The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1918-01-04

In it's customary review Of the to-
bacco trade of the past year the New
York Tobacco Journal says: While al
'most the entire world is engaged in the
fiercest struggle to eXtinguish each ma
tion's man and economic power, the
economic affiuence Of the United States
has reached heights never dreamed OF
before by even the widest Imagination.
In this unprecedented economic devel-
opment, the tobacco trade and indus
tries had their not altogether too mod
est share Chief of its profiteers are
our tobacco farmers. Fancy could
never before picture the realization OF
the almost unbelievable wealth that
came to our tobacco farmers North,
East and South during the year, not so
much from vastly extended produc-
ton as from the almost fabulous rise
of its value. Tobacco crops Of any
growth, type and style, no matter in
what condition, sold without the least
solicitation at prices resulting in never
before dreamed of fortunes for the
producer. That Burley should ever
have reached the price of thirty-tive
cents, more than double the value ever
attained before, would have been be-
lieved to have been fantastic illusion.
And yet the year closed with record
of the sale of vast quantity at that
price In spite of the European war
which, at its beginning threatened en-
tire stoppage of our Southern export
tobaccos, the stock on hand depleted
almost as if by magic and caused there
by naturally a tremendous raise in
price. On the other hand, while our
domestic cigar leaf tobaccos are almost
a stranger to export, yet the rising
flood of a large consumption stimulated
by the war industries seemed to have
had the same effect on them. Prices
doubled likewise in our domestic fields.
All old stocks in the hands of farmers
as we'll as packers disappeared in tierc-
est competition with the consequence
that the value of new crops also doubl-
ed throughout the cigar leaf raising
districts of the country. Leaf packers
and dealers naturally shared in the
swelling price rise and if their profits
were not as proportionately big, they
were certainly big enough to discount
all previous returns. Cigar leaf mar
kets through the country were, during
the year. a beehive Of continued brisk
ness and the volume Of business was
only limited by the lack of supply and
not by the ever rising price. In this
swell of profteering, however, it was
only the cigar industry which could not
hold its place. Under the general stim-
ulated consumption, the growth Of the
cigar industry naturally progressed.
It's production increase of nearly 500,-
600, 900 during the year testifies to its
greater activity making record Of the
largest annual increase during it's eX-
lstence. But the advantage from its
greater activity was contrary to the
brilliant results in other industries.
Handicapped by the enormous rise in
the cost of raw material, by the steady
increase Of the scale of wages, by con-
stant advance of all the overhead ex-
penses, but small margin was left to
properly compensate for expansion.
This handicap was due to the cigar in
dustry's remissness Of taking proper
advantage of the opportunities which
brought such rich rewards to all other
industries. The reserve of the cigar
industry in raising prices to cover all
tremendous advances forced on them
by the unavoidable exigencies of the
times was due to a mistaken adherence
60 d tIdQitio1al noLIOn OF price llXlLy III
accordance with settled coins. But for
this antiquated notion the cigar indus
try could not but have been in what is
now generally stigmatized as the profit
eering line and amassed fortunes in
proportion to those that fell to the to-
bacco farmer and the leaf trade. The
unstinted prosperity that invaded all
other industries was stubbornly re-
sisted by the cigar industry to its own
hurt: otherwise a different record