Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-01-06
Night Riders, Growers and
American Company Involved
in the Fight
Has COST INNOCENT LIVES
Many Thousands of Dollars Worth of
Property Destroyed by Raiders -
Night Attacks Common-controver-
sy is Complicated. by Antasonistic
interests-History of tho Trouble.

Louisville Jan. 6-'The tobacco war
has reached an acute stage. The grow
ers have refused the proposition of
the American Tobacco company for
nounced that they will proceed against
the company in the courts. The attack
on Russellville KY, Friday morning
by might riders which resulted in
the destruction of 100000 worth of
property and the wounding of three
persons, brought from Governor Will
son the statement that the lawless ele-
ment will be severely dealt with. Con-
ferences the last two days at Frankfort
pany and the growers have resulted
only in transferring the controversy to
the heads of the company in New York
for consideration.
This strained situation is the result
of a fight of the growers against the
American Tobacco company and other
purchasers, and the complications are
best explained by the following events.
given in chronological order:
l. The apparent passing of the leaf
tobacco market in Kentucky and Ten
nessee into the control OF the American
Tobacco company, with the consequent
elimination of nearly all the middlemen
or independent tobacco buyers and re-
handlers.
2. The formation by the farmers of
the American Society of Equity. and
two subsidiary organizations, the Bur-
ley Qight-colored leaf) association and
the dark tobacco association, with the
purpose of producing and holding their
crops until they could obtain what
they claimed would be fair price.
3. The failure Of the attempt by the
farmers societies to win over suffi-
cient majority of the growers of to-
bacco to their pooling plan to enable
them Immediately to compel the COM
pany to pay the price demanded.
4. <Ostracism and petty persecution
directed against so-called "independ-
ents"-the farmers VIII, were unwilling
or unable to pool and hold their crops
of tobacco.
5. Whipping of tobacco buyers and
farmers who sold their crops; destruc-
tion of beds of young tobacco plants:
burning Of tobacco harms containing
the harvested crops of independents:
shooting into homes and the wounding
of innocent persons, among them being
women: the warning Of refractory in
dependents to leave the country.
6. The elimination of mob spirit in
bold attacks on Princeton, Hopkins
vile and Russellville, towns of from
1000 to 10000 inhabitants. which raids
resulted In the dynarniting and burn
ing of tobacco warehouses worth $780,
GOO controlled by the American Tobac-
co Company. the killing of several OF
the raiders and the woundng Of a
number of citizens ard the destruction
of property owned by innocent neutrals
because the raiders refused to allow the
fire department to work.
OF late there has sprung up day
riders" movement. with a plan for
peaceful persuasion" of growers to
pool their crops. The day riders go by
day in bodies to the homes of neigh
bors and urge them to Join the pooling
movement. No threats are used, but
nevertheless many of the men visited
confess that this policy intimidates
them.
The pooling societies now have on
hand part of the 1906 crop and all Of
their 1907 crop. Altho they claim to
control over so per cent Of the crop,
the tobacco company, supplementins
it's purchases from the large "indepen-
dent" interest by pushing its buying In
other fields, has apparently not felt
any strong pinch as vet. This fact
combined with then consideration that
that company has the longest purse,