The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1917-04-13
NOTE BOOK SKETCHES

CuocC VI OtuSI ClSdA lSdl PAOOuSLiiS
states cannot recall a time when there
was such an active demand for any
class of leaf used by the manufactur-
ing trade as at the present time. The
large concerns have their feelers out
everywhere securing options and TAX
| ing over every bit of old or new tobac-
co that can be uncovered in country
hands. The local packer who has not
already sold his packings of the 1916
crop or has not been opportuned by at
tractive offers by an agent for the
larger manufacturers or eastern job
bers is rarity. The result OF this un-
usual haste to comb the local markets
for both old and new goods looks very
much like a part of the original pro-
gram of the big concerns to corner the
unnaanufactured stocks of the country.
Anyone who has followed the market
| conditions for the past few years could
discern such an opportunity coming,
for a shortage in cigar leaf stocks was
the big fellows are able to take advan-
tage of the situation. Only last week,
however, one of the New York trade
papers claimed the larger manufactur-
ing concerns were we'll fortified and did
not need to worry about the stocks
they have since been grabbing off.
-
With the bulk of the visible supply
of cigar leaf in the hands of the big
operators who are all the time getting
Ia stronger grasp on the situation, the
lquestion is what the small and medium
sized manufacturers are going to live
on for the coming year-for the fight
for their existence is now on. Draw
ing their supplies from the jobber US
ually as he needs them, and with the
jobbing trade largely shut out of the
market, if the, goods are to be found,
what kind of war prices must they pay
for them? 1t is almost certainty that
this class of cigar manufacturers will
find a harder road to traved for the
next year or SO than ever. The price
of both foreign and domestic leaf is all
the time advancing, as well as shop ex
penses, so their profits are becoming
less unless the manufactured cigars are
proportionately advanced, which is a
difficult thing for small factory to do.
The days of the small shop seem to be
numbered while the quantity producers
will succeed to their trade.
50
1t is something new, too, for packers
to be able to reduce their holdings be-
fore it has passed through the first
sweat which is always the critical test
in determining it's quality. The dam
packing has often meant severe loss
and risk which the dealer always dis
counts. This year when sales are made
at packed weights and no guarantee of
soundness at sampling time, the packer
is able to balance his books and carry
forward a profit months in advance of
the usual time. For once packers are
making good, round cleanup and can
feel as happy and contented as the av
erage grower.
~
The certainty that, doing their best,
the growers of filler tobacco will not
be able to grow enough to meet the de-
mand, has set the leaf merchants and
manufacturers thinking what nice
thing it would be for the government
to reduce the duty upon filler tobacco.
Santo Domingo right at our door and
under our protectorate, grows 250, 900
bales of tobacco year, which hitherto
has been going to Europe. It is cheap,
and, it is said, will go we'll with Ha-
vana and American tobaccos in the
manufacture of cigars. The cheapness
recommends it to the manufacturers.
It is pointed out that if the production
of cigars falls off, owing to the high
cost of material, the United States will
lose revenue, and that both the impor-
tation of tobacco and the production of
cigars could be stimulated by letting in
some cheap filler tobacco. Leaf.
-
Great Britain for the present has de- |
cided to suspend the letters of assur-
ance to, Denmark and other Scandina- |
Wan countries, by which they have |
permitted shipments in the past to
these countries. They explain their |
action on the ground tina. Denmark is /
sending some of the tobacco to Ger
many, but tobacco exporters here say |
there is no ground for snch a suspicion
as Denmark has quite trade of their
own. The recent tieup of shipping to
neutral European countries has inter-
fered to some extent with the exporta-
fion of f0hacco This ia eSnaciaily trlla