The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1905-12-15

***
Judgments amounting to several mil
lion dollars have lately been secured
in the English courts against the Ameri-
can Tobacco Co. after long litigation.
Four years ago the American Tobacco Co.
started it's sensational campaign for the
conquest of the British market by the
purchase of Ogdens Ltd, one of the
greatest tobacco manufacturing con-
Germs of England. In order to secure the
patronage of the British retailer the
American Co. offered to distribute among
the customers of Ogdens the sum of
100000 annually for four years, to-
gether with the total profits of the con-
cern for the same period, provided that
the retailers should handle Ogden's pro-
ducts exclusively. The offer was ac-
cepted by some 4,500 retailers. Then en-
sued the most sensational battle in the
history of the trade, with Ogdens on one
side, backed by the American Tobacco
Co., and the Imperial Tobacco Co., COM
urers of England and capitalized at $780,
OOO3OOO, Ou IlIC OUuOI uO u kJ5uOU VI UllC
fight was compromise. The American
Co. sold out Ogdens to the Imperial Co.
for 81, 100000, abandoning to them the
British market, and combination COM
pany, the British American Co, was
formed, in which the Americans hold
the majority of the stock, to handle the
trade of the British Colonies and look
after matters Of common interest to the
two great participating concerns. By
this arrangement the American Tobacco
Co. held that the contract between the
retailers and Ogdens was terminated and
check was sent TO the customers of the
latter covering the 100000 bonus of.
fered for the first year. The arrange
ment, however, did not satisfy large
proportion of the retailers, and the result
was the formation of the Ogdens Bonus
Association for the purpose of claiming
the undistribnted bonus, amounting to
about S3.500,O00, together with the four
years profits of Ogden's specified in the
original offer. The case was fought hard
through the various courts the decision
being uniformly in favor of the plaintiff.
~
The congressman are commencing to
line up on the proposed reduction of tar
iff duties on Philippine sugar and to-
bacco. Elsewhere we publish the opin-
ion of Congressman Cooper of the 1st
Dist. which has important sugar and to-
baeco interests. From his declarations
it may be seen that the farmers need not
look for much help from him. But
another election comes next year and the
voters may take it in their heads to re-
mind Mr. Cooper that these interests
are not properly protected. On the 9th
er hand Representatives Adams and
Babcock, who also represent large to-
bacco growing constituencies, have al
ready seen where their duty lies in this
matter. Mr.. Babcock especially is out
with declaration which says: Il re-
gard it my duty to stand for the inter
ests of the tobacco and sugar producers
of Wisconsin in this business. | am con-
vinced that sweeping reduction in the
rates on Philippine sugar and tobacco
will be Injurious to Wisconsin interests.
1t is all we'll enough to talk about abso-
Lutte free trade with these island posses
sions and ip the fullness of time that
may come. But as protectionist [ can
not vote for the subjecting our purely
domestic industries to the competition
of labor which works at one third the
price paid American labor, whether the
proposition be to favor these outlaying
islands or some wholly foreign country.
These islands have not been incorporat-
ed within the union of states. and their
people are not entitled to such consider
alton as is given our own people. Any
other policy is dedicated by sentiment,
not practical craftsmanship and the in
terests of American labor"