The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1911-02-03
NOTE BOOK SKETCHES


The deliveries of last seasons tobac-
co have proceeded far enough so that a
pretty fair idea of the character and
condition of the crop may be gained.
There seems to be no fault to be found
in the general condition of the tobacco
as it reaches the warehouses. The most
OF it is in fine packing condition except
possibly that first removed from the
sheds was not allowed to reach high
enough case. Except in the very lat
est crops no fat or heavy stems are to
be found. AS the tobacco goes over
the sorting tables, however, there are
some disappointments for the packers.
The leaf is not as high colored as it
promised to be when viewed in the
sheds and will run to darker shades
quite largely. Neither is it as thin as
was looked for in a quickly grown crop.
There will necessarily be quite large
percentage of B grades and the leaf
generally thicker than is desirable for
fancy binders. This seems to be the
verdict of the first opinion of packers
who have started warehouse handling.
The work has hardly proceeded far
enough to determine what percentage
Of rags" the crop will yield in pre-
pairing it for the cases.
**
The proposition of the Burley society
not to raise crop in 1911 is meeting
with some strong opposition among the
farmers of Kentucky, as is voiced by
the following letter to the Lexington
Herald, signed by ''An Old Tobacco
Grower
1--WE very strongly oppose the move
ment to cut out the 1911 crop. Among
many reasons let us give a few, viz. /:
Contracts with tenants to raise tobacco
have generally been made. 1t would
drive many tenants and their employees
out of the state. 1t would extend to
other sections of the country the pro-
ducing of tobacco, and make it much
more difficult to control, either arti-
ficially or naturally, the supply, and,
consequently, the price, and each new
cut out or pooling would make the sit
uation worse, until at last we would
entirely lose our advantage or present
partial monopoly of the business.
Again, the originators of this move
ment, who know full we'll that only a
part of the growers are in favor of it,
place their main reliance for success on
the intimidation of those who wish to
raise, and who, if they assert their
legal rights, can only be prevented
from producing by violence. 1t then
becomes threat to the peace and or
der of community, and may produce
reign of lawlessness and violence.
Can patriotic citizen risk such an ex-
pertinent? But we can not permanent
ly better our position by a cut out or
pool, for both are based upon false or
mistaken understanding of economic
laws Artificial control of the market,
where there is no monopoly of produc-
ton, can only temporarily raise prices,
while it's final results are harmful
and disastrous. 1t continually stlm-
ulates overproduction, and increases
the difficulty of disposing of the pro-
duct. These are the economic results,
but otherwise it brings on whole
train of evil consequences. 1t inter
feres with the renting and manage
ment of land. It vastly increases the
burdens of insurance. 1t incites vio-
lence- especially in its cut-out form.
It increases expenses. It tends to pro-
duce graft and gross abuses in manage
ment. 1t interferes with and tries to
control our political affairs. 1t tries to
intimidate courts and to pass vicious
legislation. 1t incites bad feeling
among neighbors and keeps business
and public mind in state of perpetual
unrest and disquiet. It breeds the So
cialistic idea that majority has the
moral right, and finally the legal right,
to control private business. We Will
never have peace until tobacco, like all
other commodities, is allowed to stand
on it's own merits and is controlled IN
its production and consumption by the
natural law of supply and demand. Let
US in the meantime give our whole
moral prestige, by word and act, in
favor of the reasonable control OF the
CTuSIS anu the dDOlfClOll VI uiOllOpOiy.
~
Under the recent internal revenue
law all leaf dealers were required to
register and take out a license as such
within thirty days of last July. Where
that has not been done the dealer is
liable to fine of $50, but the secratary
of the treasury has the privilege of
compromising where he is satisfied the
government interests will be served
without proceeding to the full extent
of the law.
Tobacco trade statistics show that
per cent of pure Havana cigar stock
should be wrappers, while the treasury
department figures show a fraction
under one-fifth of ] per cent of the
Cuban importations classified as and
paying duties as wrappers. 1t is be-
| lieved, according to the advance re-
ports, these importations have been
admitted under classification which IN
the fiscal year ended June 80, 1909, de
prived the custom house OF between