The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1875-05-07
E'ine-Cut Tobacco.

L ~
of section 1852. Revised Statutes, together
with samples of the same, and asking TO be
advised what further action you shall take in
the premises, | baye to inform you that upon
n careful examination made by the chief of
the tobacco division of this office he was OF
opinion that these samples, with perhaps one
or two exceptions, were not such tobacco as
was known TO the trade at the time OF the
passage OF the law as tine.cut chewing tC-
bacco," or such as the trade generally would
recognize at the present time as tne.cut
chewing tobacco. But being desirouS to
deal fairly with the manufacturers of these
various brands Of tobacco, and 10 give them
all the privileges with regard to the mode OF
packing TO which they were entitled under
the law. decided that these Identical sam
ples should be submitted to the manutac-
lurers themselves, or so many OF them as
were disposed TO be present, at meeting
called al the Office of the supervisor in New
York. Such meeting was held on the 23d
dav of April; at which there were present
REPRESENTATIVES from twenty-three manuf C.
turing etsonS or firms, including representa-.
tiycS from most Of the firms whose tobacco
had been seized or detained for alleged vio-
latiop of the law in respect TO the mode OF
packing.
The following resolution. after consider
able discussion, [ AIN informed, was uDanl-
mously adopted rs an expression of the opln'
ion of the manufacturers then and there
prcScnt-to wit :
"Rcsolrcd, That in our opinion all to.
bacco which has been stripped of all its stems
before the process Of cutting, and which is
no, cut closer than fifty threads to an inch,
which is made. intended, aud sold as fnc-cut
chewing, should be allowed TO be sold in
bulk, as permitted by law, in ten, twenty,
forty, and siX'y-ponnd PACKAGES
After the adoption Of this resolution Mr..
kimball, of this office. presented TO the man
ulacturers the samples for their individual
inspection, placing in the bands OF each a
card, and requesting them 10 note on said
cards the samples " hich they considered to
| be tiuc-cut chewing.
Nothing was stated or marked on the sam
| pie TO indicate who was the manufactured
| thereof.
Seventeen Of the manufacturers present
| recorded upon the aforesaid cards Their
opinions a. requested. How far they were
| governed in their decision by the principles
| Incorporated into the foregoing resolution
| adopted by them l am unable TO say, but
upon collecting these cards and making ;
careful and thorough examination of the
same, out Of the twenty-slX samples submit
ted only iour were pronounced to be fine
cut chewing. Three samples were without
single opinion expressed in their favor
| Fourteen Of the tWenty-SiX samples re-
celved the approval Of only from two to five
votes in their favor, and the samples ap
proachn. nearer than this to favorable
| opinon from the 4ajority received their en-
d0rscmeut from manufacturers who knew
| there were samples Of their own tobacco
passing in review, and whose votes indicate
i bias in favor Of samples which were pro
| nounced against by manufacturers who haC
no tobacco on the market of the different
| grades Represented by these samples.
With regard TO the opinion expressed ir
| the resolution before referred to, as to the
| proper line Of demarkation between fue.cu
chewing, which may be packed in 10, 90
40, and G0-pound packages, and ali cut anC
granuated tobacco other than fnecut chew
| ing, which the law declares shall be put uI
in packages of 2, 4, 5, and 1G ounces each
aud in no other manner, have to say that ir
the opinion of this Cttice such tobacco as il
| claimed to be tine.cut chewing must have
been stripped of all its stems before the pro
| cess OF cutting. 1t must be cut from leu
used as chewing stock, and not from scraps
| clippings, waste, or cigar stock. 1t must al$C
have been made for and intended and sold Il
6ue-cut chewing; in other words, 1t must b.
what it purports to be.
| With regard to the degree Of fneness, o.
the number of threads to an inch accordin!
to which it shall be cut, while am Of opin
ion that fifty threads TO an inch would let II
4 very coarse article, and tobacco cut by oshe
| unh haf Il
proved and used by the manufacturers o
| fiue-cut tobacco, and therefore might open
door to fraud, l am not prepared to say wha
the limit in this respect ought to be, and
therefore, as at present advised, this offic,
will not adopt the opinion expressed by th'
manufacturers in their resolution as final an(
| conclusive on this point.
| 1t would be well if all cut and granulatet
! tobacco, without any exception, were re
qured hy law 10 be put up in retail pack
ages. Though experts may have no difficulty
| ip pronounclng judgment upon given sam
ple of cat tobacco, and ordinary judges may
| give an opinion nine cases out OF ten cor
rpc,ly. stial, TO make 4 definition Of fine cut
| TO draw the lire of demarkation between
| fine cut and coarse cut, | conceive to be at
| tended with difficulty. To say in advance
that tobacco cut fifty or seventy threads Of
more to the inch, irrespective OF the grade OF
character Of the leaf used, Shall be so re
| pardeu. while that which Is cut a less numDe
|; of threads SO the inch, though appearin!
equally fine, and cut and prepared for chew
I::ng tobacco. without question is not, WouC
cot be, equttsble.
BY reason OF the difficulty in defining fin'
cat, and drawing such line OF dlstinctior
between 1t and other grades Of cut tobacco
while the law remains as it ~. every manu-
tactarcr, knowing that he is liable to have hl
tobacco seized or detained if he apparently
violates the law ia this respect, should avoic
paciuy upon the market in bHk-packaSes
douIteI Grade OF tobacco. lie can an(
should be sure before he packs an bulk thai
his tobacco is Of such a character, and is eu
with that degree OF dnc1ess that IL Woua0
pass, subject to such an examination as YVES
gwen to the samples submitted to the lilspee
ton Of The manufacturers at supervisor
Hawley's Office last week.
In view of all the eifeam stances, ana IN
view of the opinion expressed by Inc manu-
facturers assembled at the supervisors ONCE
in New York, upon the samples OF to5sceo
under seizure In your dftaflct, nave de-
cidcd in those eases where Ine opinion was
or nearly so, opposed 10 re-
garding it US sample of dne-cut chewing
Iobacco to allow the release OF tobacco on
condition that the tobacco is retnFned 10 the
thereof and properly packed
.ud stamped according to law, and npon pay
nent of any costs incurred on accountoi the
seizure.
While this tobacco might undou btedly oe
orfcited to the Government, am ar1lons 10
ecure an honest and intelligent compliance
,'ith the law but SO palpablei is the Violation
, these cases that do not deem it proper