The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1919-04-17
BY WILLIAM r. sANeoRN

BY WILLIAM r. sANBORN
YORK, Pa, April 15.-Before leav-
Ing Lancaster we arrived at this con-
clusion: The buying for export. in-so-
far as the contract now being filed is
concerned, is pretty nearly over. The
order was for 100000 pounds and
. that's some tobacco. There are fif-
teen cars to be loaded this week
against twenty cars and up weekly Of
late. The loading Is done at country
stations most convenient to the grow
ers, and the shipment is in original
farm bales and not in cases.
What 100000 Pounds Mean
This shipment of seven millions Of
pounds Of Lancaster leaf just now
means very much as to the percent
ages sold in various district The
Lancaster grower would have been
more nearly In the position OF our
friends in Ohio but for the activity OF
. Isaac II. Weaver. who is we'll known
. in Dayton, and indeed all over the
Ohio leaf district, to men in the trade.
Mr.. Weaver is an old timer in the
cigar leaf business and is also one OF
the most successful men In his line.
He talked very frankly as to the out
look from his viewpoint OF the future
OF all classes Of cigar leaf, from COM
parative uses. demand and supply. So
far as the Pennsylvania and Ohio
crops are concerned he sees no chance
or good reason for anything but low
average prices in the immediate fu-
ture. II at all on the 1918 crop. and
that too, for the best grades. Mr..
Weaver Is both a grower and a pack
er. we understand. But frst OF all his
interest lies In buying at price which
promises to pay an ultimate profit
This is also the position OF all others
in his class. His warehouses are full
Of tobacco and that is true in the main
OF tobacco warehouses all over the
city. And II Is mostly 1917 crop at
that and storage for the'1918 crop be-
ing bought by farmers organizations
is getting very hard to obtain. Now
be It known that, aside from these
organizations very little 1918 tobacco
has been bought and packed in Lam
caster and the tobacco that has
brought any kind of a price has been
the cream OF the offerings. What the
farmers cooperative concerns have
on hand, and Mr.. Weavor's export
purchases, very largely account for
the crop movement so far: as the
packers as a class are sitting tight
and awaiting a turn in the tide.
Price No object.
Let us consider first of all one i'm
portant truth as to jobbers in all
lines Of trade. 1t isn't the price they
pay but as to what they can reason
ably or assuredly expect to sell at.
What Is the chance for profit on 5
cent leaf or on 80 cent leaf is the
prime consideration, and not as to
which price they shall pay as buyers.
Five cent tobacco Is no inducement to
man who cannot figure a profit at
ter casing, storing, insuring and stand.
ing the cost OF labor and shrinkage
And there you are, gentlemen, and
this explains much In relation TO con-
ditions in every filler" county. east
and west. Then, as always, comes
consideration of and Judgment. as to
quality, for no two crops have ever
been exact matches at anything. or
In any tobacco district.
From 10 Cents to Nine.
Word was received from the Peters
burg correspondent ION Monday, 14th)
Of Lancaster daily, to the effect that.
"Over the weekend here tobacco
dropped from Is cents to as low as
cents for wrappers" The writer
then goes on to relate as to the &C
tual sales during the week; the acre.
age sold and by whom. and also names
the buyers and the prices paid. For
instance (omitting names): six acres
at IL and 4; 6 acres at -. and 5;
3 acres at 10 and g. and 2 acres at
8 and g." The top" paid during the
week was IL and 4, by one buyer, and
IL, IA and by another buyer who
picked up a peach of small crop.
II will be seen, then. that the drop
from IS" meant the decline from that
figure as the high of the season on
1918 leaf, and not that this break
really came over Sunday The fact is,
very few crops have brought as high
as IS cents for wrapper and "B" grade
this year. in any section OF Pennsyl.
vania though as high as 20 cents has
now and then been paid for fancy.
II Is not unlikely that other export
orders will be received for Pennsyl.
vania leaf, and this Is true also as to
Ohio. let US hope. But in any event,
every pound Of Lancaster leaf sent
out Of the county reduces the supply
of filters and reflects on the demand
for OHIO tobacco. A whole lot Of this
export business would materially
change the situation and for the bet. !
ter. ~ sarVNM
It may be safely stated that there
is growing tendency, not only in |
Pennsylvania, but in all leaf districts, |