the responsibility where it be-
longs and should be expressive of the real
sentiment and determination of the farm
ers and merchants in the tobacco sections
of the State They should be noted for
plainness of speech, without vituperation,
but should declare war to the knife
against the present policy of taking from
the tobacco farmers their earnings of
the year and putting them into the cof-
fers of the trust.