The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1901-03-01
THE
Wisconsin Tobacco Reporter,
Edgerton, Wisconsin.
NOTE BOOK SKETCHES.
Wisconsin.
Edgerton,

Wisconsin tobacco SO generously circu-
lated over the country, say the Chicago
papers have misquoted them. They,
however, admit that they estimated the
damage to be in the neighborhood of 70
per cent, but how the papers came to
make them say so or copper cent is an
exageration they cannot understand.
This estimate is not far out of the way
and comedies with an opinion expressed
in this column several weeks ago and
had the truth been told no such scare
would have been given publicity. Mr..
Coleman, the representative OF the firm
in this state says his orders were not to
repudiate contracts at all but to receive
such tobacco as could be safely taken
under the usual deductions for unmar-
ketable leaf. The firm he says have
bought tobacco in Wisconsin for many
years and have always succeeded IN get
ting along with the growers without any
trouble and propose to deal square with
them this year.
*s*
I Some of the New York tobacco papers
are now echoing the damage scare started
in the west short time ago, and are IN
dustriously helping to 'black-eye' the
1900 Wisconsin crop. What is surprls-
ing to great many tobacco people is the
frequency these journals will lend their
columns to aid designing people in pull
ing or discrediting in the eyes OF the mar
ket, any particular state product. How
long do you imagine these newspapers
can maintain their reputation as reliable
news venders and allow such methods to
continue? The complaint is not new
one if we may judge from the opinions OF
eastern dealers frequently expressed on
this subject. Many of whom have al
ready lost confidence in the raHfesenta-
tive journals for unbiased statement OF
facts. It is not a pleasant matter to re-
fer to, but whensit is SO patent on the
face of it that the market is doomed or
decryed to aid the financial interests OF
large holders of certain lines of tobaccos,
the facts can hardly escape detection OF
the readers of these journals, who de-
| pend upon them for reliable information
| on these subjects.
*x*
It is puzzling a good many tobacco
| men to know how certain dealers have
so suddenly found out the enormous
damage and utter worthlessness' of the
| 1900 Wisconsin crop. 1t will be several
| months yet before the tobacco will have
| passed through the sweat, and it's true
! condition and value determined. If the
| crop was passed the crucial stage of cure
| and had been found damaged as badly
as is now reported, there might be some
reason for the scare so early inflicted
upon the market, but to pre- judge the
crop in advance of this knowledge brings
| to light the suspicion that some other
| motives are behind an effort to discredit
| our tobacco in the eyes market. Just
| what they are is not yet clear, some are
| uncharitable enough to claim that peo-
pie overloaded with other leaf are help
| ing along the movement in disposing of
slow selling stocks. One thing is at least
known, that the American Tobacco Co..
have been large buyers of '99 Wisconsin
of late, taking advantage in temporary
| lull in the leaf markets.
***
Growers who have had their crops
turned back upon them through rejec-
tiCns, may find some consolation in few
we'll known principles of law that might
be briefly stated. Written contracts can
only be cancelled by mutual consent of
the parties thereto. Tobacco dealers
make mistake when they say that they
can repudiate their contracts without
liability on their part. They will have
to pay for all the sound tobacco rendered
them under their contracts, otherwise
the farmers can sell the same in open
market and recover the difference, or
their loss as damages for the breech Of
the contract. The growers who desire
to force delivery should carefully sort
their tobacco, throwing out all the dam
age and wet tobacco and then insist that
the tobacco dealers taking and paying
contract price for all sound leaf. OF
course legal delivery or tender must be
made by the farmer before proceedings
can be instituted. The writer is not
urging growers into litigation, nor do we
advise it, but simply points out a way to
safely proceed, should our readers be !
hunting for trouble.
~
An agreement has been reached by
congress in the revenue reduction bill,
over which the two houses have been at
logerheads for some time past. A COM
promise tobacco schedule is to be made
out and that the two houses will be able
to agree. The new schedule will change
the objectionable feature of reduced sizes
of packages and instead of a reduction
OF IL to 9 cents pound as the senate
had it the conference probably will re-
port new reduction of 2 cents instead