The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1903-01-16
THE
Wisconsin Tobacco Reporter,
Edgertcn. Wisconsin.
NOTE, BOOK SKETCHES.

The date of the annual meeting of the
Wisconsin Tobacco Growers and Deal
ers' Association has been changed from
J am. 21st until Feb. 25th. The original
date falls upon time when both grow
ers and dealers are so busy in delivery OF
the crop, and it was believed that the
success of the meeting might be impair
ed if held during the busiest season OF
the year. A month later good share
of the crop will have been delivered and
the dealers can also find time to lend
theiree tendance. The officers of the as
socia ion, at recent meeting, Tuesday.
decided under the circumstances upon
a later date as above stated-at Madi-
son, Wednesday, Feb. 25th.
~
The department of agriculture has is
sued a table of statistics giving the acre.
age, production and value. of the tobacco
crop of the United States in 1902 that
places this product as one of the impor-
tant money producers. There were over
a million acres of soil devoted to tobacco
growing of all varieties, producing o2l
million pounds of leaf, which is estimat-
ed to be worth about 801s million dol
lars. In cigar leaf Wisconsin is placed
at the head with a crop of "a, 1885,, ,4SO
pounds, valued at 50, ,541 1884. 1t will be
noted that this valuation is only about
cents per pound, which is considerably
under the average price paid for the
present crop. Next in the list of cigar
leaf states comes Ohio, then Connect
cut, Pennsylvania and New York. ln
tobacco production Kentucky, of course,
leads with crop valued at % million,
North Carolina with l5 million and Vir
ginia with 12 million dollars. The de-
partment estimates the value of the
southern type at not far from 10 cents
per pound, and New England at l6 cents.
A close critic might find considerable
fault with the table, but it is approx
mately accurate and of course valuable.
*x*
If anyone thinks the big tobacco trust
is not doing fairly we'll in spite of all the
opposition engendered, they have several
other thinks coming. AT a meeting of
shareholders recently the Consolidated
Tobacco Co. declared cash dividend OF
20 per cent. on the capital stock OF S3O,-
100000. This.is the first dividend de-
clared by the company, which has been
in operation since June, 1901. The diyi
dend does not cover any special periods.
At the same meeting it was unanimously
voted to raise the capital stock from
S3O,OOO,OOO to $4O,O00,00O. Shareholders
of record will have the privilege to sub
scribe for the new issue at the rate OF
one third of their present holdings.
There will be no public offerings of the
new stock 1t is stated that the new
stock, which is all common, will be
placed in the treasury, to be used in the
regular course of business. The Wall
Street Journal affords an explanation OF
the increase of capital by saying that it
is rumored that the new Aker, Merrall
& Condit company, Incorporated at Al
,bany with capital of $4,000, ,O9O, will be
dominated by Consolidated Tobacco in
lterests and will be an ally of the Tobac
co Company, conducting business on the
same principles of display as those fol-
lowed by the United Cigar Stores Com
,pany. The grocery concern, it is said.
will open branches all over New York
city, the great feature of which will be
the elaborate finishings which will ap-
peal to the eye and take the place OF ex-
pensive advertising.
*x*
A dispatch from Henderson, Ky says:
Four hundred farmers met at the court
house Jan. Sd to form combination to
fight the Tobacco trust. The plan was
discussed to curtail crops hereafter all
over the state of Kentucky and tobacco
raising sections in other states Much
enthusiasm was manifested. The plan
was adopted of appointing committee
of five raisers in the counties of. Webster,
Union, Henderson and Hopkins, to draft
resolutions outlining permanent or
ganization, this committee to report
back to the mass convention to be held
in February, at which mass meeting a
permanent organizatiog is to be effected.
Ehen organizers are to be sent over the
entire state to organize every county.
The plan contemplates that each county
president shall make trip over his
county twice year, when the crop is
planted to learn the acreage, and when
the crop is housed to learn the amount
raised and from this data to make re-
ports. The intention also is to extend
the organization and to cut down the
crop in the tobacco raising states all over
the country. Independent dealers here
sanction the movement. The meeting
excited general interest in this section
and business men generally participated,
sS we'll as farmers.
Xxx
Chicago cigar dealers have decided to
adopt for their motto the proposition
which Chairman Edward holman made
to the independent cigar dealers that
The best way to fight the trust is not to
sell it's goods" "One of the first results
Of the organization of the national asso-
citation will be the absolute 'blacklisting
Of cigars and tobaccos which are sold by |
the trust" said prominent dealer. |
Detroit is probably the only large city |
IN the country where the independent |
dealers have cleaned their stores of the |
trust goods. and good -humOred roasting |