The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1904-04-15
NOTE BOOK SKETCHES.

and his contention for railway commits
sion with power to arbitrarily fix freight
rates Under the existing concentration
rates on tobacco, packers are permitted
to buy their leaf in any of the growing
sections and bring to a common point
for handling and packing at minimum
cost and afterwards pay the regular tar
if to consumption points. This is
a concession of the railways that has
helped to build up the interior markets
and made it possible to centralize the
tobacco business at such places as Ed
gerton, Stoughton, Janesville and Madi-
son. Now what would result if the Gov
ernor makes good his declarations for an
appointive railway commission with pow
er to name the rates that the railways
shall charge for their freight service?
The first act would be to withdraw all
commodity and concentration rates,
placing all business on purely mileage
basis. The packers of tobacco would
then pay local rates to the warehouse
points, which as everyone knows are the
highest rates charged for any service
Such charges would be almost prohibi-
tory in bringing tobacco from the out
lying sections to the packing points for
handling. The tobacco towns must
therefore lose large share Of their busi-
ness to the small interior places or the
tobacco must be bought at price that
would permit of the additional charges
to be taxed against it. In the latter
event the grower must stand the deduc-
ton. Politics, of course, is at the bot
tom of ali this railway agitation but it
means much in business way to the to-
bacco industry is very evident. We can
not conceive how anyone connected with
the growing or handling of this product
can stand for the Governors proposition.
The caucuses are soon to be held and an
opportunity is given the voter to declare
his opposition to an .unwarranted inter
ference of business relations of SO i'm
portant an industry.
*.s
The indications now point to a back
ward spring. y year ago this date a
good many tobacco beds had been laid
while we have yet to hear of single
case where seed has been sown. The
soil in some places is yet frozen and the
| farmers have been able to do but little
| in the fields. There promises to be
| hustling times as soon as the warmer
| days come.
***
A. Ell. Reeder and Moses Krohn, Off
| GERS of the Miami Valley Leaf Tobacco
Co. of Dayton, o., purchased the prop
erty of the International Tobacco Cor
poration, organized to grow shade
grown Sumatra tobacco, and which
| is in bankruptcy. The price paid was
$4,000, and the property consists of 2S5
| acres of tobacco land in East CRANKY
and Windsor, Conn; two boarding
houses, large number of tobacco sheds
and several other buildings. 1t is said
the land and buildings cost the corpora
ton about 100000, and that consider
able sum in addition was expended in
clearing and improving the real estate.
~
The internal revenue tax of cents a
pound on leaf tobacco is eliminated by
the terms of bill on which favorable
action has been taken by the Internal
Revenue sub committee of the House on
Ways and Means. The bill which the
sub committee ordered favorably report
ed to the full committeeis is the substitute
| measure suggested by Commissioner
Yerkes, aud takes the place of the Gaines
bill to abolish the tax on both leaf to-
bacco and twisted tobacco. Commis-
sioBer Yerkes says there are administra-
tive difficulties in the way of abolishing
the tax on twist, but none on the natural
leaf, Or tobacco in the hand" as it is
termed. This relief has been sought by
the Southern tobacco raisers, but IN the
opinion of experts will not be of any
great benefit. Mr.. Yerkes also very
plainly pointed out that "as we have vir
tually the same laws now that affect the
producers of tobacco as we have always
had, but differing somewhat in the
avenues taken to reach that effect, | do
not think it will be seriously contended,
or the charge maintained, that the laws
of Congress as enacted are responsible
for whatever troubles may exist in this
business" Mr.. Yerkes dealt with the
general condition of the raisers of to-
bacco, saying: Now, one word as to the
| condition as it exists. That the tobacco
industry, so far as the producer is con-
cerned, is not in good condition, is abun-
dainty proved by the testimony now be-
fore this committee" But he very aptly
and truly pointed out that the laws re-
garding the sale OF tobacco, in the nat
ural state, had very little to do with the
situation which was properly ascribable
to overproduciion. But / do not be-
lieve. Mr.. Chairman" he said, that the
present conditions are the results of the
statutory enactments of Congress or of
the rules and regulations made there
under by the Treasury Department: I
believe they are largely due to the over
production of tobacco itself"
Seed Corn for Sale.
have for sale choice varieties of seed