The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1909-06-11
NOTE BOOK SKETCHES

The planting of the new crop has
started in moderate way but long
season of cold rains during the week
has interfered materially with the work
of preparing the fields and also delayed
the transplanting which might be well
under way. All this time the plants
are gaining in size, though the cool
weather has checked their growth some
what, but the continuous rains are lead
ing to another misfortune, it is feared
the rotting of the plants in some OF
the more forward beds. Clearing
weather now is only needed to see the
planting season under full swing. The
soil is in most excellent shape for the
early roofing of the plants as soon as
they are transplanted to the field, but
as matters now stand growers will have
plenty of hustling times ahead until the
crop is safely pitched in the fields.
There ought to be an abundance of
plants ready for the intended acreage
by the time the farmer can get around
to attend to the transplanting.
The tobacco schedule in the Payne
Aldrich tariff bill was reached in the
senate just before adjournment on FRI
day and adopted in about ten minutes
without change as reported from the
Senate Finance committee. The only
particular feature of the schedule is
the fact that the senate struck out the
increased duties on Turkish imports
which the house put on in response to
the pleas of the Virginia congressman,
and which the Virginia and Kentucky
senators sought to restore by amend
ments. Although Senator Beveridge
of Indiana and Senator Paynter of Ken
lucky had asked some time ago that
the tobacco schedule be passed over,
neither of the gentlemen raised their
voices when the schedule was reached.
The passing of the tobacco schedule
does not, however, free the trade from
the anxiety which it has undergone
since the tariff measure was first taken
up last November, for Beveridge's
amendments making wholesale in
crease in the internal revenue rates on
cigars, cigarettes and all other tobacco
products, and Senator Bradley's and
Paynter's amendments for the free leaf
proposition, and Senator Scott's efforts
| for the increased duty on briar wood
niDes, are vet to be considered. They
will come up when all the customs fea-
lures of the bill are cotton out of the
way. The duty on licorice is also yet
to come up. Briefly, the situation is
4 70 od
bacco schedule of the Payne bill, elm
mating the paragraph which would have
increased the duty on Turkish tobacco
and leaving the import duties on all to-
baccO products exactly as they are
under the existing tariff. The adoption
of that schedule, however, does not af-
feet the Philippine section, which is to
be taken up next week. Nor does it
affect the proposition to increase the
internal revenue taxes on tobacco pro-
ducts, which subject is still under dis
cusSion.
An exhaustive report containing
huge amount of information regarding
the prices of tobacco in the United
States has been sent to the senate by
President Taft. This information is
submitted in response to resolution
introduced by Mr.. Beveridge. 1t is
stated that the bureau of corporations
has in preparation complete report
covering the subject of the prices OF to-
bacco and the operations of corpora
tions, the information for which was
secured in accordance with the law Gre
ating the bureau. The more important
material showing<in substance the re-
suits of the investigation, is included In
| preliminary report. Commissioner
| Smith says that any consideration of
| the subject of the tobacco industry dur
| ing recent years is necessarily largely
consideration of the relation of the to-
| bacco combination to the industry. 1t is
stated that combination controls sub
stantially three-fourths of the business
of manufacturing tobacco, other than
cigars, in the United States. To show
| the extent of this business it is stated
that the output of the Independent con-
Germs, excluding cigars, now amounts
| to S35, 100000 per year. According to
the report, the American Tobacco Co.
and other companies in the combination
have given the bureau full and ready
| access to their hooks and records.
Tables are included in the report show
| ing the remarkable increase of profits
| to the concerns in the tobacco combina-
| ton from 1890 to 1907 inclusive.
| Suppose that the provision in the
| Forthcoming tariff act for the free adj
mission of any quantity of Philippine
cigars is passed, as it will undoubtedly
pass, since the trade has offered itself
| as voluntary sacrifice on the altar of
broken pledges by the withdrawal of its
opposition, who will be it's immediate
beneficiary? It is no secret that the
moment this provision was embodied in
the Payne bill officials of the United
Cigar Stores Co. left for the Philippine
Islands for the purpose Of contracting
| for the entire amount of Philippine CT
gars that would be permitted to come
in free. 1t is our government who
! alone is creating this new source of