The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1908-01-10
ANIMUS OF RAIDS.
Real Cause Of Tobacco War IN Kentucky
and Resultant Dspredatlons Of Night
Riders Pointed Out.


day morning BY Night Riders, which r.
suited IN the destruction Of nearly
100000 worth Of properly and the
wounding Of three persons; the re-
fusai Saturday OF the tobacco growers
az a meeting in Winchester to accept
the proposition for the purchase Of to
bacco and the announced intention Of
the growers to proceed against the
American Tobacco company In the
courts, following Governor Wilson's
statement that the lawsess element will
be severely dealt with, have brought
to an acute stage q condition which
has existed in Kentucky and Tennes-
see for years. Recent conferences at
Frankfort between a representative Of
the American Tobacco company and
the tobacco growers have resulted only
ia transferring the matter to the head
If the company in New York for con
alteration.
The situation Is the result Of fight
liz the growers OF tobacco against the
american Tobacco company and. other
hrchasers, and the complications are
est explained by the following re-
ppunted sequence Of events III chrono.
Eigical order:
EasFirst: The apparent passing Of the
laf tobacco market in Kentucky and
tennessee into the control Of the Amer
gan Tobacco company. with the sub
hAQuent elimination Of nearly all the
i ddleinen Of independent tobacco
lEhyers and rehandlers.
Second: The awakening Of the farm
IS to the situation, and the formation
them Of the American 'Eociet. II
Iquity and the two subsidiary organiza-
\ ons, the Burley (lightcoroFed lsaf) TO.
I .cco association and the Dark Tobac.
association, with the purpose Of pool.s
& and holding their crops until they
| dulds obtain what they claimed would
| 4 fair price from the American To-
| deco company and affiliated con-
| GINS.
| Ehird: The failure Of the attempt BY
| Il farmers societies to win cyar q suf-
fAent majority Of the growers OF to-
N DO In their pooling plan to enable
Ii to Immediately compel the com
to pay the price demanded.
W faurth: Ostractsm and petty persecu-i
tia directed against soscalled @inde-.
| peiients' the farmers who were UNI
1 wing or unable to pool and hold their
crds Of tobacco, and who sold to the
"trEt.'
FIFTH: Whipping of tobacco buyers
andfarmers who sold their crops; de-
strttion Of beds OF young tobacco
plaAs; burning Of tobacco barns con-
tainhg the harvested crops Of indepen-
dent; shooting into homes. and the
| woulding Of innocent persons. among
then being women; the warning Of re-
fracAry Independents to leave the
county.
Si1h: The elimination of the mob
Igplril in bold attacks on Princeton,
/ Hop1nsville and RussellvilIe, towns
Df film 1000 to 10000 inhabitants,
whicA raids resulted in the dynamiting
hnd burning Of tobacco warehouses
| bontrSled by the American Tobacco
kompay; the killing of several Of the
Iaider the wounding Of a number Of
Jitige1 and the destruction Of property
dwneds3y innocent neutrals because the
Iaidersrefussd to allow the fre depart
rsents % work
AS t1the claim that the trust forces
the grdFer to accept an unfair price,
re5theri side has produced any figures
| IL to host OF production and farm
Values u the tobacco districts which
Mould lear out tho statements pro or
1 I'M TAe trust has suffered the loss
/ n a nlnber Of warehouses and their
cIntsnts the estimates on the direct
eIogs Ioss rupnfng from $4,000 to
VAC. o9ar
fourteen Of their warehouses have
heIn closed. TAis loss, however, un.
dllbte$ly falls below tho aggregate
dsbagA slzstSin By the men who have