The daily morning journal and courier., 1906-08-24
THIS IS A CRUCIAL YEAR
IN THE CIGAR ANUFACTURING
 INDUSTRY.

AHree AiteEh"tA"SS AH"e SVhaAOhl the
 Trade = These Are DispassiOnateIy
 Onsfdered--Maintenan of Quality.
 "The Tobacco Leaf" the leading and most influential journal in the tobacco trade throughout the country, has the following of special interest in New Haven:
 A TIME FOR COOPERATION.
 There can be no doubt but that 1906 is to be crucial year for the cigar manufacturing industry With an ex- ceptionally short crop of Havana to- lbacco and with prices as 6 natural consequence abnormally high, the manufacturer of cigars faces the most serious crisis with which he has been confronted in many years.
 The great checker game of 1906 is now on, and it is time for the cigar manufacturer to choose his play. There are three moves open to him. He can use cheaper and poorer stock in the manufacture of his product and maintain his present rate of profit; he can use good and expensive material without altering his prices on the fin- ished article, and lose money; or he can maintain the quality of his cigar, increase his price to the buyer, and thereby make legitimate profit or at least come out even at the end of the year.
 At best the board presents a vexa- tious problem.Tt would seem to us, however, that the third proposition is the best move, and we are confident that after due reflection any subtan- tial business man will agree that this should be the policy of every reputable house.
 We are fully cognizant of the la mentable fact that for any cigar man. ufacturer to raise the price on his pro- duct is more easily said than done. The kind of buyer who looks more to the price than the quality is altogether too common in our industry and with competition keen as razor's edge, his influence is felt adversely throughout the trade.
 It is cur sincere belief, however, that ] the quality seekers are in the majori- ty, and we are convinced that if the 1 buyers as a body were brought face to face with the question of paying more and maintaining quality or paying present prices and losing quality, they would choose the former alternative. | The real merchants of our industry and by this we mean jobbers and deal- CTS as well as manufacturers-wh have spent years in building up a rep utation for honest goods by means of persistent efforts, can poorly afford to
 have their good standing swept away in few months through their failure to meet the expectations of their cus- toners.
 This is the time when all branches of our cigar industry should work togeth- CT, each cooperating for the good of the whole We believe that all of the principal cigar manufacturers are eager to maintain the standard of their product this year, and we also believe that they will make the effort; but without the cooperation of the buyers the fight will be a hard one, if not quite impossible of success. On the other hand, if the men who buy the finished product will meet the manu- facturer half way, the situation can be greatly relieved.
 Let the cigar buyer cease his clamor- ling for gratis deals, extra samples, un- reasonable discounts, special sizes and impossible prices, and the ship of our industry will weather the gale of 1906, and reach the harbor of another and a more bounteous year in safety with credit to itself and with benefit to eve rybody, from the man who smokes to the former who grows the leaf.