The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1917-09-28

/ s.s -
The new war revenue bill is likely to
pass Congress by the close of the week.
It will, of course, become law as soon
as it receives the signature of the
President. 1t is not likely, however,
that the tobacco schedules, which were
radically changed by the Senate, will
be altered by the Conference Commit
tee of both Houses of Congress. While,
therefore, the trade will know by next
week the exact additional rates that
tobacco products will have to bear, the
steps to be taken for adjusting this
additional tax burden on their products
will require wise foresight on the part
Of the manufacturers. For it may be
assumed that the new tobacco taxes
are not the final judgment of the Con-
gress for any definite period of time.
Every reader of this newspaper has
been informed that Congress has just
now passed a revenue act providing
$11, 900, 600, 900 for war purposes. This
vast sum is but preliminary provision
for the war we have just entered. 1t
must be evident, therefore, to every
body that thousands of millions will
have to be voted again by Congress at
it's session next December. If these,
then, are the prospects it is our opinion
that the tobacco industry cannot es-
cape further taxes. The manufacture
ers have been fortunate, indeed, in be-
ing dealt with leniently as far as neces-
sity went in the first war revenue act
but can anyone hope or expect that the
rates OF taxation we were placed under
will remain permanent if Congress has
to provide every year for at least
81, 600, 100000 more in direct taxes?
Then, if such is the case it will be-
hoove the cigar, cigarette and tobacco
industries to be most circumspect in
adjusting their prices under the new
revenue act. If they adjust the price
close to the additional tax without
leaving any margin for further ad-
advances to cover new tax rate the
scales will have to be changed every
year. Everybody recognizes now the
necessity for change. Everybody has
been and is preparing to meet it. Being
in this mood, is it not self-evident that
the price revision call now easier be
made to cover further additions than
to break it, in year or so, and to up
set again temporary working basis?
The necessity of further price raises
will be caused not only by additional
tax impositions but surely by the ever
increasing cost of the raw materials.
Therefore, gentlemen of the tobacco
trade, as long as you are about to ad-
just your affairs to newly imposed bur-
dens. do it we'll so that you will not be
plagued within the short periodic a
year with the problem of new price
regulations. -Tob. Journal.
The September forecast of the De-
partment of Agriculture for this years
tobacco crop is 1,221, 900, 900 pounds,
compared with forecast of 1,270, 900, :
600 pounds made last month, and with
the production of 1,151, 900, 900 pounds
last year and an average production of
984, 900, 600 pounds for 1911-1915. The
yield per acre of the tobacco crop this
year is stated at 861 pounds, as against
8l5 pounds last year and an average of
1885 pounds for the preceding five
years. The condition of the tobacco
crop September / was 81. per cent,
whereas the condition of the crop last
September was 85.5 per cent, while for
ten years the average condition figure
was 1873.