The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-10-24
ONLY WAY IS To
FORBID STOCK IN
TWO COMPANIES
This, Say Directors to To-
bacco Trust, is Best Cure
for Monopoly
ASK AID OF NEW
YORK IN BIG FIGHT
To Consumer Tobacco is
Luxury, but to Grower
it is Chief Means
of Livelihood

NEW YORK, Oct. 23.-Henry II.
Hunter, of counsel for the 100000
Independent tobacco dealers in the
United States, who are opposing APP
prevail by the Federal Circuit Court
Of tho tobacco trusts plan OF disco
luton and reorganization, forwarded
letter to Governor Dix tonight re-
guessing that the Attorney General
Of New York join. as the attorneys
general OF North Carolina, Virginia
and South Carolina have done. ia
filing objections to the big com bina-
tons scheme OF disintegragtion in
behalf OF the tens OF thousands OF
small retailers.
Messrs. Beckett Williams aud
Lyon, attorneys general, respectively.
Of North Carolina. Virginia and South
Carolina. submitted to the Circuit
Court to-day their bill OF objections
to the trusts plan, upon which pub
lie hearings will be begun next Mon
day. The bill represents that tbs
three States named are among the
largest tobacco growing communities
in the Union, and the tobacco gro.-
ers in them feel that they are in
state OF financial serVitude" 10 the
big trust. by reason OF the fact that
IL has been practically the only pur
bi.rarily fixed the prices or the same.
They add that to the consumed to-
hacco il a luxury. but TO the grower
it In the means Of livelihood.
Done From Necessity.
Stockholders and bondkolders In
vest their money from choice. the
bill continues, whereas the grower
cultisates tobacco from necessity.
having spent his life in learning thar
business.
The DIRECTORS say that the plan
submitted by the trust does not pre-
sent the merits of even looking like
q dissolution or a destruction of the
monopoly, and adds.
we earnestly protest that the said
plan In in no sense a compliance with
the judgment of the Supreme Court
OF the United States, but tested by
the rule Of reason which the Su-
preme Court invoked in the interpre
tation OF the law. 1t In plain that the
plan In bold attempt To nullifs the
Judgment OF the court. II turns loose
no asset and no agency by which the
American Tobacco Company now
maintains its absolute dominion over
HE tobacco trade. It's avarice for
power and Its utter unwillingness To
loosen Its grip on the tobacco busi-
ness In strikingiy illustrated ia one
Of the least OF its subsidiary ccmpa-
mics. the II. +. Richardson. Jr.. 4
Co., Limited. although that company
has from the inception OF this suit
peuuoned TO be allowed to do an in
dependent business"
Change In Booking Only.
Tho attorneys general aver that ~the
dividing Of the trust into several
working organizations will be
change in booking only, especially
where each working organization Is
dominated and controlled by the com
mon stockholders OF the American
Tobacco Company. The pratesters
say ii will be- the same kind Of dis
memberment az THE hand divides
Into fingers" To have real compe-
tition. they contend. there must he
AntAEonistic interest, whereas the
trusts plan maintains a community
OF Interests between all the companies
II IL proposed to create. making real
competition impossible.
To require these violaters OF the
law 10 dtspand. the DIRECTORS urge.
land to forbid them by oneness OF
ownership to perpetuate the monopo-
~ they have created Will cause, no
alarm to stockholders in corporations
that are doing legitimate business
This is the crucial question to DO set
tied by this court, and the answer TO
this question will determine whether
under existing law relief can be
awarded coterminous with the ulti-
} mate redress Of tie moneys which
are found to exist"
IN conclusion the directors set forth :.
The difnculty OF an equitable par
tition lies not SO much In the in
ability Al in the unwfllingness TO
make one. The tobacco company
sayA upon oath, that the assets of the
company can be fairly distributed
among fourteen companies. This Is
4 complete answer TO the suggestion
that an actual equitable partition Is
impracticable. Give to the fourteen
companies the elements Of complete
Independence; forbid the, stockholders
In any one Of the companies from
owning stock In any Of the others
and pcrpetually enjoin them from
acquiring such stock and condition
will be created in compliance with
the Judgment"