Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1907-07-11
Government Filed q Petition
against Many Companies
Yesterday,
BREAK UP AGREEMENTS
Alleged the Trust, II Allowed to Follow
Present Methods, VIII Soon Conn
picteiy Mopopolize Tobacco
Busiuess---Combine Allows
Them to Fix Price.

New York, July lO--The government to-
day filed in the United States Circuit
Court in this city a petition against the
American Tobacco company, the Imper-
isl Tobacco company, the British Amer
lean Tobacco company, the American
Snuff company, the American Cigar com
pany, the United Cigar Stores company,
the American Stoge company, the Mac
Andrews & Forbes company, the Conley
Fell company, and SO other corporations
and - individuals connected with the
named companies. These corporations
and individuals constitute what Is gen
orally known as the tobacco trust and
the petition directed against them sets
forth the purpose Of the government to
dissolve this trust by breaking up the
agreements under which the consolidat-
ed concerns are working.
In showing the growth Of the trust"
since its organization In 1890 the con-
,lusion ls reached that at an early day.
unless prevented. It would completely
nonopolze the entire tobacco industry
That all of the defendants are engag-
ed in interstate and foreign trade and
commerce IN leaf tobacco and products
manufactured therefrom is alleged by
ME petition.
1t is stated that the act OF July Q
1880, Ito protect trade and commerce"
and subsequent acts have been violated
and the government therefore seeks to
prevent and restrain the unla wful exist
ing agreements. combinations and cons
piracies and attempts to monopolze and
EvT. IL
eminent asks that the existing combina-
lions, cOnsplracies and monopolies he en-
Joined, and that each of the defendant
companies be restrained from holding or
controlling stock In any other. It is
asked further that the Imperial Tobacco
company be entotned from doing bust
ness within the jurisdiction Of the United
States until it shall cease to observe the
terms OF Its agreement with American
companies; that certain OF the defendants
be declared combinations in restraint of
trade and be enjoined from engaging in
interstate and foreign trade and COM
merCe, or that receiver he appoint ed
to take charge Of their affairs and ad-
minister them so as to bring about con-
ditions in harmony with the law.
The organization Of the tobacco
trust according to the petition dates
from the formation of the American
Tobacco company in 1870 to acquire
five competing cigarette manufacture
ers, with joint assets much less than
s2b,O0O,000 and an annual consumption
of leaf under 5000, 900 pounds The
petition shows the subsequent history
development and growth of that COM
.o-t ooo ooo 90, i,,.,.,,a Nv,
ard o,,ir,,,a., VI * i.
ao,,,,tr.1 49,, " - va ""
,,+iiiro7 aoi., Va ~, " ''o
eo,o,.o, -, 49,. -" Wv
rorr,to, o,a s,tI..,
+ors o,,a ,1o..n,,,.i..
nositior. ord a., o,tn, W
ir+o ,,o,.,o,,s ao,,au.,,'. ~ ''''a II ''
t,,r. ,,s tra,,a -, man a.
f,,o +otoo,. -
,oo,ono1iro n,ha ,,.., ',t'4' -
tb,+ ~ ,,or,,,a.. 80 80 i',"n'
b.,,a ai,,isoa ~, i''
of tho ,ror,d
+Arritor,. Co.. ,,,,,.,',.'
- T.. d,,,o., 49,. '''"'
,o,.,.i,re o,,,a,,, wv W.
,.,rpdo -, ao.,,..,i
nroarcad t., ~, Tr,,'.e, VI '4e Vo'''
,uro coil "a ...i,,,.a ZIG. u .a 49,
oIo ra,,,,,,. Ioo n'o'' wa" -'','o''
P o'..'' vi the sihoNInS
sp,ff ca vac. 49,. VI 'H1
nor oe,, &c .ho ,,, -, =. V''S' "a
=, ,ba ,,oau,.a - 90 P7' 'e"',
tho ,ir tou a. '' ~. 'ent vi
cent % H. cir,rs 49,, a.,.,' ~ per
o,s ran,6,, ooau,r,n,, -, Ivy
binary a.ercias-, ot,i,o,. ,,,t,.,a,.
reta4Iers-- t,-o,,ai ,,.,t.h .a,. ''''''
ducts are distribu,od
OF the total animal ,rod,,o+,o. 20 :.
nestle tobacco esti,,o+os a. ooo noo ooo
pounds. IL nor cant &c ,,,,,,bo,od -, ~
American Tobacco c.p,n,r,, ard a..
sociates and its allies n, nricas u,b,ob 49,
government alleges TO no unIawf,Ilv IN.
fuenced nv the combination
The operations OF the mono,oIv accord.
ing to the petition have been along tbte
general plan. TO acquire through one n,
the confederate companies the bushes,
Of successful opponents taking from .ht
owners and managers agreements not