The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1907-03-26
CRUX Of MATTER
Did Tobacco Trust Re-
duce the Price of the
Farmers Tobacco?
senator Holt Ask Some Questions o.
tie Southern Tobacco journal in
Answer to Criticisms of His
Antitrust speech.

Col. G.. E. Webb, of the Southern
Tobacco Journal, having criticized the
speech of Senator Holt, Of Guilford,
and questioned some Of his figures as
to prices of tobacco and having furn-
ished ONE figures Of his WI tending
to show hat the trust has increased
prices, Senator Holt has addressed the
following letter to him:
Oak Ridge. y. G.. March -.
CoI. Garland f.. Webb, Winston-Salen,
North Carolina.
My Dear Sir.-As editor of the
Southern Tobacco Journal You criti-
cize certain statements alleged to lave
been made by me in the discussion of
the Reid antitrust bill. Your article
m~isrepresents what / said. The state
rents | read were those quoted in
Congressman Kitchin'S antitrust
speech. mad in Congress, which |
nave never heard disputed before. and
the following from the Reidsvilie Re
view:
although tobacco is the chief in
duetry, so far as the farmers in this
such VIII not be the case III several
years. Already some of the tillers of
the soil have been taught by sad eN-
perIcncc that they AN 90 50 much bet
ter raising other crops. and others are
following suit each season. The re
view Ia in its possession statistics
showing the nulnbc. q pounds and
prices paid for the weed on the Dan
Vile market tand they apply abou the
same to the. Reidsville market. which
show that such is the case.
in 1875 l4.679,421 pounds were
sold for $3.O02.21S.11 or an averaSc
Of $2o.f5 per hundred pounds. Ten
years later. in 1885. 37.01I.904 pounds
We're sole for $5.012.ee919. or an aver
ago Of $f&.54 per hundred pounds. IN
1896 10, 1G0.999 pounds We're sold for
$3.121.56S.42. or an average OF $I.19
Ter hundred pounds. In the year 1879
while the Danville warehouses only
sold 1f.619.421 pounds the crop real
ized So .0~G2.21S.11. almost Is mucil -
il lSH7. when 46,693.63t pounds We're
sold for &2.C13.9e3.l9."
! ,lso quoted the substance Of soI4e
kilograms sent to. and in the posses
sion Of, eX-Shcriff Jordan showing tnat
the fall before tho trust formed he
sad ocders from Richmond firms N
structing him to pay $4,000 for cut
tyrs which q Year or 80 later had fallen
t. less than $1,000 per hundred. !
also quoted Il statement e~InanttinS
f1om the Dukes to the eeifct that the
American Tobacco Company in With
drawing all but II Of their buyers
from the various markets would thus
be able to pay the farmers this saving
il excess OF the prices which had pre-
vailed in competitive buying. ! GoEc
t.linl that Increase followed. 10 yn43
Nov. Mr.. Webb. | want You 10 an
sNcr a few questions categoricaIiy and
II answered in the affirmative it may
be necessary for me to give out some
,thcr figures I have. but if You answer
in tho negative. then there Is no cor
teHtiOn between US.
CD 10 YOU believe aud contend that
the American Tobacco Company since
it organization has been beneficial 10
ne farmers by putting up prices
o. Do You believe and contend tn4t
said company has proved 4 blessing to
our tob1cco manufacturers
60 DO YOU believe and contend that
It present the American Tobacco Com
Pany does not crush out all
ton hat does not follow its lead IN
l1ic"S liked for leaf and for manufac-
trred Goods. on in oth"r ways becomes
q real competitor or the market?
Answer me these question YES or
To. For in their answer lies the cIUx
ct the whole discussion.
Respectfully.
j. ALLEN HOLT.