The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1919-05-09
NOTE Book SKETCHES


shown that every war in the last few
centuries has left marked effect upon
the tastes of smokers of tobacco. Dur
ing the Crimean war the English SOL
diers found the natives smoking Turk
ish cigarettes and brought the custom
back home with them, which was the
beginning of cigarette smoking in Eng
land and France. The effect of the
late world war is already in evidence
in changing the smoking tastes of
large per cent of the men called into
service The cigarette became the
common smoke of boys in trench and
camp and the habit thus formed has
been brought home with them as a
permanent custom. The tremendous
increase in manufacture and the vast
sums expended in promoting the sale
of the different brands are fair index
of how the business is expected to ex-
pand. Another sign of the times is
that some of the older manufacturers
like the Bloch Bros. are adding cigar
cites to their line of business to be able
to keep up with the procession. So
while cigarette smoking is increasing
by leaps and bounds, the demand for
cigars is generally declining and this is
where the situation is not pleasing
one to consider from the standpoint of
the cigar leaf tobacco grower. He
doesn't care to see his market circum-
scribed by the fads of the smoker. The
fact, however, remains undisputed.
"a
The tremendous amount of tabacco
reported to be in the hands of manu-
facturers and dealers on April 1st,
amounting to nearly 200 million pounds
in excess of that reported to the CEN
sus bureau year ago that date, only
confirms the statistics of an enormous
crop produced in the United States In
1918. The full force of this increase
has hardly yet been shown because a
large proportion of the cigar leaf in
several states is yet in the hands of
farmers and not taken into account in
these figures. The conclusion to be
drawn from these government Stats
tics is that there is an abundant sur
plus of tobacco. far in excess of the
needs of consumption, that must be abb
.sorbea. before stable prices can be ex-
pected.
~.
%sz5. Il st1-..[Eg.1t
More than so car loads of tobacco
were forwarded out Of storage in Ed
gerton during April in anticipation of
assessment day, May 1st,, This tobacco
paid tax last year on greater valua-
tion than the tobacco would sell for to-
day, and with another tax staring the
owners in the face at higher valua-
xtion than most other property. the al
tentative was to move it out of the
state. Can you blame them?
The warning issued to farmers in the
tobacco producing states, some
weeks ago by the Agricultural Depart
.ment, against the cultivation of in
creased acreage in 1919, devoted to to-
bacco, seems to have fallen on rather
fertile ground. The Lancaster County
Tobacco Growers Association at a re-
cent meeting adopted the suggestion of
its vice president, that propaganda be
circulated in that section urging grow
ers to reduce their acreage at least ten
per cent. A similar, though less clear
ly defined, movement is said to be
under way in the Connecticut Valley.
Wisconsin growers are being urged to
similar action. 1.-THE greatest menace
to remunerative prices for the present
year." says the Edgerton, Wis. Re-
porter, twill be the size of the crop
planted. A cut of twenty-five to thirty
thousand acres from that produced in
1918 would do more to stabilize prices
than anything that can be done at the
present time If Wisconsin could cut
it's acreage to 100, 900 or $50, 900 cases
of binder leaf for season or so, to be
increased gradually as the production
of manufactured cigars regained its
normal proportion, then there would be
good reason to look for a return of a
remunerative market and a ready sale
of our tobacco" This hope of control
of the market tendencies of the future
is apparently the inspiration behind the
movement in each district. 1t would
seem to be distinctly an association idea
dependent for success upon unity Of
action which thus far has been dis
tinctly lacking. Packers are of the
opinion that the personal element,
which would lead one grower to in
crease his acreage while his neighbor
reduced his, would be factor which
would most certainly defeat any con-
certed attempt in this direction. Fur
thermore the members Of the associa-
tions are themselves far from united in
their approval of the idea. So it is
hardly probable, packers think, that
any material reduction will be actually
made, even should the idea become
quite widespread. 1t is interesting to
note in this connection, however, that
in advocating a curtailment of acreage
to stabilize prices, the growers are IN
Willingly making open confession of
their original price demands for the
1918 crop. 1t is very evident that they
have gained enlightenment from ex-
norioncQ and aro rnuy rooHr< n arrQa