The Farmville herald. [volume] (Farmville, Va.) 1890-1934, 1908-06-26
Petition 10 American Tobacco
C0mnanV
C0mpanY.

Company.
Through the efIous Of the Farmyille
Board Of Trade lengthy petition has
been secured for presentation to the
president Of the American Tobacco
Company asking for a reconsideration
Of the plans OF that company TO have
shipped from here all the tobacco they
buy on this market 10 other places 10
be worked IL would initiate mate
rally against the commercial inter
ests Of famyIlle for this 10 be done
the coming tobacco season, and every
legitimate effort will be made by the
people here 10 prevent il. Following
is the petition 10 be presented:
FARMvILLE. VA, June 2s, 'Os.
Mr.. II. 4. DUKE, President
American Tobacco Company,
Durham, \. {.
Dear Sir
We understand that II is the pur-
pose OF your Company the ensuing
tobacco season 10 ship all OF the t0bac-
60 YOU buy In farmyille, directly from
the warehouse floors 10 some one or
more Of your various factories In, or
out of the state, TO be worked up into
such shape as you may desire for the
markets of the country at large. This
decision. 81 true, means 80 much 10
our town In all Of its interests, that
we ask you 70 consider 10 what extent
we will suffer, before you put into OPP
Grafton these proposed plans. The
matter IS Of 80 much importance 10
our town and surrounding country,
that we beg 10 present to you petit
ton that you so alter your plans. As 10
order. stem, and work the tobacco
bought here before il h shipped, and
thus secure tO our community the
benefits which have been enjoyed for
SO many years by our town from IFS
tobacco industry. These petitioners
are composed Of some Of our best citl-
lens. members of our town govern
ment. representatives Of the Board OF
Trade, and numbers Of our business
concerns, many of whom are large
customers of your company for both
manufactured plug, and smoking to-
baccOs rs well as cigarettes and cigars.
famyille is entirely dependent
upon it's tobacco interest. This inter
est alone is the cause of its existence,
and through IL commercial life has
been sustained and built up, IFS labor
ing classes supported, and its steady
growth maintained, until now We
have population estimated at be
tween three and four thousand, and
sO the most vital question that can
concern its people today is its tobacco
interest. This Is almost the one source
of revenue To our planters, our labor
ing classes and our business enter
prIses, and 10 the plans mentioned
above are carried out by your Compa-
ny. 10 means weakening of all OF
our business institutions, and the dis
enlargement and scattering OF our Ia
boring classes Ia great extent.
The kind of labor needed for hand
ling tobacco. ordering, stemmlng aud
working Is here Ina abundance, willing
to work and al As low wages a. any
where They are "A part of our popu-
hiiOn and must be self-supporting or
become burden on our town and
community
We are reliably informed, and find
from reference 10 statistics that the
total pay roll for handling tobacco
here-that is To factory hands and EN-
ployees, has decreased more than iifty
per cent. since the American Tobacco
Company put representative on The
market. This in the face Of the fact
that eight-tenths Of all tobacco sold
here by our merchants h. output of the
A. Il. Company, consequently THIS re-
quest must appeal To you As iaNof-
able one.
Your Company II now, and will IN
the future continue 10 be, one Of the
largest buyers of tobacco on our mar
ket and probably the only one IN
/ few years and 80 instead of your plans
Of operation being such as TO deprive
ar of All the benefits Of a business that
/ by the very nature of the case we feel
rightly belongs 10 us, we want to CO.
Operate with you, and make II both
/ desirable and profitable 10 your Com
pany 10 handle its tobacco IN our
midst. thus giving work To our labor
lng classes. aud encouragement 10 our
/ farmers and business men. We re-
specially ask that you carefully con-
/ slider tile situation here, both from
your standpoint and our own before
/ you put your proposed plans INTO
operation. II you cannot secure
/ factory In town that can be made TO
/ suit your convenience and purposes
we promise you our hearty aid III
securing q satisfactory site ON which
YOU can build such factory as VIII
/ conform to all Of your demands.