The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1922-06-30
NOTE. BOOK SKETCHES


That the new tobacco pool and CO.
operative marketing organization is go
ing to get Is per cent of the 1922 acre
age of tobacco is freely predicted by
the leaders of the movement. No of
| fetal figures substantiating this claim
have so far appeared. Interviews with
the leaders have been printed in the
newspapers in and out of the state to
the effect that Vernon, Crawford and
other northern tobacco areas have al
ready signed up above the required rs
!! per cent of the acreage. The campaign
in Columbia, Dane and Rock counties
has been on during the past month.
The final results can not be known until
| the work is finished. The State Mar
keting Department has stated, how
ever, that the organization will not be
effective until rs per cent of the acre
age in the state has been covered by
signatures to the five year contract.
| 1t is big proposition, but one that
has won the approval of so large a
number of the growers that it's success
or failure will affect Wisconsin tobacco
culture as whole
| After the signatures to the contracts
have been secured the organization
must be perfected. The men within
the pool must come together in
their different districts to select repre-
sentatives who again will elect the di-
rectors of the corporation. The choos-
ing Of man big enough to become
manager Of a corporation which will
handle millions of dollars of tobacco
every year is one of the very important
steps. That there are men within the
state of size to do this, and do it well,
can not be doubted; but just now a
lgrear deal of speculation is indulged in
as to whom the man will be upon
whom the choice shall fall. Some very
large figures have been mentioned to
indicate the salary that will be paid to
the general manager; this in itself
aronses considerable speculation as to
whom the big plum will fall. That
there will be a considerable staff of Of
ficials in corporation the size of the
prOppsed sales organization, is evident,
and this is also matter which is fur
nishing material for much discussion.
When the organization is whipped in
to shape the real work of the pool will
begin. The financial plan must be
worked out, the credits of the corpora
tion arranged. The warehousing and
handling is big task, and the policy
of grading, fixing values and selling a
process that will be watched with the
keenest interest," not only by those with
in the. pool, but by everybody else.
| The existence of the corporation will
naturally have its upsetting effect upon
some phases of the trade. In the first
place it will relieve the grower of the
burden of personal marketing. When
the season is on he will not be sitting
waiting for the buyer to come. The
individual growers will have nothing
directly to say about tobacco prices.
All they do is to raise the crop, har-
vest, bundle and haul it to the ware
house designated as the point where
delivery is to be made. Here the first
grading to establish types and values
will be made. In the second place, the
buyer will, even if he rides during the
summer to size up the tobacco stand in
the field, not have to wonder what the
%a1y ~
will be no field buying of tobacco with
4 in the pool, as we understand it. All
buying is done either after the tobacco
is in the bundle, delivered at the ware
house, or sweat and packed into cases..
l. 1t will be convenience and saving
especially to the large and financially
mighty tobacco corporations who deal
in tobacco on large scale They need
not keep a large force of buyers in the
field, dealing with hundreds of growers,
but can deal directly with the office of
the general manager and his sales de-
partment. That the small dealer and
packer will be gradually squeezed out
Of business is to be anticipated. Com
lpetition In selling as well as competi-
tion in buying will gradually end, and
the transactions will concern the one
corporation management that is selling
and few big tobacco concerns who
manufacture and sell, wholesale and
retail, cigars and tobacco products.
| One of the advantages mentioned in
the new system to be inaugurated is
that under it the grower will receive
from 100 to 800 per cent more for his
tobacco than he used to get, without
increasing the cost to the consumer.
In other words, the direct buying of
the raw material by the big tobacco
corporations from the pool will assure
the growers of a profit, at the same
time that it insures the consumer of as
good or better article than be is now
getting for the same money.
On the other hand, the incorporators
of the pool assume all risks of losses
and costs which are entailed in bandl-
! ing, packing and storing Of all tobacco
which is not disposed of while in the
bundle.
i Another advantage pointed out by
the leaders in the movement is that the