The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1911-05-26

WaIlL Oh pldUIS. Liz OuCSOAAC ~ oa.S
tobacco crop depends upon the prevail
ing weather conditions, as IN every
other crop from Mother Earth.
***
1t is somewhat amazing the amount
OF misinformation that can be given on
subjects where the writer bases his
statements on hearsay talk. The fol-
lowing sample is what Stoughton cor
respondent sends out regarding the
American Tobacco Co.:
Evidence developed in the New York
hearing that the Standard Oil company
owned the majority of the stock IN the
American Tobacco company and that
this latter concern owns a majority OF
the stock in the American Cigar COM
pany and the United Cigar Manufact-
urers. All the companies are subserv-
lent to the American Tobacco company
and the depressing influence OF the
trust can be traced into every tobacco
section of Wisconsin. Local dealers
have been eliminated or employed by
the trust at the trusts own rates. The
many warehouses in which were gangs
of sorters have been closed except for
storage of cases, the property OF the
trust. Stoughton, for instance, where
600 or more were employed as sorters
and packers, now barely uses 25O sort
ers for few months annually. Much
of the cheaper leaf was shipped last
year and this year to outside points for
handling. Whether these various sub
sidiary companies will be compelled to
act independently of each other remains
vet to be seen, should the decision be
adverse, as anticipated. It is estimated
that the trust has cost Dane county a
million dollars annually in depression of
prices below what they might have
been.
While the writer has no desire to de-
fend the tobacco trust, in the interests
of the truth we are compelled to say
there was never any testimony brought
out in the trust cases that connected
either the Standard Oil or the United
Cigar Manufacturers Co. with the
American Tobacco Co. AS to whether
the tobacco trust has depressed the
prices of Wisconsin leaf or not the
growers are best able to judge. The
general impression is that the Amerl-
can has set the limit on prices for late
years and been good angel to the
farmers of this state. 1t has also TAX
en- unlimited quantities of low grade
leaf that might have been hard to mar
ket but for this outlet. Whatever
crimes are charged against the tobacco
trust in other quarters, it cannot truth
fully be said it has not been generous
to the Wisconsin growers since it es-
tablished business here. If anyone has
reason to complain it is the Independent
dealers who have been up against 9
harder competition on account of the
prices established.
~
From figures compiled from the late
census, tobacco was grown by 1886
farms in Wisconsin, or So per cent OF
the whole number in the state in 1909,
as against Al per cent in 1899. The
number of acres harvested was 40, 45e
in 1909. The quantity produced was
46, 9O9, 182 pounds in 1909. Of the i'm
proved farm land in the state, 0.3 per
cent was devoted to this crop in both
1909 and 1899. The per cent of increase
in the acreage of tobacco, between 1895
and 1909, was 1876 The average yield
per acre was 1884 pounds and the
average value per acre S95.28, IN 1909.
There is a movement among num-
ber of tobacco growers in York county,
Pa, to effect an organization which
will have for its object the barring OF
dealers who violate their contracts.
York county growers say they suffered
considerably this year through the
failure of number Of buyers to take
the crops after they had contracted fol
them and they are determined here
after to sell to only those dealers who
have regulations of dealing honestly
with the farmers. 1t is said that q
number of farmers are contemplating
the bringing of suits against dealers
who did not live up to their contracts.