The San Francisco call., 1896-11-22

demonstrated to the satisfaction of men of en-
terprise and capital that California can grow
| a superior quality of tobacco. We believe 1t
can. Our investigation of the subject con-
ylnces US of this important fact.
We know from most experiments made in
this State in growing tobacco that the prod
uct when finally turned has been TOO rank and
strong for manufacturing purposes, but these
dlhculties seem 10 have been entirely over
come in the product from San Felipe. Sue
Cess with Mr.. Cup, the San Felipe grower,
seems TO have long ago passed the expert
mental line.
We have made a careful Investigation OF the
merits of his tobacco and and have compare I
The cigars manufactured from it with other
standard goods, and do not hesitate to assert
our belief that his tobacco and the goods man
utactured thererom are superior to any SINH
lar product OF the United States. We are led
to believe that the Culp tobacco, if not in all
respects equal to the best imported from
Havana, is at least the best substitute for the
Havana product obtainable.
The result accomplished by him in growing
ana curing the hlgh-grade tobacco which he is
now offe ing to the trade leads us 10 believe
that when he says California might become
the leading tobacco section OF The world
there are reasons for the assertion. At present
and in the past most of the San Felipe tobacco
has found market in the East, and as nearly
as we can learn a great deal of ii has been
returned to us in manufactured form as a
superior Eastern or imported product This is
poor economy, and it should be the aim and
effort of Californians to prevent this double
transit OF our product and the consequent in
sumption.
To this end we would like to see those who
have the means at their disposal form them
se'NfS into a company for the manufacture of
cigars and other merchantable products from
The San Felipe tobacco. We believe that such
an enterprise would not only prove profit table
to the projectors, but would go further than
any other move that could be made toward
establishing conclus1veiy the merits OF Califor-
mia tobacco and the adaptability of the State
for its production.
The Culp tobacco. as we have said iS nm
questionably the nearest substitute obtainable
for Cuba tobacco. Owing to the Cuban war
and the large amounts OF tobacco which have
been destroyed on that island by the opposing
factions, the supply of the Cuban product has
been cut short and the San Felipe tobacco in
consequence is in extra demand among those
who are unable to secure their usual importa-
tion of Havana goods bur who desire to keep
up the standard OF their brands. While thus
dent that California, which produces this
hlgh-grade substitute, is being robbed of the
credit which is justly due.
There would seem, therefore, no better time
TO put this tobacco on the market strictly on
Its merits. Its superiority would soon be
recognized and the consuming world wake up
to the gratifying fact that good tobacco can be
obtained even though devastating wars should
destroy the last pound of the Cuban crop.
The tact would focus attention on Califor-
MIA and this State in consequence would at
tract the eager interest OF ali tobacco-groWers
and manuiactu ers, while the manufacturers
OF the San Felipe product would find a de-
mand Tor their goods which the present sup
ply OF raw product would not enable them to
fl.
Being pioneers in the establishment of the
merits OF the California goods they would be
insured an industry that would grow with
the growth OF the product, be as lasting as
time and profitable possibly beyond computa-
tion
That there is field inviting such an enter
prise is evidenced from the fact that there are
now manufacturer in the First Revenue Dis
m trlet OF California alone something like 62,-
O00, 900 cigars per annum and practically all
from tobacco grown outs ide OF this State.
J. A. Filcher, Craigie Sharp, E. w. Maslin,
committee