The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-10-08
THE TRUST BLUFF
Gaines of Tennessee
Sees Nothing Behind
Republican. BIuster.
Especial to News and observer.)

Especial to News and Observer.)
Washington, d. c.. October T.
Hon. John Wesley Gaines, of Ten
nessee, member of Congress from the
Nashville district says that the De-
| partment of Justice has expended only
| $4,000 of the $500,G0) appropriated
to enforce the laws against trusts. Mr..
| Gaines has greatly Interested him
self in the cause of the tobacco grow
| ers. He says that the tobacco trust
forces them to sell their tobacco at
ruinously low prices. Speaking about
the matter he says:
1T has been claimed that l began
this fight against the tobacco trust in
order to secure my denomination and
election. That's not true. l was re-
nominated before this thing came up
and will be reelected by 10000 ma
jority without opening my mouth in
the district. But | am going into the
campaign at once and propose to take
the hair off that man Knox for putting
the whole burden of getting proof
against the tobacco trust on me. He
has got nearly 100000, or did have
when he was in the Department of
Justice to investigate just such cases
as the one | brought to light. yet he
refused to appoint a single agent to
help me. Instead of this he sent
agents all through the West to inves-
tigate the alleged land frauds and the
beef trust.
Il have letters from the department
that convict Mr.. Knox of deception, if
not worse, Months ago l wrote to him
and asked that he take up specific
and authenticated charges that the
| tobacco trust was violating the proVis-
sions of the Sherman antitrust act
The attorney general finally replied
that he had instructed the district at
| torney, Mr.. Tillman, in Nashville, to
receive such evidence as l and 9TH
ers might file with him, and to report
to the department as to further ac-
| ton that might be necessary. | then
! took Mr.. Knox to task for not furn-
ishing agents in running to earth the
! charges, and he replied that he had
instructed Mr.. Tillman 20 aid in the
investigation. When / called on Till
man for help he told me that he had
been merely instructed to receive such
evidence as myself and others might
file with him. That was all that was
done, and thus the entire burden of
making out our case has been placed
on my shoulders
But we have not abandoned the
fight, although we are getting no as
sistance from the government. j have
obtained evidence from all through
the South, in London, Canada and
| most every other place, to prove that
! this tobacco trust is an international
as we'll as national combine in con-
spiracy to control the tobacco busi-
ness OF this and other countries.
The people down in our section of
the country have hit upon the right
method OF fighting the trust The to-
| bacco growers are getting together in
associations to compel the payment of
decent prices for their crops. There
was a meeting in Guthrie. Tenn, on
September "a, at which 5000 farmers
were present. 1t was determined to
erect enormous warehouses and store
the tobacco there until the trust paid
proper prices. Dark tobacco is grown
| in only twenty counties in this coun-
| try; SO it is a comparatively easy mat
ter to compel the trust to deal fair in
| the purchase of this commodity