The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1910-03-29
Indianapolis News

"0t week the last independent to-
oacco Jobbing house IN New Yor.,
CITY passed out Of existence-accnrd-
lh6 . the New York Times. whe
Joooids trade IS now entirely in he
hands OF the M~etropoNtan rohacno
company. which is the local distrib-
Jung agent Of the American Tobacco
company, better known as the TO-
pacco trust. The last Independents
urn To retire Was A. II. Hillman &
%, which was originally started in
1850 as the p. Lorillard Company. It
was long one of the largest wholesale
houses in the United States. OF
course, with the growing monopoly
the business of this old firm fell off
man goods ceased to do so. accepting
only the goods of the trust. A Sc
riOus blow fell when one Of the part
ners left the firm eight years ago AID
went over to the trust. A member
Of the bankrupt firm is quoted thus:
we are 10 blaming the to-
bacco trust for our failure. There
is no use doing that. 1t was the
result OF a natural outgrowth Of
present-day conditions, and no
one III particular was TO blame.
With our ending. the tobacco
trust virtually has things its own
way III New York city. though
there are Others Who are semi
independent. They handle the
trust productions, however, along
with others, and that is something
we never would do. The trust
forced us to the wall in q perfectly
natural enough nanner and 10
one is complaining. It's methods
are very successful. and it won't
be long before it will have the to-
bacco business Of the whole Unit
ed States to itself. 1t is getting
too powerful for the independent
firms We had not only to fight
the trust itself, but indirectly in
dependents as we'll. For instance.
an independent manufactures
Would put out ii special brand
Of cigar or tobacco, and We would
place it among our agents. When
4 good sale for the product had
been worked up the manufactures
would sell out TO the trust oi
course. the trust would then take
it away from our agents.
SO tbs firm. which was 100 year
old goes out Of business. 1t pre-
ferred bankruptcy to surrender 20 IN
trust. We are told that the Tobacco
trust viii soon have complete contro
Of the trade throughout n Cnlte'
States. as it is getting too powerful
for the independents firms. There l
no reason why the steel trust shoul'
not wholly run the steel business, o
WIN the Standard Oil Company SHOULD
not manage the oil business. IN
railroads are already controlled o.
y hall dozen OF 50 men. And tnes'
same men own or n more ina
ten billions Of property, lnciudiil'
banks. insurance companies, rallroac
and telegraph and telephone lines
There are reports OF the capture Q
the automobile industry. NO one ca
tell where it is to stop. Really. IS !
% stop at all? If SO. who or what !
o stop it? he broken tobacco firm
does NOT seem TO have any hard feel
ings. It was ruined by what are spo
ken Of as natural forces But VIVA
of the people that are lett at IN
mercy Of monopolies? 1t seems TO u
that they have an interest IN main
aiming competition.
The people will be startled at thi
latest onQne Of the tObacco trust
And. too. they will wonder what |
! to be the limit to its inward march
IF it can win in this way there Woul'
seem to be no reason why the othe
trusts should not win. It all point
to a sort Of "collectivism" in tn
hands of individuals Unrestricted 3.
any law or by any consideration 10
the public GOOD. The Socialists OF tn
ReIlamy school have long been look
ing forward to the time When III
would step in and tax
possession Of these vast propertie