The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1905-04-21
NOTE BOOK SKETCHES

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Coming events cast their shadows be-
fore' is an old saying that has long been
recognized as carrying considerable force
in the business world. Those who read
the signs Alright are already predicting
that if the 1905 tobacco crop gives the
expected promise there will be livelier
times during the buying season than
was ever before witnessed in this state,
in which buying in the field will form a
prominent part. Under any event the
coming crop may not equal in size that
of some other years or produce any ex-
cess of suitable leaf for binder needs of
the market. The incentive therefore to
be early in the field will be strong one
which many of the large operators can
scarcely resist, and the old scene of
buying green tobacco will probably be
re. enacted. Already some of the largest
firms have commenced to organize for
the coming campaign. Buyers in the
different sections are being engaged for
the season, to commence July 1st, soon
after the crop is planted. They are ex
pected from that time on to keep tab on
the growing crop, a record of the most
prominent fields, and be prepared to
start the ball rolling when the order is
given to commence buying operations.
Such careful plans laid so far in advance
is q pretty sure indication there will be
something doing" very early in the to-
bacco fields. The grower who is able to
produce good crop of tobacco in 1905
may be considered fortunate farmer.
*.*
On complaint made to the Commis-
sioner, it was held that where grower
or person located in one of the tobacco
growing states has bought five crops of
tobacco while the same was growing in
the fields, and it is now said that this
party is curing up this tobacco and SELL
ing it at retail. The person making this
complaint asks whether the exemption
clause in the law as to farmers and
growers of tobacco would apply to the
person purchasing and selling leaf to-
bacco in that manner. He was advised
that in aformer decision of the Commits
sioner it was held that where grower
of tobacco sells his crop before it is sew
cred from the land to another person
such purchaser would not be privileged
to sell the tobacco to consumers with
out payment of the internal revenuc
tax; and in this case the party does not
appear, to have acquired ownership OF
interest ID the tobacco until he purchas
ed it as growing crop, and under these
circumstances the Commissioner holds
that he is not the farmer and grower o1
the tobacco in the sense that the Law
contemplates, and in order to dispose oi
it he must qualify as dealer in leaf to-
bacco.
All indications point TO more broad
leaf being raised in New England this
year than was produced in 1904. This
statement is of significance when it il
remembered that last year saw the big
gest crop of broad leaf for many seasons
There is no doubt but that the broad
leaf fever has struck the Connection
valley with all force. However there il
vast dissimilarity between the existing
craze for broad leaf, and that prevailing
during the gala days of tent tobacco, fol
the reason there is an exceedingly gooc
demand for the former at present, where
as the tent craze was not supported by {
comprehensive inquiry from buyers The
leading section of New England fol
broad-leaf is the East Hartford anC
Windsor districts of Connecticut. Fol
several miles along the east side of the
river that type of tobacco grows at its
best. Buyers focked there last year
early in the season so as to be ready to
contract ahead. However, other parts
of the valley extending up into Massa
chusetts are adapted to the production
of broad leaf, and in these sections the
tendency seems to be to cut down lit
leaf acreage.
***
Another view of the anti cigarette leg
islation recently enacted in this state is
given by the u. S. Tobacco Journal:
Wisconsin's legislature is being criti-
cised rather sharply and Indignantly in
trade circles on account of it's radical
and absurd anti cigarette bill, the full
text of which is published in another
place. Considering that Wisconsin is
the largest cigar leaf growing State in
the Union, the idea that it should an
athamize smoking in any shape or form
is too grotesque not to arouse that kind
of ridicule that will make it the laugh.
ing stock Of the country. Suppose the
states that grow cigarette tobacco and
the other Southern states out of sym
pathy with them should lay similar
embargo on the manufacture and sale
and the mere giving away of cigars, what
would become of the great source oi
Wisconsin's wealth, its cigar leaf cul-
ture? Would not the same hayseeds OF
rural legislators rise in wrath and pro-
test and denunciation of such ridicu-
lous and childish measure, beneath the
contemplation of serious mind? For q
cigarette is as little injurious to health
and life. and about as much subversive
of good morals and high ethics as a ci-
gar with Wisconsin binder, or che
root and stogie with Wisconsin wrap
per, or scrap chewing tobacco manufac-
tured wholly of Wisconsin leaf There
is as little accounting for the perverse
Judgment of the representatives of Wis
consin cigar leaf growers in their legis-
lative accommodation of the cigarette