The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1918-03-01
NOTE BOOK SKETCHES

!
| proposition of government control of
| the price of leaf tobacco, the u. S.
| Tobacco Journal says: '"The question
| of supply and demand that in normal
| times regulates prices has ceased to be
an economic law in wartime. The
question simply is, what will best suit
| the government needs? The govern
| ment's policy in that question is likely
| to be guided rather by the revenue re-
suits than by any other consideration.
| On domestic leaf the government does
| not levy any taxes but on leaf tobac-
| co.'s products it depends for a consider
| able share OF it's income. And this in
1 come can only be increased If the to-
| bacco industries are not by any means
| impeded in extending their business
operations But can the tobacco indus
| try possibly continue to successfully
extend these operations and to such an
extent as to make them yield even a
! larger return to the governments
treasury if excessive profiteering in
prices of the raw material brings about
a general reduction In consumption?
1t is all very we'll for farmer to as
sert that he is entitled to a share of
| larger profits for his products. Surely
nobody will begrudge the farmer a
larger return. But it is not only his
own pocket that is at stake in the
| maintenance of the general welfare of
the tobacco industries; the very exist
ence Of the interests of these indus
tries are at stake and likewise the nee
essary government revenue. But few
years ago the raiser of seed leaf was
satisfied with IL to Is cents for his
crops Wartimes all at once boosted
the price of all commodities far beyond
their intrinsic value. All commodities
were exploited with a profiteering
greed with the exception of the cigar
Industries output. To get on this out
put but legitimate increase in price
to correspond even insignificantly to
the growth of the cost of production
took months and months of gigantic
effort. If the consumer were made to
pay 10 cents for a nickel cigar the
farmer might, by economic law, be
justified in asking proportionately for
higher profits on his crops.
No matter how desirous the grower
may be of increasing his acreage or at
least of growing crop as large as that
of last year certain conditions will be
found to exist to cause limitation of
his desires The first of these is the
labor shortage. In some sections this is
really serious situation that confronts
the farmer, and there is no vicinity in
which it is not felt to some extent. AS
the raising of a good crop of tobacco
requires more labor than perhaps any
other crop this fact will be weighed
carefully. The second of the conditions
tending to keep down the acreage to
an average one is the difficulty OF OBJ
tanning sufficient room to cure the to-
bacco when grown. At the present
high cost of building materials and lack
of men in the building trades the erec-
tion of new sheds will be almost pro-
hibitive, especially as the government
has expressed it's desire that all build
ing operations be cured during the con-
tinuance of the war as the materials
are badly needed on war contracts. The
third condition is the movement to fix
the prices of nearly all commodities.
Should sufficiently high price be fixed
for other farm products than tobacco.
growing Of the latter would prove less
attractive by comparison.
~
The annual meeting of the New Eng
| land Tobacco Growers association was
| held at Hartford, Feb. 16, and largely
attended. George B. Chandler, chair
| man of the committee on publicity,
| Connecticut State Council of Defense,
spoke on keeping down tobacco acre
age. Among other things he said
| ''The Connecticut council is not asking
/ more of the tobacco growers than it IS
| of other branches of industry. Our at
tention is called to the urgent need of
| food and we are asked to aid in feeding
| the world. Tobacco is q necessity for
our soldiers, but we can personally cut
| down the use of it. One reason why
! the state council desires no increase in
| acreage is that more tobacco raised
would mean more labor which is needed
in other lines. Another reason, sup
plies necessary for increased fertilizers
| and other things essential to growing
| the crop can be used to better advant-
| age elsewhere. A resolution pledging
| the support of the association and it's
cooperation with the Connecticut State
! Council of Defense was adopted. An
other resolution adopted >decreed no IN
crease in shadegrown or primed tobac-
CO. It was decided that other state
I COuIlCIlO VI OC1SIiSC NC LCNuCSLCA W VI
der similar decrease of acreage.
-
If anyone wanted to know why the
price of cigars has been going up and
why they may be expected to go high
er, they can learn Of it by reading of
the strikes throughput the eastern
manufacturing centers. Many of the
/ strikes are against the factories which
have taken on government contracts at
a low figure and for the sole purpose
| of keeping their workmen occupied
during the. dull months of February
and March. The Bolsheviki, either
mistaking these activities for unusual
| prosperity in manufacturing circles, or
seeing in them an opportunity for get
ting the manufacturers in tight place,
Immediately leaped at the throat of the
| local industry and is now proceeding IN
| an attempt to shake the trade down.
Contracts and agreements as to wages,
/ H.. ahnr