The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1901-06-21
THE
Wisconsin Tobacco Reporter,
Edgerton. Wisconsin.
NOTE BOOK SKETCHES.

Is SulO W AoppCH, GhOuSA ~ PAO"oOAJ w
ours oftener in the tobacco trade than in
any other known business. Who would
have thought few months ago when
the tobacco growers of the state were
fearful they would be unable to deliver
their crop upon contract and the major
ity of buyers were almost certain they
had made mistake in receiving their
purchases at the figures agreed upon,
that packers would now be climbing
over one another in their haste to get
control of the same tobacco from second
hands at unusual prices? The present
condition is certainly an anomaly in the
market of this state. Never before has
such lightning changes taken place in
the dealings of Wisconsin leaf. Never
before have local packings been snapped
up so quickly or at date before the
crop had passed through the curing
stage and it's character definitely deter
mined. Generally speaking packers and
manufacturers have been willing to wait
until the case damage from curing was
ascertained before making their usual
investments, but this season all theories
and precedents have been turned aside
for a scramble to buy early.
***
The most reasonable inference to be
drawn from this unusual condition of af
fairs is that the 1900 crop is destined to
turn out better tobacco than the state
has pfoduced in some years, and here is
where the unexpected has again happen
ed. 1t has all the time been known that
the crop contained good percentage of
fine leaf-the grower was as we'll aware
of this fact as the dealer, but just how it
would come through the sweat, after the
good had been separated from the dam
aged was largely speculation few
months ago. But it is evident that it is
no longer an uncertainty now. The
blackarot damage which in late years has
been an important factor to be consider
ed, seems to be eliminated from the re-
suit this season and packers are willing
to accept as sound tobacco that which
was packed right without any percepti-
BILE case damage. It has been asserted
and doubtless true, that no crop of late
years has continued to improve in ap-
pearance from the time it went into
cases like the present, which is another
reason why it is such an early and at
tractive seller. a
~
Having previously explained in this
column that the amount of available to-
bacco suitable. for domestic needs is
likely to fall short of the market de-
mands for the 1900 crop and the Ger
tainty that it will prove the popular
binder possibly for some years to come
it is not difficult to see now pretty fair
explanation for the activity of dealers in
trying to gain control of the output.
The outcome is a surprise to nearly
connected with the trade, and
in measure as unexpected to those
packers whom the damage scare" of a
few months ago did not drive out of the
market as to those who find themselves
without 1900 tobacco today.
***
Manufacturers who are figuring on a
rebate on goods on hand July l will be
to learn that the govern
ment has made no appropriation to pay
the refund. The reduction of the war
tax goes into effect the first of the month
as designed by congress, which prom
ised refund of 6Oc per thousand of ci-
gars on hand on the that date above the
value of $40. To carry out the promise
congress should have made provision for
the payment, which it failed to do. The
must therefore wait until
congress convenes in December next
and bill passed authorizing the pay
ments before they can realize on the
amounts due them from Uncle Sam. If
the government is as long adjusting
these claims as it was in refunding the
warehouse tax demanded from packers
two years ago, there will be long wait
ahead for those who have something
coming from the Internal Revenue de-
oartment.
***
The q. S. Tobacco Journal says: "The |
cost of the local cigar strike last year, as |
published in another place in this issue,
vas 1914 O4825. But this vast sum rep
.esents only one item of the cost, viz,
he item disbursed to the striking cigar
makers by the strike fund and collec-
ions. 1t does not, however, include the
oss of wages to the striking cigarmakers
Turing the eleven months duration of |
he strike, which was vastly larger, nor
he loss entailed by the manufacturers
n the curtailment of their business.
These losses run into the millions. And
nasmuch as the strike fizzled out humil-
atingly for the strikers, the Cigarmak-
RS Union ought to take warning not to
ush into strikes in the future without
my just cause, without any prospect of