The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1915-01-01
NOTE BOOK SKETCHES

We surrender this column to re-
view of the tobacco trade from the
standpoint of the eastern centers, be-
lieving our readers will be interested
in learning the business conditions from
the consuming end of the line, as re-
viewed by theINew York Tobacco Leaf:
The year 1914, now drawing to close,
has been comparatively uneventful so
far as the tobacco trade is concerned.
The fact that it was not what might be
termed a 'money-making year. is
hardly worthy of comment because a
number of years have gone by since
the tobacco business was money
making business. Not that the tobac-
co man, any more than the shoe man
or the shoe man, is in business merely
as q pastime, but the possibilities Of
amassing large fortunes out of the
handling of tobacco have been inconsid-
cradle for a decade past, and the aver
age merchant, manufacturer or grower
today hardly hopes to get much more
than fairly good living out of his bus
mess.
With the exception of the farmer,
every one concerned with the produc-
ton, handling or use of domestic cigar
leaf tobacco for binder or filler pur-
poses will look back upon the year 1914
as period of stress and dissatisfaction
1t has been year of hard work under
discouraging conditions, and OF small
and inadequate profits, or OF no profits
at ALL The merchandise in the hands
of the leaf merchants and packers at
the beginning of the year had been
bought from the farmers at high prices.
Business generally has been depressed,
owing to the uncertainty caused by
tariff changes and the general unset
tied political and economic conditions
prevailing in the United States, and
this depression was aggravated and ex-
tended by the outbreak of war in Eu-
rope The cigar making industry has
suffered in common with others, and as
result the leaf merchants have been
compelled to offer high priced wares to
an industry that was in the throes OF
depression and in no position to absorb
them properly December finds the
leaf trade still in the possession of a
much larger portion of the stocks it
owned at the beginning of the year
than is usual. This year inherited from
last year binder shortage, and the
1914 crops did little in mitigating this
shortage. Binder stocks, therefore,
were taken up by the manufacturers
because they had to have them, but the
high prices. necessary to let the packer
out without a loss, were paid grudg-
sxon,1xy rse ntofN, nf fiHn1a CfAalr.-Z
which included the bulk of good, desir-
able filler-were also in demand. but in
general those houses featuring filler
types have not disposed of their wares
yet. And it may be said also that the
manufacturers bought not only grudr'-
ingly but sparingly. The money mar
kets have not been in state that en-
couraged heavy purchasing, and for the
most part manufacturers have bought
only for the purpose of supplying their
immediate needs. This fact, Of course,
has it's bright side. Manufacturers are
not we'll supplied with stocks, and as
soon as business picks up with them
they will undoubtedly have to come to
the leaf market for larger supply. AS
the tobacco business is dependent upon
the general prosperity Of the country,
there is good room to believe that as
soon as business throughout the coun-
try becomes better the cigar industry
will come into it's own again.
XIX
The need for binders above referred
to caused the rapid absorption during
the year of the bulk of the 1913 Con-
necticut Havana Seed. Eighty-fve per
IF fbo avon iC sold +0 bo a1r IN
manufacturers hands. Some defects
were found, such as shortness of leaf,
lightness of body, ETC., but the tobacco
had quality. 1t is doubtful, however,
if the packers found it a very profit
able crop, in spite of the fact that they
were obliged to ask enormous figures
for it. The manufacturers. who paid
prices that ought to be paid for only
the primest crops ever raised in Con-
necticut, certainly will not find it a
proft-maker. The Broadleaf also has
been nearly all sold, at high prices, but
at small profit. Wisconsin has held
the center Of the stage this fall. By
no means all of it has gone into the
hands of manufacturers, probably &c
per cent of the crop remaining now or
the market. Some damage was founc
that reduced the binder production, anC
again the resulting high prices carried
a small profit for the packers.
The Flying Squadron, which will soor
make whirlwind campaign through
the state of Kentucky, will, it is
thought, take up the matter of state
wide law prohibiting the use of tobacco
in any form. At the recent annual
meeting of the Kentucky Woman s
Christian Temperance Union, held at
Winchester, Clark county, strong reso-
lutions were passed by the convention
opposing the use of the weed on the
grounds of morality and the general
benefit of the people. The Flying
Squadron will probably follow this lead
and it is likely that prohibition of the
use of both liquor and tobacco will De
discussed and advocated. Many states
have anti-cigarette laws = practically
all of which are dead-letters as far as