The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1920-09-17
NOTE BOOK SKETCHES


1918 leaf, packed on cooperative
basis by the farmers in southern Wis
consin, has been disposed of to one Of
the largest tobacco firms operating liz
this country, and that the balance of
the farmers packing Of that year may
be disposed of before this issue of The
Reporter goes to press, some of the
philosophers in the business are form
ulating lessons, drawn from this ex-
perience, that are giving cheer both to
the cooperative farmer-packers and to
the men who are only dealers in tobac
co. The farmers who were in the pool
consider the outcome as satisfactory to
them. They received fair price for
their tobacco, and in spite of the fact
that they had to take considerable
shrinkage in weight, some additional
expense in storage and insurance, and
quite good deal of loss in the long
period their money was tied up in the
packing, they feel that they realized
satisfactory return. The farmers en-
tire pool represented some 10, 900 cases.
That this amount of tobacco was held
off the market did nor in any way hurt
the price of the tobacco packed by the
regular dealers; it was big enough to
act as a stimulant to the price the
manufacturers had to put up for the
balance of the Wisconsin tobacco of
that year; yet it was not big enough to
affect the prices downward when it
finally came into market that was in
a condition to absorb it. Five or six
thousand cases of more or less desir-
able binders in the cigar industry of
the size now operating in this country
at time when shortage of this type
of goods prevails, is not enough to
force drop. The 1919 binder supply
will make considerable difference, of
course, but the prospective 1920 out
put. being short crop, will leave the
ship on even keel again. The farmers
may not be looking for another chance
to handle their tobacco in this way, but
they are not discouraged by their ex-
perience. Circumstances combined to
bring about results that proved satis-
factory in the end The farmers and
s.si1e dealers are now, as they are look
| ing back upon the transaction from be-
ginning to end, taking the sensible
view, that it is closed incident; yet
carrying with it lesson that has the
power of working both ways.
***
The optimistic tone prevailing in the
tobacco trade throughout the country
is reassuring. The demand for the leaf
by the manufacturer, and the demand
for the tobacco products by the public
go on apace. The prices soar along
! the whole line, but the machinery huns
! we'll oiled and fit as fiddle. 1t is
remarkable situation Here is line
| of products that is ranked among the
luxuries, and yet the industry engaged
in it's production is feeling less of the
pressure of the present business drag
than almost any other line. The labor
! shortage is gradually becoming less
acute in the manufacturing centers,
| and the proneness of labor to take va
cations, called strikes, seems to be
| abating. 1t looks as if the tobacco in
dustry has a better show of pulling
| through the period of business adjust
ment and reconstruction than most in
dustries. AS its adjustment to the up
ward move in price has been made
gradually and without any dangerous
| shock to the trade as whole, the
| chances are that its adjustment down.
| ward will come about in the same sane
and deliberate manner. The peak of
the load is, perhaps, with us just now.
To realize this is good beginning at
taking care of ones self and controlling
the initial movement when it begins
downward.
Santo Domingo, the island where Co
lumbus landed Dec. 6, 1892, is tobac-
co producing country of no mean i'm
portance. The average pre-war pro-
1uction of tobacco in Santo Domingo
was 10000 600 pounds annually. This
is almost half as much as is produced
in Mexico and more than twice as much
as is produced in Porto Rico. So it will
be seen that the Dominican republic,
as tobacco country, is far from being
in the piker class. In the fiscal year
ended June, 1919, we imported 16.0O8,-
083 pounds of Santo Domingo tobacco,
having value of So, 387, 917 In the
fiscal year ended June, 1920, we i'm
ported only 6,427, ,272 pounds, having a
farm value of ST, 040, ,249.
The exports and imports of domestic
tobacco measured in pounds during the
past year show only slight increase
over last year, but the high cost of
leaf and ifs nrodT7ctS hrinOS the total