The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1901-11-01
Plan to Form a State Organization.

Plan to Form "a State Organization.
In response to an invitation sent out
by the GAINESVILLE Leaf Tobacco Dealers
association, sixty-two dealers in tobacco,
representing nearly every section of the
state, met at GAINESVILLE, Thursday at 80
o'clock and sat down to an informal din
ner at the Grand Hotel. Landlord
Sweeney had prepared delightful re-
past that was served in faultlesslman-
ner. When the last course had been
cleared away and cigars passed, Pres. L..
B. Carl of the local leaf association arose
and explained the motive of calling to-
gether the tobacco men of the state.
"In behalf of the GAINESVILLE Leaf To
bacco association" said Mr.. earle, II ex-
tend you hearty welcome. AS buyers
and dealers, we invest annually in Wis
consin, for ourselves and others, about
four million dollars, fifteen per cent. of
which is for labor, the greater part of
which is done in about four months, or
between Dec. 18th and the 18th of the
following April, during which time our
sorting room capacity is crowded, and
the labor performed with a rush, not
always beneficial to the reputation of
our tobacco with cigar manufacturers.
"The majority of growers, when strip
ping their tobacco, take out, tie up and
bundle the filters separately; others do
not take the filters out, but leave them
united, mixed in with their wrappers and
binders. 1t is generally conceded by
packers that if all growers would take
out all their filters and tie and bundle
them separately. it would relieve the
warehouse men of a good deal of annoy
ance with their help and the tobacco
would go into the cases better sorted,
thus improving the reputation of Wis
consin tobacco with manufacturers of
cigars.
LAS packers, ought we not to use our
best efforts to induce all growers to take
out all filters and tie and bundle them
separately; and ought we not, most en-
phatically, denOunce the use of water on
tobacco by growers, and decline to &C
cept tobacco SO handled, or wet tobacco,
as sound and merchantable, and make
all contracts to that effect?
at is claimed by many that from con-
sderations of benevolence, as we'll as
business, the u. S. government should
make liberal reduction of the tariff on
Cuban tobacco, and that the Cubans
would buy more -four and meat of our
people. AS the Cubans are petitioning
for reduction of our tariff on sugar and
tobacco, it is reasonable to expect that
at the next session of congress an effort
will be made in this direction. Would
it not be we'll to form a state tobacco
leaf dealers association to cooperate
with the tobacco growers of our state,
and possibly with the u S. Leaf Tobacco
association to look after the interests of
the tobacco growers and dealers of Wis
consin in this tariff matter?"
At the suggestion of Mr. earle, a tenn
porary organization of the meeting was
effected by electing Mr.. p G. Wilder of
Evansville, chairman, and F. w. Coon of
Edgerton, secretary. On assuming the
chair Mr.. Wilder said:
Mr.. President and guests, [ am in
deed highly honored in being selected to
preside over your deliberations, for it is
through your efforts, assisted by our
growers of Wisconsin and the Tobacco
Reporter of Edgerton, Wisconsin, that
from a small beginning on Pomeroy
street in Rock county, Wis, in the grow
ing of tobacco over half century ago,
we are at present raising cigar leaf in a
large number of counties, and from a
filler producing state we have become
the largest binder producing state in the
union. It should be our purpose to act
in harmony with our growers and CO.
operate with them in advancing the in
terests of the cigar leaf industry in
manner that will be credit to both
buyers and growers Of Wisconsin"
Mr.. A. L. Fisher of GAINESVILLE spoke Of
the necessity of reform in the handling
of tobacco as follows:
wisconsin is recognized as one of the
greatest producers of leaf tobacco. Our
acreage is continually increasing, and in
order to hold the prestage already es-
tablished, quality and not quantity must
be more seriously considered. From
commercial consideration, the interests
of the grower, packer and dealer should
be Identical. In order that the grower
may receive merited valuation for his
product, and the dealer value received
on contracts with the grower, it has be-
come necessary to define what consti-
tutes a finished, merchantable article.
Experience has demonstrated that
the use Of water to artiticlally case to-
bacco IS the primary cause OF the varl-
Gus forms of damage annually sustained
in the curing of tobacco. Owing to the
magnitude of the acreage grown in the
state, and the congested condition of the
warehouses during the packing season,
it would seem reasonable to request the
grower to select out and set aside all the
damaged portion of his crop; to carefully
select and tie in small hands all the filler
i H. 4
free from the communicating inf1unces
which cause the tobacco to prematurely
sweat and color when in bundle and
mold in the case.
I'm order that Wisconsin may take
and maintain her proper position in the
file of leaf growing states, it is necessary
for both grower and packer to exert
themselves to raise the quality and
standard of both upper and lower grades
of tobacco This work must commence
with the producer and end with the