The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1917-10-19
NOTE BOOK SKETCHES

serving the supply of cigar leaf, so
largely controlled by eastern dealers,
in order to make it go round among
their customers, only illustrates the
near famine that exists of suitable to-
bacco for cigar purposes. Probably
never before has the surplus generally
carried over to bridge bad growing
year been SO completely exhausted.
The 1916 crop now going on the mar
ket falls far below in suitable cigar
leaf of the needs of the manufacturer
the coming year. The large operators
who control the output are of necessity
attempting to piece out their supplies
among as many customers as possible
in order to keep their business moving
And to make the situation still worse
the 1917 crop of the binder states is
falling way below the country's needs
Of suitable binder goods so there is lit
tie hope of replenishing the reserve
stock, if indeed it supplies the absolute
need of the trade the coming year or
until another crop can be produced. 1t
is left to the growers to take these
facts home and study them. To almost
everyone it would appear that cheap
tobacco can hardly be expected for two
or three years to come. And with this
they can commence to lay their plans
for next years crop of ample acreage,
for the demand will be acute and top
prices prevail without doubt. Get in
line for next season for the sheckles
are falling your way.
The "War Tax" revenue bill is now
a law. Having received the approval
of the President on October 3rd, this
measure as passed by Congress imposes
additional taxes upon cigars, cigarettes
and tobaccos to the approximate total
Of $50, 900, ,000 Although the additional
tax levy thus to be made upon the to-
bacco industry is heavy one, members
of all branches of the industry-we are
pleased to state-realiZe the necessity
of the burden thus placed upon them
and have set about to meet the provis
sons of the new law in a manner which
demonstrates beyond doubt the high
quality of their patriotism and loyalty
to their government in time of dire
need. They have set about their task
in a manner which denotes that their
realization of the "needs of the times"
is thorough; that they know business
''must be good' because this war is to
be won for the United States-as much
through her business as her man-power.
If it can be interpreted, the fullness of
realization enjoyed by the tobacco in
dustry is, that: ''This war is to be
fought, fed and financed by the United
States; every resource of the nation
must be conserved; that it is the duty
of every business man to see that they
are. But, the conservation of every
resource does not mean to hinder busi-
ness. Business must go on greater
than usual. Without prosperous busi-
ness, commercial and Industrial, there
will be no money to finance anything,
much less war of such magnitude as
the present one. Therefore, above all,
business must be made and kept good.
-
The u. S. Tobacco Journal is of the
opinion that the cost of making cigars
will not decrease a single penny for
several years to come. For both the
domestic and imported supplies of cigar
leaf tobacco are grossly inadequate to
meet the demand, labor is today in less
supply than it has ever been during the
first flush of the munitions boom, with
the subtraction Of one million young
Americans from their accustomed oc
equations, and every element Of over
head expense or distribution for the
cigar manufacturer is indefinitely in
the air. Consider the increase in cigar
production for the current calendar
year alone, and the enormous surplus
demand it makes upon the raw mater
| ial necessary for the industry. A gain
of over one billion cigars for 1917 in
the national output is mathematically
assured. The increase for the fiscal
year ending June 30th last was over
| 900, 100000. This quantity alone rep
resents consumption of $4,000 boxes
of Seedleaf tobacco, in excess of the
total consumption of that type OF leaf in
the preceding fiscal terms production.
| If, for the current calendar years IN
crease, 500, 600, 900 more cigars are pro-
duced during the remaining rush period
ensuing from October to January l,
the very least that this increased op-
Grafton will divert from industrial
balances to the Federal exchequer in
the form of Emergency Revenue will
be half million dollars cash, and prob
| ably far more! Where are these gi-
gantic surpluses of leaf tobacco and
munifcent sums of money to come
from? The former are not indicated in
the most authentic crop estimates avail
able; rather, it is to be expected that
the various yields of domestic cigar
leaf this year will not be over normal
| however good the prospects may be.
Certainly, the continued famine de-
mand for ocean tonnage, even though
| the war end tomorrow and even more
| SO if that cataclysm should come to
| pass, is going to render exceedingly
hazardous the increased Importation of
1917 wrapper crops from either the
West or the East Indies. Where is the
!, money to pay the Federal obligations
/ frn,,,9 To@ he ;r,ri,r FRY