The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-05-21
GAINES IS
AFTER TRUST
Representative From Tennessee
Asks Acknowledgement to Look
Into Tobacco Corporation.
1 HITS AMERICAN COMPANY
Mr.. Knox Says If Monopoly En-
lists lie Will5Prosccutc and At
tempt to Punish Offenders.

(From Our Regular CorrespondentJ
Ast11NGTON, y. c., May 2O.--Attor-
noS General Knox Is having the evidence
alleging the existence of n tobacco trust
examined, and almost promises that II
1t is sufficient to show that Il monopoly
exists he will prosecute tho attempt to
punish the offenders against the statute,
as we'll as dissolve the combination. re
preventative John Wesley Gaines, OF
Tennessee, received letter from tho
Attorney General to-day, saying that the
charge that tho buying company Of the
American Tobacco Company. known as
the ,Britisll-American Tobacco Company,
and the Reggie agents were IN collision
for the purpose Of keeping down prices
would be fully investigated, and Il PROV
en- truo appropriate action would DC
taken.
Mr.. Gaines Is determined to have q fall
out Of the Tobacco Trust at least. lie
introduced a bill at the recent session OF
Congress providing that tho grower OF
tobacco could stem and twist IT before
selling. This bill was about to die IN tho
committee when he appeared before the
committee and boldly asserted that Il
the bill were not reported he would OBJ
would have had the effect Of prolonging
the session Of Congress until the first of
June at least. The bill was taken up,
and the result was that n measure was
passed by the House providing for the
abolition of the tax of six cents pound
on the sale of leaf by the grower. This
bill did not pass the Senate
The hearings before he committee and
the speeches made on the subject In the
House convinced Mr.. Gaines that the
farmer was receiving not half what ne
| should be getting for his tobacco. and
that the low prices were due to COM
bjnatlon between the agents Of foreign
governments and the buyers Of the Amer
| lean Tobacco Company, which he asserts.
| is the British American Company.
| GAINES ADDRESSES THE ATTOR-
| NEY-General
| few days ago Mr.. Gaines wrote the
following letter TO Acknowledgement
| Knox: @
Hon. Phllander c. Knox. Attorney
General Of the United States:
| DISTRIBUTING the recent session OF Con-
gress my attention was sharply drawn to
| the existence and operation Of a tobacco
| trust which found was exercising abso-
| lutte control of tho markets and of the
| prices for tobacco raised in my district
| and the adjacent county, and elsewhere.
| 1t Is commonly known as the British
|
."rhc Brtish-Amcrcan Tobacco Conf
| pany. Limited" l have every reason
| to be most positively convinced that 1t
| is now engaged In prosecuting It's busl-
ness in manner directly in defiance OF
| the statute, restraining commerce pc
| tween the States and with foreign coun-
| tries. To the great injury and loss OF to-
bacco growers and tobacco business of the
| country This company, 1t can be defi-
1 ntcly shown, Is in agreement with the
| Rcgle agents Of this country. whereby
they refrain from competing with each
other in buying tobacco. tix the prices
| that all shall pay. parcel the territory
| between them and rigidly abstain from
! encroaching upon each others domain,
and having absorbed into its organization
and found means effectively to stifle all
| competition, 1t has founded for Itself an
| absolute monopoly. The fact Of this Is
abundantly apparent. The proof of 1t
may be found. The fact itself affords
most positive presumptive evidence.
| I'm view OF the great injuries inflicted
upon the people ! represent In Congress
through the unlawful operations of this
| trust and its coalition with foreign to-
bacco buyers. feel 1t my duty to call
| your special attention to the hearing be-
fore the subcommittee on the Internal
| revenue OF the House at the session OF
| Congress Just adjourned. copy Of which
| is cnClOSGi, anu dlSp " an a't'tlN "i'A.h
| appeared in the Cincinnati Enquirer OF
September IS. 1902 which. together. make
| plain the existence OF the several COM
1 panles and the agreement by which they
| became a trust and monopoly. ! would
| refer you also to the several speeches
| made during the session by Messrs. Stan
| ley. Trimblc, Hopkins, Flood, Smms'
and myself, In which all the facts are
discussed and which may aid you In dis
| covcrinp he sources of proof.
| 1T Is abundantly manifest that all the