The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-08-21
HOLDINGS NOT UNUSUAL
The Tobacco Meeting at Rocky Mount
Tomorrow Should be Attended by
Men Who are Ready to Join
in Practical Plans to
Thwart the Mo-
nopoly.

On the eve of the great meeting to be
held in Rocky Mount tomorrow there
comes information of a startling nature.
1t shows that the American Tobacco
Company is watching the actions of the
tobacco farmers of North Carolina and
other States, and is preparing for fight.
There will be a great meeting of the
men interested in the tobacco business in
Rocky Mount tomorrow. Men alive to the
interests of the tobacco farmers will be
present and there is apt to be something
done beyond the mere matter of speech
making and passing resolutions.
1t is said that business will be the
watchword of the meeting tomorrow, and
that practical plans will be presented
for the purchase of tobacco at a fair price,
and the holding of this till the trust Is
ready to come from off it's high horse.
This has in it a plan to furnish each
farmer sufficient money on his crop to
tide him over and to aid him to keep his
tobacco in proper shape so that 1T may
later be sold at price that is honest and
just
Here is an interview given yesterday to
a News and Observer reporter by a man
who travels, that will prove to be valuable
to all who are interested in tobacco. it
throws some new light on the situation
and there are things IN it worth digesting.
For ten days I've been travelling in the
tobacco belt of Virginia and North Caro-
lima" said gentleman in Raleigh yester-
day. ''and I've talked with men in Rich
mond, Lynchburg and Petersburg, who are
in touch with the American Tobacco Com
pany's views and its plans"
1.-THE farmers are blue over the outlook
and they have a right to be so. The price
Is down way below cost and a continuance
of this would mean an abandonment OF
the cultivation of the weed.
"There were four points which 1 learned
about while talking with the men in the
places l have mentioned, and they throw
some light on the present situation, and
if these things are true, they show that
the American Tobacco Company is whet-
ting its axe against others besides the to-
bacco growers.
First, there is the talk about the
American Tobacco Company having enough
tobacco stored away to last one, two on
even three years. While that may he
true the statement is in the nature of a
bluff. The American Tobacco Company
always has enough tobacco ahead for one
or two years 1t has to do this in order
to get the tobacco in the right condition
to use. In my opinion they have got just
the usual stock on hand.
Second the fight the American had
with the Continental last year forced the
price up far higher than the average price
that had been paid before, way above IT.
Having absorbed the Continental the
American Tobacco Company is now driv-
ing the price of tobacco down so that 1t
may recoup for the money itn paid out
last year. The company is buying to even
up for its big figures and is squeezing the
farmer.
Third, and here is matter that shows
a deep laid plan of campaign against
boycott of its goods by the American To
bacco Company. 1t is >whispered that IT
contemplates opening up retail stores in
all the principal places. and in these
stores it will not only handle tobacco sup
plies, but it will deal in other goods. 1t
will be a retahatory measure put in OPP
Grafton against merchants who dare to
oppose the giant trust. These stores, it is
said will not be run as American Tobacco
Company stores. but will be worked
Fourth. The American Tobacco Com
pany is considering the raising of tobacco
direct. 1t may do this either by leasing
tobacco lands or by buying them outright
This would do away with every species o.
middle-man and from the seed to the
cigar, cigarette, smoking tobacco, snuff
and plug there would be the ramifcations
of a trust that is ready and willing to
crush all who are now enga ged in tobacco.
1t is also said that men in the employ of
the American Tobacco Company are cul-
tivating and watching tobacco farms so
as to see EXACTLY how cheap tobacco can
be raised, aid thus entirely freeze out the
farmer.
Is this not STARTER. 1t is a matter
that should be looked into by the conven-
ton of tobacco growers, independent to-
bacco manufacturers and merchants thai
meet at Rocky Mount tomorrow. IT
shows that where it is not possible Tor
the tobacco trust to coerce it viii throttle