The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1911-12-01
NOTE BOOK SKETCHES


The government statistical depart
ment estimates the average price that
| the present crop of Wisconsin tobacco
| has sold for to date somewhere from
9a to 81 cents per pound, which is a
| somewhat higher figure than the aver
age of series of years. But for the
storm and grasshopper affections in the
southern part of the state, the price
would have equalled the famous 1906
crop These figures ought to appeal
quite strongly to growers that the bus
mess is in a healthy condition, and as
the crop promises to be closely cleaned
| up the prospects for the future are es-
pecially bright.
-
The quite general disappointment
over the final disposition of the 'litiga-
tion in the tobacco trust cases seems
likely to end in some amendments of
the Sherman antitrust law by con-
gress. Ex-President Roosevelt takes a
somewhat emphatic position when he
saws: ''In the case of the tobacco
trust, for instance, the settlement in
the circuit, court, in which the repre-
sentatives of the government seem in
clined to concur, practically leaves all
of the companies still substantially
under the control of the twenty-nine
original defendants. Such result is
lamentable from the standpoint of JUS
tice. The decision of the circuit court,
If allowed to stand, means that the to-
bacco trust has merely to change it's
clothes, that none of the real offenders
have received any real punishment,
while, as the New York Times, pro-
trust paper, says, the tobacco concerns
in their new clothes are in position of
ease and luxury and immune from
prosecution under the law Surely
miscarriage of justice is not too strong
term to apply to such result when
considered in connection with what the
supreme court said of this trust. A
trust guilty Of such conduct should be
absolutely disbanded, and the only way
to prevent repetition of such conduct
is by strict government supervision,
and not merely by laws.
Xxx
Believing that the litigation so far as
shes government is concerned is ended,
the, big tobacco trust is preparing to
carry out the mandates of the court
and the work of dividing up and seq
regating the business of sixty or more
subsidiary concerns into fourteen diff
ferent companies, strictly in line with
the courts rules, is one involving a
vast amount of detail. The principal
interest, of course, is in the fact that
each of the companies is to be provid
ed with full equipment of officials,
and as three of the companies are to be
about third the size of the present
American Tobacco Co., it is an evident
fact that some pretty choice jobs are
to be handed out. Besides president,
vice-president, etc., each of the COM
panies will have chief for it's cigar
cite, plug and smoking tobacco depart
ments, which positions will require
| highly trained men and will pay large
salaries. 1t is understood that not only
have the officials of the new companies
| (which, however, have not yet organ
! ized) been selected, but that the chiefs
| OF the various departments of each of
/ the companies have been chosen. 1t is
understood that j. 3. Duke will con-
| tinue, temporarily at least, in the pres
idency of the American Tobacco Co.
| and that P S. Hill will remain as vice
president of that concern. Another
rumor that seems to have substantial
backing, is that C. c.. Dula, now vice
president of the American Tobacco Co.,
and in charge Of the plug selling de-
partment, will be president of the Lig-
gett & Myers Tobacco Co. Thomas j.
Maloney, a director of the present
| American Tobacco Co., it is understood,
has been selected for the P. Lorillard
Co. 1t is also rumored that either w.
w. Fuller or Junius Parker, of the le-
gal department, will retire to private
practice. The heads of the various de-
partments of the companies to be or
| ganized will be made vice-presidents of
! their concerns. A great deal of inter-
| est has been expressed in the trade as
| to the disposition of the cigar end of
the business, especially as to what will
| become of the Havana American Co.
and the Havana Tobacco Co. 1t has
| been learned that both of these COM
| panies will remain exactly as they are
| now; that is, subsidiary corporations of
the American Cigar Co., which, in turn,
| will be subsidiary of the American
Tobacco Co. The American Cigar Co.
| WILL however, dispose of it's interest in
the Federal Cigar Co. and in the Porto
Rican-A American Tobacco Co.
Lancaster county, one of the coun-
try's greatest leaf districts, is to have
its first tobacco show the second Mon
day of February. It will open not only
to members of the association. but to