The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1920-12-31
NOTE BOOK SKETCHES
. ~@~%%s ~%~@~~ an -.4a-e-A e~s

fact that the business world is trimming
sails to meet after war conditions, the
better for every one of US. The slump
in the prices OF farm produce, due to
several causes, some just and some un-
just, could bring only one result. The
big buying power of the nation is still
the rural population, those dependent
upon and engaged in the tilling of the
soil. A reduction in this buying power,
ting to several billion dollars,
was soon registered along the whole
line of business operations. With less
to buy for, less was bought. The local
merchant. engaged in the retail busi-
ness noticed, through him the jobber,
the wholesaler and the manufacturer
and finally labor. The shops closed,
the wholesaler and jobber became eau
tious, the dealer revised his orders to
the sleast possible. Considering that
conditions as they existed before the
war were normal, the business affairs
of the nation are gradually, but not al
ways pleasantly, returning to the nor
NAL. In some instances the return is
not SO satisfactory. as the going away.
Considerable of the profits gained on
the climbing market, are vanishing un-
der the present drop. There is pecul-
lar law of compensation operating
which ultimately brings justice to all,
and all to justice.
The government proposes to have
congress allow an extra good s'Ted in
crease in tax on tobacco and tobacco
products. The government, undoubt-
edly, needs the money-it always does,
and the business taxed would have
nogobjection to furnishing any reason
able amount levied upon it to help run
this government. But it would pay it
with much better feeling if it wasn't
apparent that the necessary increase
in taxes is the result of waste and poor
business management on the part of
the government 1t does not do any
good, of course, to make fuss about
it now, but the memory of the extrav-+
agance, incompetency and carelessness
in the use of money furnished the gov
as.4ment during ~tke war does not add
to the cheerfulness with which the bus
mess interests are called upon to make
good out of their earnings to cover the
losses sustained by the squandering
managers of the war finances. That
congress will allow the increase: in
taxes upon tobacco at this time, we do
not consider at all likely. The revenue
derived from tobacco last year amount
ed to nearly $500, 900, 600, an increase
of 29O per cent in six years. That the
tobacco industry can stand another in
crease in the face of recession in the
business, does not seem probable AT
ter all, it is the users of tobacco who
have to pay the tax ultimately, and the
paying power. of the consumer is not as
a general thing on the increase; the re-
verse is the case.
While the bureau Of immigration is
viewing with some alarm the proper
tions of the incoming tide of aliens, it
is evidently somewhat surprised at the
amount of ready money these people
are carrying with them. During the
past fiscal year 100000 immigrants
were registered at Ellis Island. These
people brought with them in cash or
credits $33, 900, 900, or about $76 90 per
individual, men, women and children.
This is the more surprising as the cost
of transportation is so very much high
er than it was in the pre-war period.
***
The Chicago Tribune in an editorial,
Labor and Capital Must Both Be Rea-
sonable, = hits well when, in speaking
of wage reductions announced by GER
tain eastern textile mills, it says:
That appears to US to be bad pol
icy. In SO far az wage reductions are
reasonable reflections of the general
downward tendency of prices they can
not be widely protested. If they are
evidence of an organized effort to de-
stroy the unions they are wrong This
is no time for employers to take re-
veng upon labor, which, after all, has
been no more grasping than many en-
ployers. There is moments pause in
the scramble TO obtain labor at any
price, but that is no reason why en-
ployers should use the moment to knock
labor down and sit on it's head. Rather
the pause should be grasped as an OPP
portunity to reach an understanding
which will prevent difficulties. .. In
all these improvements employers can
assist by advice and pressure They
had much better do so than use the
present opportunity to crush unionism |
and thereby plant bolshevism.