The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1911-04-11
TOBACCO TRUST
IN ITS TRUE LIGHT
Why Allowed to Flourish
and Destroy Competition
B~ENEF|C|AR|Es ARE MANY

UIulI IUlhltIlU, HltL WInUI
The Trust is Allowed to Continue Its
Oppression and Pillage by he Same
Old Cry OF the Past: Great is Diana
Of the EpheSians"-1he Beneficial
ries. I'm Order That They. Too. May
Eatten. Are Willing That the Cen
s.ral Public MAY Be FTecced.
TO the Editor: ] am in
receipt Of your letter asking me to re-
ply to public statements which had
recently been made to the effect that
"the tobacco trust is a good thing
and that no legislation ought to be
enacted by the state to interfere with
It's operation.
Those gentlemen who hold to this
idea are honorable men and honest in
their views. I am willing to give
them full credit for thai Men whose
caution has over-developed have ex-
listed in every age and in every coun-
try since civilization began. They be-
Iieve in the doctrine Of doing nothing
which Will in any way affect what
ever methods are in vogue at the time.
They cry out, Great is Diana Of the
Ephesians,' heneye a new doctrine
wOuld destroy an old business. A lot
terry scheme which brings hundreds OF
thousands of dollars to their cities,
and parts with large sums in the way
of charity, they would never modest.
TO modest it would be to deprive some
splendid fellows of their vOcatiOns and
business, and some excellent cities of
their share in the spoils. The bene-
ficiaries Of a stated philanthropy are
generally unwilling to see the source
Of their supply cut off. SO those who
rent houses for the manufacture or
sale Of whiskey are reluctant to join
the ranks of prohibition. Because
both the lotteries and the WhiSkey
business bring in enormous
in which not only other citizens than
those engaged in them. but the State,
county, town and even the poor share,
these men are willing to d the
ills they have rather than to lose the
revenue. Just at this time the whole
nation is clamoring for q reduction OF
the tariff. But when we shall GO to
frame a law in obedience to this de-
mand, many men will be found who
are entirely willing to reduce the tariff
on the other ans goods, but will
want the status quo preserved as to
their own individual business. Such
biNi 1N,A i-a1cS - JIM W Y ~
say that they put the dollar above the
man, OF that their position. is essen
tally selfish.
/ do not say that conservative men
are not sometimes valuable. But in
the march OF. civilization they are es-
sentially a handicap. At a time when
it is necessary that every ounce OF
steam should be applied to make the
necessary grade, they are busy putting
on the brakes. They are only valuable
when the engine has passed the divide
and there is danger OF exceeding a
reasonable speed limit. They certainly
are not valuable when they bring the
engine Of progress to a standstin. Just
at this time the American people are
confronted. as in no other age OF the
world has any nation been confronted,
with the great question Of the control
Of monopoly. III the State Of North
Carolina, at our political conventions
and on the stump, We are loud in the
declaration that private monopoly
must be destroyed" In our legisla-
lures we "soft-pedal." We have in
this State a gigantic monopoly. which.
as | shall show presently. has our
Farming class and has had our manu-
featuring class thrOttled. We are TOLD
that 1t is a blessing to the State
There is no question that this mo-
nopoly~ has made some individuals
very wealthy; there is no question that
certain towns in our State have had
wonderful development in a material
way because Of the presence of it's
factories and business; there is no
question that it has treated It's en-
p!oSees we'll and in many ways bene-
lifted individuals and Institutions by
its benefactions. there is no. denial
that most of these men who are it's
prom oters and defenders are men Of
engaging personality. So it was with
fhh T nt,iSiayn I nfta~p. - IA
were manifold; its promoters were
eminent and. as citizens. above re-
proach: it scattered money which it
had improperly collected. as all now
agree. in sublime. profusion about the
city of New Orleans. For a long time
1T held the State. the city and the poll
tIc1ans of the state in which it had its
1tjt1t in the hollow IF borI