The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-05-05


Ing these dummies arc real cotnpeti.s;
tors OF tho tobacco trust and tho other
independents IL any. We have proof
OF this trust trick 80
Tho tobacco trust and tho rnnn,,- n
facturers, fn effect arc one ana the
Same combine, as far as the growers
Is concerned. in having this tax repeal
ed. They know that It's repeal will re-
stroy these oppressive ruies, denying
the grower the right to sell througS |,
agents untaxed to any and everybody.
They know this repeal would restore
the retail dealer in leaf, who by the ,
thousands before this tax. competed
for, bought and Sold the farmers leaf.
They know this repeal would increase
the dropping spirits OF the tobacco
grower. his wife and children, whose
faces they have already turned to-
ward the poorhouse. They know the
restored retailer would compete with
other retailers. the tobacco trust ana
all others, for the farmers leaf.
The tobacco combine and other
manufacturers do not want any new
or old competitors. They want no
leaf sold by retail. They crave to sell
In q manufactured state every ounce
of tobacco consumed at homo and
abroad. They are determined to sue
coed. even though 1t drives the to-
bacco grower from his tobacco field.
Mhny growers. black and white. in
Tennessee and Kentucky, have left
| their farms and. gone to our towns and \
cities. though they before this tax
law. made a good living raising and
! selling tobacco. Thus you see tho to-
bacco combine. lurking behind this
| tax. controls the tobacco grower and
| supplies the people with manufactures
tobacco In lieu of leaf they can't got.
THE oppressive rules have cited,
set out fully In this Senate Document
and IN several speeches made In tha
| House. were first suggested by the I
| manufacturers. who asked Congress in
1894 to make substantially these ru1ex
the actual law. but Congress refused.
| But after this tax law was enacted, /,
| the department revamped the manu-
facturers' proposed rules and vigorous-
| IS enforce them as law. under heavy,
| penalties. They are, In the main. r,
thing. unwarranted and illegal, andi
| should be attacked In the courts. Theys
are shocking and savage. s.
8 The Law Must Come.
This tax produces no revenue ana
Its repeal will greatly help tho tobacco
| grower. said Commissioners Yerkes ta
the House Committee. This repeal we.
hope to secure next Congress-. God Is
| willing. but Senator Aldrich and the
tobacco trust object.
Permit me. in conclusion, to state
i
of the Tennessee and Kentucky too
bacco growers and their friends I'M
Congress, is being vigorously investi-t
gated by the Department of Justice,
for the purpose of indicting Its mem-j
bers. and dissolving this unlawful,
monopoly. composed of Americans,
some Virginians. / am sorry to say
and foreigners. Dukes American To-s
bacco Company united with the Imperial
Company OF England. and formed a.
third company British American Cons
pany). and 1t is an indlsputable fact,
that this unholy and unlawful inter
national combination was deliberately
formed to stop competition betweeni
these two companies in the United
States and In England. divide the to-
bacco territory of the world between
the two, and control the tobacco mar
bination practically belts the world.
and controls every branch of the to-
bacco business.
The licorice branch OF the tobacco
trust has been recently convicted by
the Federal grand jury In New York
for violating the Federal ANTITRUST
law. An appeal to the Federal Supreme
Court has been taken for delay, and
| to puncture justice with technicalitles
which should be permitted to protect
virtue not vice. Already, I am told,
the price OF licorice has been greatly
reduced as a result OF this suit
Special. able and incorruptible coun-
sci have been employed by the governs
ment to do nothing but prosecute this
case, and continue the proceedings be-
fore the Federal grand jury in New
York and elsewhere. I look for prompt
; and successful results before long.
I'm the meantime, 1t Is important
that you build up and continue your
Protective Association urging every
, tobacco farmer to unite in its sup
port"