The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1908-01-31

Ii bill introduced into Cno honCucKy
legislature becomes law, an everlasting
crimp would be put into the tobacco
trust as we'll as every other corporation
that buys this product in that state.
The bill provides that it shall be unlaw
full for the American Tobacco Company
and every other corporation maintain
ing a pool or combine buying or selling
or manufacturing tobacco to engage in
business or to acquire real or personal
property in Kentucky. The fine i'm
posed for each violation shall Ee within
the discretion of the jury, and in addi-
tion forfeiture of the property acquired
or held be exacted. 1t is further pro-
vided by the act that it shall be unlaw-
full for any agent, employe or officer of
such corporation to solicit, buy, sell, re-
ceive or contract for the purchase or sale
of tobacco in Kentucky, and for each
offense fine not exceeding $4,000 may
be levied and imprisonment not exceed
ing one year in the county Jail may be
inflicted. 1t is also provided that no
corporation. organized under the laws of
Kentucky or any other state, shall, with
out license from the Commissioner of
Agriculture, be permitted to buy or sell
tobacco. The penalty for violating shall
be within the discretion of the jury
The act would empower the Commits
sioner of Agriculture to inquire into the
true list of stockholders of the corpora
ton and have it verified under oath of
the principal officers. and also to exam
inc the books of the corporation to as
certain the information desired. Viola
ton of this provision of the act to be
subject to fine of not less than $1,000
or more than $4,000. Provision is also
made in the bill that, each corporation
admitted to do business in the state
must pay license of 500 annually, to
be used for the purpose of inquiring into
its affairs to see if the laws are obeyed.
It further provides that every Individual
partnership or association not incorpor-
ated, buying or selling tobacco in the
state, which agrees with others IN the
same business, to put tobacco below its
real value, is guilty of maintaining a
trust or pool, and shall be fined in the
discretion of the jury and imprisoned
not exceeding one year and forfeit the
property or business to the state. The
bill is considered the most drastic meas
ure ever formed in any state. and it is
likely to create something of storm in
the legislature before the session ends.
***
At the state convention of Equity held
at Eau Claire last week, the following
plan was recommended and adopted for
pooling in 1907 crop: THAT all Wiscon-
sin tobacco remaining unsold at this
time be pledged to the Wisconsin To
bacco Growers association; that local
pools be formed 10 the more convenient
places in every tobacco county in the
state; that the secretaries of the local
pools report to the state secretary as
soon as possible the number of pounds
of tobacco pledged; also the condition
of financial facilities for handling and
storing The report includes pledge
to which is to be attached the signatures
of the tobacco growers by which they
appoint and employ the Wisconsin TO
bacco Growers association as their sole
agent to sell the crop of tobacco grown