The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1919-04-18
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2OTE RoOk SKETCHES


Now that the season is at hand when
the tobacco growers are to start the
seed beds of another crop, the first
thing to determine is the acreage to be
devoted to the crop the coming season.
1t is admitted by all sides that Wiscon-
sin produced too much tobacco in 1918
more cigar leaf than was needed
under normal manufacturing conditions
and especially when the production OF
cigars declined from pre-War hgures.
The present unsatisfactory condition of
the market for the remaining traction
of the 1918 crop will certainly have an
influence in curtailing the acreage OF
the coming year. But this of itself
may not be sufficient to reduce the pro-
duction to the years of 1915 and 1916
when it ranged around 10000 acres in
the state. The great menace to re-
munerative prices for the present year
will be the size of the crop planted. A
cut of twenty-five or thirty thousand
acres from that produced in 1918 would
do more to stabilize prices than any
thing that can be done at the present
time. The question arises, what is the
individual grower willing to do to ac
complish this purpose? To begin with
there are too many farmers who sacri-
flee quality for quantity farms pro-
ducing Is to 20 acres that should be cut
in half. Then the moderate sized
growers might well afford to drop an
acre or so from his usual crop, while
those who are handicapped for help lay
off entirely for season and watch the
result. If Wisconsin could cut it's acre
age to hundred or hundred and
twenty-five thousand cases of binder
leaf for season or so, to be increased
gradually as the production of manu-
factured cigars regained its normal
proportion, then there would be good
reason to look for return of a re-
munerative market and a ready sale
of our tobacco. Don't expect your
neighbor to make the needed cut in
acreage, but let every grower step up
in line and help carp out the reduc-
tion Such a movement ought to be
popular help push it along.
~
A New York dealer has doped out
the market conditions that are most
liable to occur in the near future. The
reader can take it for what it is worth.
stCurrent reports have it that cigar
leaf, filler grades in Ohio and practic-
ally everywhere else will decline short
ly in price, as little or none of it has as
yet been moved or contracted for. The
larg manufacturer is well supplied
with raw material and number Of the
smaller manufacturers have discontin-
ued business. These conditions, we
would say. would leave the future more
or less matter of guess as to the ont-
come Of prices. While the 1918 crop is
not an inferior crop, neither is it a
fancy crep, and for that reason the to-
baccoshenld not bring excessive prices.
The fact remains, however, that the
manufacturers are looking for high
grade tobacco, on account of the ad-
vance in prices on cigars and compiti-
tion for good cigars will be very prom
inent. 1n answer to many questions
regarding the immediate prices on cigar
leaf, we have endeavored to the best
of our ability to get something that
would be somewhere an intelligent an
swer, but it seems the whole situation
is in such shape that to get reliable
information on the subject that would
warrant any kind of advice, is impossi-
BILE just at present. We do gather,
however, as stated above, that de-
cline in price is most likely to occur. T"
There has been a great deal of learn
ed philosophizing about the crest of
high prices having been reached, and
of an inevitable decline in values. This
situation has been ascribed to the to-
bacco industry not alone, but to prac-
tically all other businesses. Under the
influence of this worldwide impulse,
prices of all commodities were due to
decline until perhaps at least pre-war
level of prices had been reached. It
was laid down with all solemnity by
learned professors and psuedo- -histor
ians that this was law of economics
that was as unacceptable as the law of
gravitation; that such movement had
followed all wars of the past concern
ing which we have reliable records. and
would undoubtedly follow all wars of
the future. That the letting up of
buying is only temporary, and that the
distributing end of the cigar and to-
bacco business will learn that there is
ly believed by everybody who knows
anything of the true inwardness of the
situation. For one thing, the increase
in tax that has just been placed upon
cigars is more than enough to offset
any decrease that might come about in
the cost of production. Second, it is
very hard to see how any decrease in
the cost of production can be expected
within the next eight to twelve months.
During the remainder of this year at
least, cigars will continue to be made
from tobacco that was purchased last
year-the costliest material that cigar
manufacturers ever owned. What then,
is the basis for belief that cigars and
other tobacco products will be cheaper
in the near future? The profits of the
manufacturers are not so large that
they can be reduced if the factories
are to continue solvent. Before the
manufacturers can sell their goods for
less than they are getting now, condi-
tions must arise that will enable them
to manufacture them for less. But
those conditions are not in sight yet.
hn foU