The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1920-10-15

NOTE BOOK SKETCHES

The tobacco world is naturally proud
of the fact that Col. F. w. Galbraith,
who was elected national commander
of the American Legion at its conven-
tion in Cleveland, is former tobacco
man, and successful one. He was
one of the mainsprings of the Common-
wealth Tobacco Co. and later held an
important position in the American To-
bacco Co. Col. Galbraith. as commander
of the 147th N. G. regiment of the 37th
division covered himself with glory in
the late war. He won the Distinguish
ed Service Cross, the Croix de Guerre
and the Croix de Guerre with palms.
He was also several times cited for
conspicuous bravery. He was wounded
in the Meuse-Argonne offensive. He
is a real man and real commander,
and has good word to say for the
comfort the boys on the firing line de-
rived from their smokes.
The acreage cultivated for tobacco in
Jefferson county this summer is, ac-
cording to oreports received at the county
clerks Office, SIG acres. In Barron
county 169 acres were reported. Craw-
ford county was assessed for 2279 acres,
of which the town of Clayton reported
455, the town of Freeman 573, the town
of Scott 207, the town of Utica 687.
Soldiers Grove has Is acres and the
other towns less. Wauzeka, Eastman
and Prairie du Chen reported no tobac-
co grown. In Columbia county 25164
acres were reported, of which Leeds
comes first with 7444 acres, Hamden
next with 468, Otsego with 386, Low
vile with 3514, Arlington with 244 and
Lodi with lbs. Eight other towns re-
ported an acreage running from 82a to
! acre to the town.
The upward slide in the price of ci-
markation between the A, B, c, D and
E classes of cigars. Manufacturers
are suga esting that the definition of
cigar classes be modified. They pro-
pose that all cigars selling at not over
| cents is class A; over 5 cents and
under I0'cents is b; over 10 cents and
not over Is cents is classs C; over Is
cents and not over 20 cents is class D,
and all cigars over 20 cents is class E.
If this readjustment is made the class
B would again give the smoker three
for quarter cigar.
**#
That a period of readjustment like
the one we are passing through should
bring about a general condition. of eau
tion and conservative reflection before
the next step is taken, is not un-
natural, nor does it need to mean the
beginning of disaster in the economic
| life of the nation The wonder is that
crash did not come. That it has been
averted is marvel and shows a sound
ness and vitality of our economic struc-
ture and of our financial system that is
comfortable to contemplate. The
strain to which it has been put, not
| only by the war and the appalling
| wastefulness attending it, but also by
| the after-war period of insane specula-
| tion and riotous spending, and, added to
this, the loss to production caused by
| numerous and extensive strikes, and by
| the general decrease of efficiency
and, to top it all, the criminal greed of
those who could and would profteerzz
was so great that even the coolest
heads in the country have been fearful
of the consequences. But So far moth
ing serious has happened. The only
shock we have sustained is pause in
the upward fight of prices, and hesi-
| fancy as to the next step.
| ***
In the tobacco industry the demand
of the retailer of tobacco products
shows no decline. The manufacturers
have fortified themselves with large
stock both of imported and domestic
leaf. The 1919 domestic crop is prac-
tically absorbed by the manufacturers,
and of the Wisconsin and Connecticut
1920 they have acquired very consid-
erable portion at ve-y high figures.
Just now there is a pause. How long
it will last is not easy to predict. The
capital that is invested in the manufac-
ture of cigars and tobacco is, like all
other capital similarly invested, de-
pendent upon the purchasing power of
the market where the gooes are con-
sumed. If the consumers purchasing
power is curtailed by general decline
in his income, it will, of course, be re-
f1ected in decreased sale of the manu-
factured article. If the price of cigars
must be lowered to find free sale to the
public, this will inevitably be felt in
the price of the raw material. Just
which way the tide is going to turn in