The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1917-06-01
NOTE BOOK SKETCHES

tobacco in the state has been sold dur
ing the week at probably the highest
price ever received for a Wisconsin
packing of such magnitude. The to-
bacco has been carried for four years
in the face of a certain loss, at an ex-
pense for interest, taxes, storage, in
surance, etc., amounting to close to
eight cents pound, and at no time ex-
cept within the past year could it have
been sold at profit. But the scarcity
of cigar leaf at continually advancing
price has brought the holder through
safely with fair profit. 1t is so rare
that packers can carry their holdings
such a length Of time without pocket
ing losses, the exception to an almost
general rule, is matter Of comment.
Sumatra tobacco in now coming into
the country through the back door not
withstanding the usual source of sup
ply via Holland has been cut off by the
war. A shipment of 4200 bales direct
from the Island of Sumatra reached
Pacific coast port last week as part
of the purchase of New York syndi-
cate After rail shipment across the
continent samples will be offered at
New York inscription to manufactur-
ers. For many years Sumatra tobacco;
so much in demand for wrapping pur-
poses, has been offered the trade only
through inscriptions held in Holland,
where buyers from all countries con-
gregate each season. The first inscrip-
tion takes place in America June %.
-
A large and successful tobacco raiser
of Pennsylv ania says that he has been
very successful in combating the to-
bacco worms by the following method:
81 bought about two dozen campaign
torches which burned kerosene. After
the sockets had been taken off they
were soldered to 10-inch pie tins. These
were placed on stakes about 80 inches
high and distributed in the tobacco bed.
Before doing this, however, the bulbs
were filled with oil and the pans with
water. At night the torches were
lighted. The lights attracted the moths
which always fly at night. The insects
were either burned or they dropped in
to the water and were drowned. A few
evenings each week was all that was
necessary to get rid Of the moths. This
is simple way Of preventing the at
tacks of worms and eliminating the
danger and trouble involved in using
poison
Congress is working with full steam
on the most gigantic revenue bill that
was ever introduced in any parliament
ary body for tapping nations re-
sources. 1t was the pride Of our Amer
ican Democracy that the Federal tax
collector was, so to say, but an imper-
sonal being and that the people knew
of Federal taxes only indirectly in the
shape of low duties and Internal Rev.
enue imposts on liquors and tobaccos.
This traditional system of taxation en-
bodying exemption from direct taxa
tion is to be changed by the present
revenue bill and naturally enough all
the lines of commerce and industry af-
fected by the change are working as
assiduously as Congress, not to upset
the plan altogether but to have it so
adapted to their standards of practice
and vital necessities as not to destroy
the efficiency achieved in the long years
of their natural and successful develop
ment. But Congress has undertaken
the task, never before attempted, of
providing 81, 800, ,OOO,O0 in addition to
its other necessary appropriations for
this years annual budget. Never hav-
ing before had to deal in billion-dollar
taxes, the mind of the common people
can hardly grasp the vastness of the
meaning of proposed annual eXpendi-
lures totaling thousands of millions of
dollars. And as every Congress has
been stranger to such titanic appro-
priations, nobody ought to be surprised
at the crudity with which the addi-
tional thousands of millions are to be
assessed upon the business of the coun-
try. And while American business men
realize that billions of war revenue will
be needed, it is against the ruthlessness
of. the present bill that fight is being
made. In this it may be fairly claimed
that business is protecting the Federal
welfare, for tax that destroys an in
dustry will fail of every purpose. The
tobacco trade, like all other industries
which have been singled out to provide
the revenue, needed now, is fighting
not so much against the additional bur-
den as against the method of its i'm
position. The tobacco interests have
so well recognized the necessity of their
helping to bear part of the Govern
ment's burden that their representa-
tives have come forth to offer, volun-
tarily, an additional contribution of
$40, ,000,0 600 to Sill. 900. 900 which they
long have contributed annually to the
national exchequer. But they object
to being taxed to destruction. They
point out logically and convincingly
that the Government can only expect
an increase in revenue from a prosper