The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1920-04-02
NOTE BOOK SKETCHES

The change of conditions and the
change of public taste is illustrated IN
the attitude of trade co the Porto Rico
tobacco. Not so very many years ago
this tobacco found only slight favor
with the manufacturer, and it often
went abegging at 5 cents pound. To-
day this tobacco is snapped up at $1.2
a pound, and the trade can not get it
fast enough The Porto Rican grow
ers are taking advantage of this situa-
ton and are putting the price where
the packers hesitate about touching it.
The present crop is a small one, and
this has added to it's value. The out
look is that there will be scramble
for it at most any price. Some un-
scrupelous traders have been up to
some rather undignifed tricks, un-'
worthy of American business. They
bought quantity of American tobacco,
shipped it to Porto Rico, had it ham
died there and packed, Porto Rico fash
ion, in barrels, and reshipped it to the
U. S. as Porto Rico at Rorto Rico
prices.
Brazilian tobacco was before the war
largely absorbed by Germany. In fact
a large share of this tobacco was
raised by German colonists. In true
German style the tobacco was handled
in the most efficient manner, and the
cream of it went to Germany for the
best trade there. Since the war the
Brazilian growers and packers have
turned their attention to the U. S. as a
possible market. Some American man.
ufacturers are trying it out, and it is
said that the tobacco is proving very
satisfactory. The smokers like it and
are calling for more. The history of
the Porto Rico, mentioned above, may
repeat itself in the Brazil type.
*##
The Chicago Tribune had on it's front
page its daily cartoon, by John 7. Nc
Cutcheon. It's title was sInconsesten-
cies" and the picture lampooned the
methods of government thrift. The
first picture shows Uncle Sam giving
fatherlv advice about economy and
Saving We took it; we bought war
loans untilit hurt, but Uncle Sam went
on in his good old fashioned way and
spent money like a drunk lumberjack.
The government does not practice what
it breaches. This truly is true of it's
attitude to the cigar box situation.
Here the question of saving is made
impossible by law demanding waste,
against the protest of the people
The complaint of the shortage of CT
gar boxes is growing louder every day.
And while it is growing, hundreds of
thousands Of perfectly good cigar boxes
are being destroyed every day because
a paragraph in the law governing this
matter so dictates 1t is compulsory
waste commanded by law at a time
when every cigar manufacturer and
every dealer would be happy to save
the empty boxes, pay the full amount
of new revenue in stamps to be pasted
on the box, and otherwise comply with
every requirement of the law. This
law demanding the destruction Of all
cigar containers should be repealed in
the interest of economy and common
business sense, and such measures of
the law added which would insure the
government the revenue it is entitled
to collect.
Information comes from London,
England, that the American Tobacco
Co. of China is in its own ambitious
manner solving the transportation prob
lem for their tobacco products in the
celestial empire. The company is MAX
ing use Of the aeroplane to send their
products to central China. The expert
ment is not only interesting as an
American venture, but it may prove
the solution of a serious problem in a
country lacking railroads.
$3.50
The number of horses in the country
declined nearly 400, 600 last year. There
is prospect of further decline this
year. Now is the time to raise horses.