The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1904-08-26
NOTE BOOK SKETCHES

3
ia the fields which was started in the
Vernon and Crawford county districts
last week has since attracted large
number of buyers, riding has become
general and contracts for several hun,
dred acres are said to have been made.
Not more than 10 per cent. of the crop
has been housed to date, but buying is
still going on, basing everything on the
crop coming through the harvest and
cure in marketable condition. Some
of the crops already contracted for have
since been hail cut but none of the risks
of this character are assumed in the con-
tracts made. The aim of the buyers is
to secure the most promising crops, those
that are nearly or quite ready for the
harvest. Such fields are said to be large
and leafy, reasonably sound and quite
attractive, as buyers view green tobacco.
The best information coming to us is
that prices range from 8 to il cents, and
many contracts at running price at
that. Those fresh from the field are of
the opinion that the greater share of the
early tobacco in the valley districts will
be contracted for before the first rush of
buying closes. Growers are reported to
be quite willing to execute contracts
and the question with buyers is to find
some crops sufficiently attractive to war
rantthe speculation they are engaged in.
So the buying of the 1904 crop is fairly
launched, but the large operators, the
American Cigar Co. and the United Ci-
gar Manufacturers, are not in it as yet
***
Two soaking rains have fallen during
the week that have put the soil in fine
condition for the development of the
corn and tobacco fields. The medium
set tobacco which is now being topped
is just at the proper stage to obtain a
quick growth that invariably brings a
fine leaf. All that seems to be needed
now is couple of weeks of warm wealth
er to bring about a completion of crop
that fills every requirement of fine
binder leaf, such as the 1900 crop, that
the market is still crying for. The
drouth has delayed the general crop SO
that at least four weeks immunity from
frosts is necessary to see all the tobacco
secured. This seems hardly reasonable
in this latitude, yet such late falls are
not so very uncommon.
*x*
Tobacco farmers making up the New
England Tobacco Growers association
are naturally very much opposed to re-
duction in tariff on the leaf and finished
product from the Philippines. This was
the chief topic of discussion at last Sat
urday's Springfield meeting of the asso-
citation. This was not largely attended,
but important matters came up for de-
liberation. Perhaps chief of these was
the adoption of the following resolution
regarding tariff on tobacco and cigars
imported from the Philippine Islands:
''Resolved, that we, the New England
Tobacco Growers assocition, are mater
tally opposed to all changes of the tobac-
CO schedule of the Dingley tariff law.
We strenuously disapprove of all at
tempts to have uniform duty on leaf
tobacco imported into this country, i'm
posing duty of the same amount on
poor tobacco and good; and we further
desire to reiterate our opposition to all
further reductions of tariff duties on to-
bacco grown either in Cuba or the Phil
ippine Islands" A letter from Congress
man Henry of Connecticut stated that
ia his opinion there will be no further
changes of the tariff relating to the Phil
ippines made by the present congress,
nor in the immediate future. Notwith-
standing this letter the resolution was
unanimously adopted and copies ordered
to be sent to all congressman. A. Blur,
president of the National Cigar Dealers
association, with headquarters at New
York, strenuously opposed the removal,
or any appreciable reduction, of duties
on imported tobacco from the Philip
pines. "Let us have no free trade with
the Philippines" said he. "We tobacco
growers cannot carry the burden OF the
philanthropic movement in these islands
entirely on our shoulders"
~
In addresses before the Springfield
convention of tobacco growers recently,
Mr.. Jos. F. Cullman of New York said:
"It seems that our secretary of war Is
willing to sacrifice even our constitutional
rights to crafty sentimental feeling;
in other words, to help the Philippines
at our expense. Mr.. Taft is a potent
factor in the administration and the
probabilities are that if steps are not
taken in time, and our congressman
pledged to oppose free entry into our
ports, or even a material reduction on
tobacco and cigars from the Philippines,
that the administration will take up the
matter ere long, and legislation which
woald be very disastrous to all OF US, en-
acted The Agricultural department
has already, am informed, sent experts
to the Philippines to improve the cul-
ture of tobacco. The territory adapted
to the raising of tobacco is almost unlim-
tied, and the laborers employed mainly
coolies or of an equally low and cheap
grade, class we are excluding from our
country. Aside from the raising of to-
bacco. cigars are and can be made in