The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1921-01-11
CONSPIRACY BY MANUFACTURE.
Frs IN CHARGED BY
CANTKILL

WASHINGTON, Jan. 10.-Charg-
ing that "there is we'll defined con-
spiracy among a few big tobacco
manufacturers to steal this crop OF
tobacco from the farmers" Repre-
sentative ]. Campbell Cantrill, of the
Seventh Kentucky District, in an in
terview with The Courier-J ournal
correspondent Wednesday declared
that the State and Federal laws are
sufficient to prevent such an illegal
combination and expressed the nope
that every Commemorative Attorney
and every Federal District Attorney
in Kentucky twill Immediately make
full and complete investigation OF
these conditions so that such COM
bination, if it exists, is broken up and
the offenders brought to Immediate
justice"
Representative Cantrill, who him.
self is large producer of tobacco,
expressed it as his individual opinion
that the hurley growers should not
permit their crops to go on the mar
ket until the manufacturers are will
| ing to offer better prices.
Means Ruin To Farmers.
az realize fully that it would be a
tremendous hardship on the banking
interests and the merchants to post
pone the market and to carry over
this crop of tobacco for another
wear" he said. "But it is equally
true that for the tobacco grower to
sell his crop which has cost him about
{ 35 cents to produce at an average OF
from 8 to IL cents, mean complete
and utter ruin for One-half of the
land owners who have grown tobacco
and complete ruin for practically
every tobacco tenant in the hurley
district"
The Kentuckian suggested that a
plan should be worked out between
the warehousemen and the growers
for the handling of the present crop,
which would enable the former to re-
ceive return on their investment
and at the same time protect the in
terests of the latter. He expressed a
desire to cooperate with the Ken
lucky farmers in inaugurating cam
paign for the protection of tobacco
growers and in forming an organiza-
ton (which will obtain decent and
living prices for our present crop of
tobacco"
Text OF Statement.
Mr.. Cantrills statement, made
Wednesday after he had been inform
ed of the demonstrations that attend
ed the opening of markets in Ken
lucky hurley belt Tuesday, in full
follows:
''The opening of the tobacco mar
ket in the hurley district of Kentucky
has of course proved a great disap-
pointment to the tobacco growers, as
the prices prevailing at the opening
production of the crop.
"The situation is all the more seri,
Gus, because in the main the farmers
at the opening did not offer their low:
a grade tobaccos as they had received
= assurance from the big tobacco man
ufacturers of the country that if they
withheld their low grades they would
be given a decent price for their bet.
ter grades. This promise has not
been kept.
at is a we'll known fact that the
tobacco manufacturers who use bur
ley tobacco are not oversupplied with
the better grades of tobacco, although
they have surplus of extremely low
grades.
"To meet this situation, the hurley
farmers were ready to withhold their
low-grade tobaccos off the market
and only offered their better grade
The tobacco manufacturers have not
met in the. spirit of fair play the po-
sition of the farmers because Of the
price which they have offered for the
better grades are less than one-half
the cost Of production.
! Put Highwaymen To Shame.
at is a well known fact that five
or six large manufacturing concerns
in the United States buy from 80 to
So per cent of the hurley crop. It is
also well known that 85 per cent of
the hurley crop is consumed in the
United States and that the crop is
not dependent on foreign trade for
consumption.
"It is we'll known that the Amer
lean people are abundantly able and
willing to pay, and that the manufac-
turers are charging an extremely high
price for manufactured tobacco, and
in the face of this for five or six of
these large manufacturing concerns
buying hurley to open up the mar
kets only paying an average of from
8 to IL cents pound for high-grade
tobacco is policy which would put
to shame the worst band of highway
men in the nation.
81 feel sure that the Kentucky to-
bacco growers are made of sterner
stuff than to permit these five or six
manufacturers to steal their tobaccos
at the present prices, while the grow
ers stand with their eyes wide open
and look on the proceedings. The five
or six large concerns are abundantly
able to pay at least the cost of pro-
duction and more, for the hurley
crop.
Should Hold Crops.
! "The hurley growers should not
permit their crops to go on the mar
ket until the manufacturers are will
ing to pay these prices. I realize
fully that it would be a tremendous
hardship on the banking interests.
and the merchants to postpone the
market and to carry over this crop