The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1920-05-14
NOTE BOOK SKETCHES

/ People who believe hgureS may be
interested in the following survey of
tobacco consumption in this country
during the last 130 years. The survey
was made by the u. S. department of
agriculture, bureau of crop estimates.
The forefathers of 1890 must have been
fond of tobacco since they consumed 20
million pounds. AS population grew,
more tobacco was raised, and by 1874
60 million pounds were consumed. Ten
years later it had reached 70 million
pounds; twenty years later the annual
supply for home consumption was 76
million pounds The decade from 1876
to 1885 was one of heavy emigration,
and the figure jumped to 219 million
pounds. In 1894 it had reached 312
million pounds; 1895 1904 the average
per year was over 400 million pounds,
and the next ten year average was 588
million pounds. During the recent war,
in 1917, our tobacco users got away
with one billion pounds. During 1913
/ there was marked decrease, which
was followed last year by an increase
to over 900 million pounds. The per
capita consumption before 1910 is esti-
mated at about 3.3 pounds, with de-
crease Immediately after the civil war.
The high water mark of per capita con-
sumption was reached during the last
war, when 8 pounds per capita was re-
corded.
If the members of the House Ways
and Means committee have their way
by which the new soldiers bonus is to
be raised, very heavy part of the bur-
den will fall upon the users of tobacco.
1t is proposed to add another $50, 600, 900
taxes to the already substantial tax on
tobacco products. AS long as the word
ing of the laws makes it possible for
the dealers in and manufacturers of to-
bacco products to saddle the extra cost
upon the consumer, the public will not
enjoy the enactment of this measure
Wiling that the soldiers get the 81, ,8OO,-
900, 900 bonus, but nobody is willing to
carry the burden. The old method of
passinagit on to the consumer is the
simplest as well as the most unjust.
Shipments of tobacco, manufactured
| and unmanufactured. to Alaska during
the fiscal year increased considerably.
The total value of tobacco shipped to
Alaska during the twelve months
amounted to $527, 529, an. increase of
$155, 800 above the privious year. The
United States bought manufactured to-
baccos from Porto Rico for nearly
$6,0O0,000 in 1919. This does not in
clude leaf. Hawaii took nearly S77O,-
900, worth of our tobacco goods,
little less than the year before. Our
export of cigaretts to foreign countries
doubled in value. The increase was
| nearly thirteen million dollars. y
***
In order to stimulate the culture of
tobacco and to encourage attention to
quality, the French government offers
higher prices for the leaf than at any
time before. The two main types are
light and dark tobaccos, and each is
graded into five classes according to
quality, the prices running from II to
about 80 cents pound, the light type
bringing a somewhat higher average
price than the dark.
***
With the increase of so per cent Gus
toms duty on cigars above the old rate,
adopted by England, kink has been
thrown on the. string of importers of
foreign made cigars. Already the Ha-
vana market has felt the shock of cam
cellations of large orders. This may
| mean restriction in the output of the
Havana manufacturers, whose factories
already are idle on account of the CT
garmakers' strike, or, it may mean a
more generous supply of Cuban cigars
for the U. S. and toning down of the
prices.
***
Percival S. Hill, president of the
American Tobacco company, in signed
article in the Tobacco Leaf, corrects
| the erroneous information given out in
the press some time ago that the COM
pany had declared stock dividend of
Is per cent. Mr.. Hill states that the
percentage of profit since 1914 never
exceeded Is per cent. In 1919 it was
IL per cent
The American Sumatra Tobacco COM
pany is reported having under consid-
Grafton the enlargement of its capital.
| 1t is rumored that it will sell notes for