The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-06-14
TOBACCO
MEN ANGRY
Action of the Trade Causes of
Dissatisfaction.
FOR a FRENCH CONSUL
Resolutions Ask for the Appointment,
of One. but stipulate That He Must
Be Member of the To.
bacco Trade.
FOR a FRENCH CONSUL

Somewhat OF an anomaly, 1t Ia claimed,
presents Itself In the action OF the Rich.
mond Tobacco Trade yesterday In meet
Ing and calling for the appointment OF
French consul for this city.
Decided opposition to this propos,tio,
developed. and considerable dlssatisfac.
tion exists over the final action taken,
The gentlemen who fought the more do
clare that the trade has placed itself
I In n ridiculous position and has done
thing the like Of which has never been
heard OF before. They are not little
dlsgruntled. and do not hesitate to ex-
press themselves freely upon tho ques-
ton.
THE MEETING.
Tho meeting was held yesterday at II
o'clock and was fairly well attended.
President Darlington occupied the chair.
The matter OF asking for a consul was
brought up In the shape OF a resolution
declaring 1t to be the sense OF the trade
that there ought to be a French consul
resident in Richmond and that the said
trade respectfully request the government
OF France to appoint to the position Bono
gentleman standing high in the commu-
nifty This resolution would have ad-
mitted anybody to the appointment, and
It at once provoked opposition. An
amendment finally made provided that
the consul be a member OF tho Tobacco
Trade-a proviso by the way. which
excludes Mr.. S. August. whom many
were booming for the consulahip.
Opposition. however, did not cense
with this isolated feature, but extended
to the movement as a whole. 1t was
argued that the resolution would put tho
trade In an absurd position and mako
II a laughing stock. 1t would appear az
49, An
government how to conduct Its own busi-
ness. thing with which she has moth
ing to do. Tho consular system Is cam
mercial arrangement designed to promote
the business interests Of tho country
which conducts 1t. II there are no busi-
ness interests there is no need for any.
as Is the case here. In any case, how
ever. request could go with proprtety
only from French people resident here.
There are but few In Richmond and they
have shown no activity In the manner.
4 Hence, argued the opponents. Il saw
cred Of impertinence for Americans TO tell
Frenciunen that they ought to have
consul here, when these Americans had
nothing to do with It. and when 1t lay
entirely with tho French government to
decide whether or not her commercial
relations with this city would necessitate
the appointment OF such an officer. IT IS
the same thing al II n party Of Germans
Ii. Bremen would get together and ask
tho United States for q consul there.
The movement comes from the wrong d.
rection.
RESOLUTION ADOPTED.
Despite the statement OF the opposition
that the Trade would be doing an un-
heard OF thing, the movement went
through. After considerable further dis
,cusaion tho following resolution was
adopted:
',Resolved. That as the tobacco inter-
est of Richmond is In close relation to
the French government. as far as the
said business is concerned. 1t Is the sense
OF this Trade that there ought TO be 4
French consul resident IN this city. and
for that reason the Tobacco Trade OF
Richmond respectfully requests .the
French government to appoint some
member OF tho Tobacco Trade to said
position
Resolved. further. That tho president
OF this Trade appoint committee OF
three to zee that the provisions OF tho
above resolutions be placed before the
proper authorities"
Tho discussion OF the matter did not
cease with the meeting, however. Several
members of the Trade were heard talking
about the resolutions afterwards and
much dissatisfaction with them was ex-
pressed.
= CHANGE OF METHOD.
One OF the things when leo 70 1ns
movement for n consul was the reported
Intention on the part OF the French gov
eminent soon to make n change In its
method OF buying Virginia tobacco. At
tie present time France buys about
million pounds each. year, letting the
contract to French bankers In Paris
who subiet it to tobacco men here, II IL
now believed that before long the govern
ment will begin to buy all Its Virginia
tobacco direct and not through contract.
Ii will have buyers on the warehouse
breaks of the State.
France Is what is known as q regie
country. The government buys. mani-