The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1916-01-26
EQUITY SOCIETY
CONDEMNS BOARD
Controlling Owensboro
Tobacco Market.
It IS ACCUSED OF VIOLATING
The Law Against Restraint Of
Trade BY Its Rules
Of Conduct.
THE OBJECTIONABLE SECTIONS

The Greensboro Messenger o. last
"Wednesday says:
Following the special district
meeting of the American Society Of
Equity, held at the courthouse on
Tuesday morning, resolutions were
adopted by the assembled farmers
denouncing in strong language the
present situation in the tobacco mar
ket and calling on the common
wealth's attorney to investigate, the
Greensboro Tobacco Board Of Trade,
which recently dissolved.
Certain sections of the constitu
tion and bylaws of the board of
trade were Incorporated into the
resolution. 1t was claimed by the
members of the Equity society that
the organization was formed in re-
straint of trade and in violation of
the laws. The resolution as pre-
pared by F. NJ. HUMPHREYS and S. y.
Robertson, q committee appointed
for that purpose, is as follows:
We, your committee appointed ON
January 10, for the purpose Of in
tobacco markets, and the cause and
causes for said conditions, beg leave
to report that we find on investiga-
tion that an organization or a COM
bination of the buyers and ware
housemen of greensboro has been
formed, which, from sections of by
laws and constitution of said organi-
zation as cited below, indicate very
clearly that said organization was
organized in restraint of trade.
First-We find from said docu-
ment that this organization is known
as the Greensboro Tobacco Board
Of Trade, and its principal Office is
in Greensboro, Ky.
Second-Section "a, provides I'M
der penalty of $40 for the first
and $25 for the second offense, that
no spectator is allowed to approach
nearer than two baskets to the one
being sold.
Third-Articie 2S, says: No men,
Der of this association shall buy to-
bacco privately after it has come to
the premises of the warehouse, or
and bid on, and members of this
association shall only be in open
competition on the regular sales.
Fourth-Article SO-None but
members of this association shall be
allowed to buy tobacco on the loose
leaf floors of the warehousemen
who are members of this associa-
ton.
Fifth-Article 32-No buyer or
other warehouseman, member of
this association, shall be. permitted
to in any way dissatisfy the sellers
of tobacco under a penalty of $40
for each offense.
SiXth-Article 36-The ware
houses shall not sell less than $50
nor more than 24O baskets per
hour.
Seventh-Article 43-Fees and
dues shall be $40.
We, your committee. would fur
ther report that the public prices at
greensboro. published in the news
papers, are doing the tobacco grow
ers of the Green River district
great harm in that the high prices
paid for tobacco on the loose leaf
floors are published and low prices
ignored" and, from said publication
of high prices farmers are led to be-
lieve the conditions of the market
are much better than they really are,
and rush is made to the market
on the strength of quoted high
prices, and the farmer meets with
disappointment.
In view of the foregoing reports,
we, your committee. would recon-
mend that the convention take such
action as will give the tobacco grow
ers of the Green River district all
needed relief.
After much discussion, most of
which was led by s. b. Lee. the fol-
lowing resolution offered by Frank
Moseley, was adopted: ''The commit
tee just reported is requested to lay
their findings before the prosecuting
attorney of this district. and re-
quest him, II in his judgment. there
has been any violation of the law
by the buyers and warehousemen,
to proceed at once to have such
yiOlators punished"