Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1896-04-26
THE CIGAR TROUBLE.
, FditOr OF he Register.


Strive are fortunate in being To-
Gated in a community which has an es-
tabhshed industrial system which un-
der past trying business depressions
enabled our people TO sustain their
credit and suffer comparatively little
Inconvenience. Our advantage in this
respect should be appreciated by our
merchants and business men who are
dependent upon the output of these in
duStries for msans to successfully con-
duct the various business enterprises
they are engaged in. While our more
thOuqhtful neighbors and competitors
in business circles are offering tempt
ing bonuses for the location Of indus
trial plants in their midst, our people
are making no effort 20 retain those We
already possess. Is IL any wonder that
our work shops close down or seek
more profitable locations when the con-
ditiOns are seriously considered?
Every branch of industry suffers for
the want o. home support and enCOur-
agement. For convincing proof Of this
take a view of the condition OF the cigar
industry of Wheeling. We have be-
tween thirty and forty cigar factories
in our city. employing some four hun
dred cigar makers and a like number Of
other employees, representing weekly
wage OF over five thousand dollars,
which. in az active business condition.
would turn over or exchange five times
per week. making circulating medium
equal to twenty-five thousand dollars
Der week While the merchants and
jO5bers have prospered and many Of
them grown Independent through this
and kindred mediums of exchange, they
TAIL to show their appreciation of the
Importance of this industry by accord
ing to it that degree OF patronage to
which the manufacturers are entitled.
We have our Chamber OF Commerce,
which might profit by observing and
following the examples Of our less arts
tOcratic organizations of workingmen,
who are engaged in constant and COM
mendable efforts 10 build up and better
our industrial system. overlooking
entirely the more important considera-
ton of providing employment for their
patrons at reasonable rates by and
through the patronage OF home pro-
ducts We have of saloonkeep-
ers dependent upon The patronage of the
wOrkingmen. yet their faces rarely ap-
pear in our factories seeking home
made cigars. and many Of them are
ashamed 10 allow their cigars to stand
exposed TO view for fear of condemna-
ton. for they carry with them the
brand of the felOn or the scab, which is
worse The first are forced to produce
that class of goods, While the other does
so through natural depravity and in
clinatiOn TO do evil An investigation
among the wholesale houses Of our city
will show an immense stock OF cheap,
trashy cigars. possibly penitentiary or
tenament house disease-infected Gig
ars. To such an extent has this class
of trade been patrOnized that the legiti-
mate and honest manufacturers. favor
Ing fair vases and honest methods, no
longer visit the jobber with the expec-
tatiOn Of either consideration or pat
ronage. The retail grocer in many in
stances. being under obligations to the
Wholesaler. accepts these cigars. while
many others who can be independent
handle them through lack of thought
or consideration. We advance these
thoughts in hopes that a consideration
OF the question may result in the estab-
Hshment OF better and more healthy
condition OF affairs When the asSer-
ton can be sustained that niney-fve
per cent. of the cigars consumed in this
city are not the product Of our factor
les. but that many Of them come from
questionable localities and are of
character dangerous to the consumer
and destructive TO our home industries.
these considerations should be suffi-
cient to open the eyes Of our people to
the importance and necessity of imme-
date and effective action in the mat.
ter. The cigar makers are making