THE TOBACCO TRUST.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 3075, 21 December 1908, Page 4

THE TOBACCO TRUST.

A cablegram on Friday last stated that the United States Circuit Court had decided that the American Tobacco Company held a monopoly, and was engaged in an illegal combination to restrain trade, and that the Court had restrained the company from engaging in any foreign or inter-State commerce until competi-

tiott was restoWid,. The Federal Govefrtment action against the Tobacco fc-ist last year, when a 'petitioTi was filed against over sixty companies and twenty-nine individuals. The petition gave details of the organisation of the American Tobacco Company irt 1890 and its subsequent growth. It was stated that its assets exceeded 275,000,000 dollars. It alleged that the members of the combination had divided the tobacco business of the worlrl, and annually purchased 475,000,0001b of American leaf tobacco. They distributed 80 per cent, of the smokirig and plug tobacco, 95 per cent, of the snuff, 80 per cent, of the cigarettes, cent, of the small cigars, 95 per cent, of the liquorice product?, 8 per cent, of the tinfoil, and 10 per cent, of the cigars and stogies. It referred (o tie bitter trade war betwesn the American and British concerns, alleging that in 1902 these, wearying of competition, entered into written agraemants not to interfere with each other along certain welldefined lines, and together formed the Imperial Tobacco Company, to carry on trade and commerce in other countries without competition. The Government asked that each of the defendant companies be restrained from holding or. controlling stock in any other company, the Imperial Tobacco Company be enjoined from doing business within the jurisdiction of the United States until it should cease to observe the terms of its agreement with the American companies, certain of the defendants be enjoined from engaging in inter-State or foreign trade and commerce, or a receiver be appointed to take charge of their affairs and administer them so as to bring about conditions in harmony with the law.