The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1906-08-25
UNITED CIGAR STORES :.
AFTER SMALL DEALERS
Big Retail Cigar Trust Announces
Opening in Duluth in
Near Future.
Every Loyal Citizen Of Duluth
Should Smoke Union-Made
Duluth Products,

oAe octupus VIII soon open Its first
store in the Lyceum building. 1t is
said that before long prices are to be
slashed and slashed.
The trust will sell cigars at q, 1oss
to freeze out independent dealers. The
track Of the United Cigar Stores COM
pany is strewn with wrecks in other
cities and 1t is said that Duluth stores
will be slated for killing. The point
the Labor World wishes to make is
this:
The retail trust makes a special blow
at trade unionism. Union made CIGARS
are to be excluded from the stands Of
the trust cigar stores and non-union
cigars are to have all the sale. The
trust product is the product Of the
tenement and the sweatshop. This
means low wages for the workers in
the trust factories. Will the people of
Duluth put money into the hands Of
the cigar trust to use in trying to
drive out Of business the independent
manufacturers and small dealers in
this city? This question they will
have a chance to answer for them
selves.
The United Cigar Stores Company
is part Of the American Tobacco Com
pany, which Is not satisfied with It's
monopolization in the tobacco industry.
It now seeks to monopolize the dis
tributive field. It means that the re-
tail dealers Of Duluth and the small
manufacturers will have to join hands
with the trade unionists in its efforts
to curb this great trust.
It is the duty of every trade union
list and of every one in sympathy with
trade unlOnism to shun the stores Of
the United Cigar Stores Company as
they would a leper. Patronize home
Industry. Stick to the dealers who
live In Duluth, stick to the cigarmaker
who by his work in this city Is vital
part Of its. prosperity: Buy union-made
cigars. Shun the scab product.
And remember when these stores
offer bargains in cigars that the trust
will offer low prices just as long as
the crowding out process is going on
once the monopoly is established the
prices will be extortionate and the
product Of the most enferior kind. It
will be we'll for the people Of Duluth
to be undeceived in this matter.
This will present an elegant oppor-
tunity for the Duluth first, last and
all the time" shouters to get busy and
help to knock the union products.
It will be a genuine opportunity, be-
cause the Duluth people have never
been brought face to face with a trust
as plainly as in this case. This mat
ter is one Of the most serious yet
presented. 1t means that an attempt
is being made to destroy the business
of the small dealer in cigars and 1t
also means that an effort Is being
made to kill an industry which Of
fers employment to many of our Cit
liens.
The small dealers have an elegant
opportunity to help along the hight
against the cigar trust. Many dealers
handle some scab cigars. 1t Is up to
them to refuse to handle only union
made cigars. All the cigars made IN
Duluth are union-made and they can
not make a mistake fl they buy nome
products. Will they try and learn the
lesson taught them? We believe that
the fact that the citizens will have to
buckle on the armor and stand shoulder
to shoulder with the trade un1onlsts.
It may feel hard for some OF them'
but they either have to get on one
side or the other, and who wants to
be on the side of the United Cigar
Stores Company? Do you?
The success Of this octupus means
the success of others in this city
means that after victory" is theirs
YOU will feel the cunning OF the hand
that told you how nice they would
be to you in the beginning. But don't
forget that afterclap. The people are
aware of the oppressive methods OF
the trusts. It Is up to you. Are you
willing to preserve your independence
! or do YOU desire to shackle on your
shoulders the chains of oppressive ano
non law-abiding corporations? Now Is
the time to act.
The following taken from the New
York Worker shows the methods OF
the United Cigar Stores Company In
the metropolis and while the popula-
ton and size Of Duluth will not give
them the opportunity to make as 81
gantic an effort to crush out compe-
| tition, nevertheless, the methods will
be the same, only In smaller proper
ton:
Wherever one goes In New York
are to be seen the stores of the United
Cigar Stores Company, the retail cigar
trust. There are 400 of these stores
in this city alone. They are on the
busiest thoroughfares and they seen
! to be prospecting.
! These stores are causing revolu-
ton in the retail cigar business in New
York. The opening of a trust store
on a block Is the signal for an early
III not immediate disapeparance-o1
long established independent stores.
Usually the proprietors OF these store:
| are approached beforehand by a repre-
sentative Of the trust and given al
opportunity to sell. II the Independent
dealer is a wise man, he'll sell at once
Some time ago the proprietor of {
cigar store twenty years old, estab
lished on a busy street, was waitee
upon by trust agent and asked hi
figure. The dealer wanted a. bid
"Three thousand dollars" said tn,