The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1905-11-17

NOTE BOOK SKETCHES

among the many peculiar turns of the
tobacco market so difficult to explain by
those familiar with the trade as the ab-
normal advance in the price of the filler
and cutting grades of leaf. There never
was time when green filters were so
eagerly sought after or such prices real
lied for this grade of tobacco. Figures
prevail far beyond the reach of exporters
for light, fimsy class of goods that can
never make decent filler for the cigar
manufacturer. It is a class of tobacco
that is most likely to damage in the cure
and often as high as SO per cent of them
go wrong in the sweat. Up to about a
year ago no packer in recent years has
been able to save himself on his invest
ment in filler grades, and in fact nobody
wanted these goods. Last year the Amer
lean Tobacco Co. took over the largest
share of the Wisconsin filler crop, which
was put through special curing pro-
cess before packing in order to prevent
the usual damage above complained Of.
This season, however, up pops number
of buyers and enter hot campaign to
secure the filters packers have under
contract, and prices have gone soaring
in consequence. The most reasonable
solution for the conditions above out
lined is that the demand comes from
manufacturers of a combination brand
of chewing and smoking tobacco which
has become very popular, the trade in.
creasing far beyond the ability of the
manufacturers to secure the raw mater
ial. So long as the cigar cuttings could
be obtained they supplied the necessary
stock to absorb the havoring and sweet
ening in the manipulation of the brand,
but when the trade outgrew the supply
of cuttings, and cigar cuttings too ad-
vanced to 10 or II cents per pound, man.
ufacturers turned their attention to the
light, thin Wisconsin filler as the next
best stock suitable to their needs Our
filters being especially light and fimsy
this year, were especially desirable and
the manufacturers went after the goods
regardless of price. What seems to be
particularly wanted is tobacco without
substance or flavor that will help fill out
large, bulky package of manufactured
goods, and as the public demand has be-
come enormous for the ombination
brand of smoking and chewing, new
market is opened up for Wisconsin filters
and one that may prove exceedingly
profitable in the future.
| *x*
| There promises to be another skirmish
| this winter against the proposition OF
| the administration to reduce the duties
on Philippine tobacco entering the U. S.
The congressional junket that visited
| the Philippines during the past summer
has perhaps returned with too generous
views regarding our Asiatie possessions.
If such be the case, tobacco growers
throughout New England. Pennsylvania.
| New York, Wisconsin and Ohio may find
exceedingly rough Shedding when con-
gress convenes; even more SO than they
! experienced last winter in fighting the
attempt to lower the duty. The New
| England Homestead consistently stands
| firm against any national legislation that
will hurt the interests of our tobacco
growers. They have enough to contend
with in hail losses, the labor question
and the growing domination of the trust
without additional worry of the market
being flooded with cheap Oriental leaf.
Writing this journal Pres. FL. S. Frye of
the New England Tobacco Growers as
sociation reiterates his former views up
on this question. Says he: "The plat
! form I stand on is this: [ am, and always
will be, opposed to any measure which |
believe or have good reason to think will
| injure the tobacco interests of New Eng
| laed. will do all in my power to defeat
such measure. Yet if fully convinced
that the proposed legislation will not
|! and cnnnot injure the interests OF our
growers to any appreciable extent, |
shall say so honestly and squarely. The
Philippine question is entirely different
from the one presented when the Cuban
duty was lowered had no doubt that
the proposed reduction in Cuban tobac-
CO could injure our growers to any eX-
tent. In the Philippine case it seems to
me simply large reduction (or no tariff
uOW, OE wall q lIbCIC OFCI OAlCC Oolo W
'O9, when the duty may be cut off alto
gether Free tobacco and cigars from
| the Philippines may prove to be quite
an injury to our farmers, especially if, as
| I fear, the same be exploited by the to-
bacco trust. New England Homestead.
~
A committee representing the Cuban
economic corporations visited President
Palma on October 18th and informed
| him that committee had been appoint
ed by these corporations to draw up a
new treaty of commerce and navigation
with the United States, which would
have fuller scope than the present treaty
Cuba granting larger preference TO the
United States in return for further
American tariff concessions on sugar
and tobacco. The committee asked
President Palma for government support
for the reason that it is feared that ii
free trade between the Unifed States
and Philippines is granted it may in
crease the production of Philippine su-
gar and result in smaller American TAX
of bo C,1bap produpt President