The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1906-08-10
NOTE BOOK SKETCHES


In some respects the present season is
shaping up very similar to that of a year
ago. When the buying of tobacco in the
fields commenced a year ago this week,
good share of the crop was small and
not particularly attractive. but soaking
rains came in the nick of time and the
later fields came on with phenomenal
growth, making some Of the best tobac-
co of the year. We have already had
the general rains needed to mature the
early tobacco and to bring on the be-
lated fields, and if suitable weather con-
ditions should follow it seems quite
probable that the uneven fields will
come forward and yet make desirable
leaf. 1t is the quick grown tobacco that
is most in demand for binder purposes,
and if we have repetition of year ago
all will be we'll. Tobacco is such re-
cuperative plant that often times few
weeks of the right kind of weather
brings some surprising results even
when failure seemed inevitable. So far
the tobacco growing districts have es-
capped disastrous hail and wind storms
almost altogether which is always count
ed to overtake Is to 25 per cent of every
crop. But the harvest is not over yet
though these violent storms usually
come the latter part of July and the first
weeks of August
Xxx
At fair estimate there is not less
than $1,O00,000 invested in tobacco ware
houses and equipment in this congress
sional district; add to this the amount
locked up in curing sheds on farms and
you place another million to the invest
ment. Then when you consider the
growers of the district are paid better
than a million dollars annually for their
tobacco and million more is paid out
each year for labor in handling this pro-
duct you gain an idea of what this to-
bacco industry means to the limited por-
tion of this district. Surely it is of
enough Importance to deserve the atten-
5ionaof our member of congress who is
generally supposed to look after the
things material in his district. 1t is with
shame, however that we have to confess
that our representative, Mr.. Cooper, is
willing to sacrifice this great industry to
maudlin sentiment Of a greater duty
to the Malay race in the Philippines
And be it said to his discredit that he
was the only member Of the state dele
cation who could so far forget his own
interests lay with those of his constit-
uents. When the Philippine bill was up
before congress The Reporter rendered
Mr.. Cooper an opportunity to defend his
position and though he agreed to do so,
be failed utterly to defend his course.
Under these circumstances it is incon-
ceivable how anyone connected with the
tobacco industry or the beet sugar in
dustry even can support Mr.. Cooper for
reelection. More than that, they should
exert every effort to encompass his de-
feat.
A very peculiar state of affairs pre-
walls in the tobacco regions of Wlscon
sin at this present writing. For some
reason, which no one thus far has tried
to explain, tobacco packers have appear
ed there, and are trying to buy up the
tobacco crop of 1906, which last week
had not yet all been planted. Nc agri-
cultural crop is more subject to the
eventualltes of the season than tobacco.
1t may be injured by dozen causes be-
tween planting and harvesting time.
Cut-worms. caterpillars, feas, grashop-
pers, floods, drouth, winds and hail may
come upon it and partially or entirely
ruin it. 1t may promise an abundant
crop today, and on the morrow be ire
trlevably ruined. Yet, in spite of all
these drawbacks. more than hundred
spectators or tobacco gamblers, if they
may be so termed, have been riding
the tobacco growing counties of Dane,
Vernon and Crawford, offering twelve
and fifteen cents per pound for crops
that have hardly started to grow. Some
valleys have already been flooded by
heavy rains, and in o'hers drouth has
prevailed. 1t is SAL hat some who sold
their crops at fifteen cents had not even
planted it all, and were chasing around
fer plants. Such condition of things
does not promise well There will be
disappointed men, and the proba bilities
are they will be found on both sides of
the issue. Even the Wisconsin tobacco
papers do not look upon the situation
with favor, and one of them suggests
that it would be good thing all around
if the buyers could be induced to 60 fish
ing for a month or so and give the farm
ers chance to get their bearings. The
tobacco business the country over has
been in an exceptionally favorable con-
dition for several years Nothing will
will reverse this condition of things SO
quickly than such wildcating. -Lancas-
ter Pa New Era.
~
Simply phenomenal is the record Of
internal revenue returns for the fiscal
year ending June 80 last. For it shows
most remarkable, and in some in
stances, an unprecedented advance in
the productions of our cigar, cigarette