Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1916-11-30
CARS ARE GOING Up
hg Cost of Production
kes Advance Imperative.
|ucrcnsc in Fifty Ncars-W OGDEN
Inns Cases, CbecsecIOtb under
hicb Leaf Is Grown, FERTILE
crs, Etc, Cost More.

ased activity in other industries
adu Dor in the tobacco growing
scarce, and the price OF lanor
etcntedly nigh. The wooden cases
|ch domestic tobacco is packed t"e
cIoth under which shadeErown
!, is grown, fertilizers necessary 10
II. iInplcments used in cultivation
have advanced And IL Cuna the
boom in sugar has diverted aSri-
lists to that industry ana created
1are of good Havana leaf
result is that all kinds NJ lear
q used for cigar purposes IN this
v have gone skyward.
manufacturers. therefore. are
more for leaf tobacco than ever
in the history Of the industry, and'
hilton to this, the price of cigar
labels, workmanship and all other
of operating have increased
ndously.
upshot Of it is that. while even oe-
he war began large proportion
nufacturers were. at the best lhst
breaking even on their investment
hev find themselves actually ana
without exception PLAYING a losing
ultimate consequence is that with
Inv concerted or organized move
cigar manufacturers everywhere
ither advancing prices on their
outright or arc reducing the sue
various brands and shares that
make.
course, there was another alterna-
|namel, to change the composition
cigar and by using cheaper ana
nr tobacco 10 reduce the cost or
elton. The better class Of manu-
|rers, however. has refused absolute
consider such recourse taV1nG
wears in esta blishing their brands
maintaining them AZ UNIFORM
V. even in the face ot many
.,lties. they propose to uphold ana
hue the quality of their product
mailer rluralities.
the first time in the history Of THIS
nv. with the possible exception nj
fivil War period retail prices oi
are going up
. I cigar smokers have enjoyed a hall
~ of respite from price iluctuation
because the cost Of production has
ned stationary during all these
Operating expenses and tho prices
Sx materials have gone up and down
" IN in the cigar business, the same
anv other business. But there are
hhings which have tended tn keer
|etail prices Of cigars uniform; first
hse Of the fixed habit of paying 4
| slx-for-a quarter. thiee-for-a
| er. ten cents straight. and SO on up
cigars. without any intermediate
5: and second. because tobacco IL
+ally classified as a luxury and no
tessitY
! Sc two circumstances have mad
manufacturers and cigar store keep
bath to disturb the equanimity of tn
| er during all these years. ever
|gh there have been many OCCASION
! the cigar manufa cturing trade gen
h has found its yearly balance t.
h the wrong side of the ledger.
far back as ten years ago the prof
gar manufacturing had been reduce
|uch an extent that only the mos
|cious operators found the bushes
table. These conditions continue
kessively and when the European
began, two and one-half years age
Situation became even more acute.
lis true that the great war has no
krially increased the expectation q
[r Cuban or American leaf tobacC
lurope. but il has advanced the cos
|irtually every element entering int
manufacturing.
lis recognized by manufacturers tina
retailer cannot be expected to stan
increase. Owing to severe competi
and high rentals the thousands e
Hers throughout the country for
time have been finding it very diff
to make ends meet Operating, a
are. on a precariously narrow mar
|of profit, they could scarcely surVlN
he advance in cost were to be take
of their small earnings
|e increase. therefore, whether in m
b of an outright raise in price or b
ling smaller cigars, must he PAID f6
| he smoker.
is believed that the consumer vi
|pt the upward tendency as graciousl
he has accepted increases on almo'
Nv other article of general consumI
neither or no, he Will have to begl
Ing more for his favorite brand Z
|rs now, or if not now, in the noa
I re. Tobacco Leaf.