New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-07-16

| that
and the fact of importation is guarantee OF the
quality of the tobacco used
IMPORTED AND DOMESTIC CIGARS.
ADDITIONAL FACTS ABOUT THE EFFECT OF THE Gus
TOM HOUSE sTAMP-How NEW-YoRK MANU-
FACTURERs ARE INJURED
"AIl that we ask OF the Government is an
equal chance with the Havana manufacturers to sell
our goods on their merits -: all the NcwYork man
uacuers Of cigars from Havana tobacco who we're con-
suited on tho subject said this. Their grievance that
the Custom House stamps each box Of cigars imported
with discriminating stamp guaranteeing that Its con-
tents are Of foreign manufacture and thus gives them
fictitious value based upon the former quality OF Ha
| vana cigars and the preudices Of Americans.
Messrs. Lozano, Pendas & Co are among the large
manufacturers OF cigars in NewYork who claim to use
only the best quality OF Cuban ODaceo and to produce
only the finer qualities OF cigars They said, yesterday
that the best Havana tobacco imported into the United
states pays duty 35 cents per pound Havana cigars
pay specific duty Of 81 so per pound and 70 per cent
ad yaiorem Hence cigars OF the Coneha style pay from
$40 to Si5 per 900 duty while the same cigars manu-
factured here would pay only from 81 to s. per 600
Notwithstanding this difference, Havana Conchas sell
here at from $40 TO $50 per LOCO price below that
at which We can manufacture thom Of good tobacco We
know that a large amount OF Inferior tobacco is
imported into Havana and 1t is evident that II s USED
In the manufacture OF these cigars; for the Havana
manufacturers could not make them OF native tobacco
az this price The anto Domingo tobacco crop is very
small but the import duty Is merely nomDal-5 cents
per pound The island therefore draw on the
whole world for inferior tobacco and ship t to Havana
where IL is used We have the word OF the Havana
pewspapers that such the case the fear IL becom
ing very general there that the Old credit for excellent
cigars made OF the native tobacco without EduteratOn
will DO lost There many people in the United States
who take 1t for granted that cigar imported from
Havana must be made OF Cuban tobacco, and they look
no further than the Government stamp We want 10 be
able 70 sell cigar its merit without any reference
to its place Of manufacture. merchant gives Gus
toner one Of cigars TO try he likes 1t aud wants to
buy box but when ne the stamp he says This
is domestic can get an imported cigar for the same
money They won't believe that the best Cuban tobacco
worked in New-York by Cuban WorkneD, can produce
so good cigars worked in Havana by the same men,
Mr. Pendas continued: "PeOple not paying as
much fot cigars as formerly and the adulteraon OF
tobacco in Havana Ia TO meet the demand for cheap
cigars; but the price Of good tobacco has
not fallen. and the duty has not been re-
dueed. The Havana manufacturer cannot put good
cigar on our market at cents can aud yet thoy
undorso u.s. Before they began to adulterate their to-
bacco we aud other American manufacturers were be-
ginning get reputation for certain brands OF cigars
People liked thom and bought them because they could
not afford TO smoke imported cigars that they can
obtain Havana-made cigars at the less price
they refuse to take ours being Influenced by the Govern
mcnt stamp More imported cigars have probably been
soldn the United States during the past two years than
| In the previous ten"
Mr. Pendas told a story OF a who had been buying
domestic cigars for several years In store in Broadway
The Kind first selected By him from several samples
| and afterWard he always asked for the kind. A
short time ago he wished box TO take into the country
and returned In towering rage because 10 had
been swinded with domestic cigars when he had sup
| posed he was smoking IA imported article.
Messrs. Sanchez & Haya also large manufacturers
OF Havana cigars In NewYork. They repeated the com
plants made by jose Baron Co.. and BY Lazano Pen
das Mr. Sanchez said that there were six or seven
manufacturers here, and few at Key West who used
only the best brands OF Cuban tobaeco others used
Connecticut wrapper more OF less and some used infe,
nor qualities tobacco nicrs- 'The production Of
SUCH" be- said "is we'll known IN the trade ana each
slands on MS own msiits. lIsIS - no oJ I1 1e
when aid Is given by the Government TO either The
trouble with the cheap imported cigar Is that 10
| into the market with Government stamp, which many
people understand to be guarantee OF It's quality.
Eyrrrone caters 10 this ana the eNceeuce OF
ucstc cigars ctailed from Imported boxes all over
the city and smokers boast that they get good
Havana cigar Tor 10 or 10 cents they could
such cigar II imported for less than % cents on
the other hand n customer gets bad cigar be says 1t
| Is domestic, aud curses the dealer for cheat"
On this subject OF the use Of Imported boxes for re-
failing domestic cigars, Mr. Barnett Of Jose Baron &
Co. said: "The Revised statutes require that the name
| OF the Manufacturer. the place OF manufacture
marked on each box Of domestic cigars, and
| a cautlonary notice warning auy person against
usng the box for cigars agatn. Imported cigars have
tue same stamp show that tho internal revenue tax
has been paid. aud the Government Ian9usly places
another stamp on tho boy, showing that me box has
passed through the Custom House They tell us, II we
ask that the cautonary notice on inc Dotoa Or our
use Of the internal revenue stnmps on them Why do
they require the cauionary notice on the I'M
ported boxes when, When empty are SUI more Vaua-
blef For cigars, II packed in empty imported boxes
Willie the most that can be made 10y th4 dishonest use Of
the cigar is from 80 to go cents each
| kel price OF domestic egats ~ per hundred
ing business at No. 1877 Water-st lie consulted in
regard 10 the charges freely made by New York man
uiaenrers against imported cigars; ne SAID that nn
| ported into Havana and used IN the manufacture OF
cigars by the manufacturers OF established repu-
| tatOn He named several brands OF cgsrs well known
IN the United States, the qIay Of which never varied
except quality OF the Cuban tobacco crop varied
from year year. The crops OF 1874 and 1870
markedly good; the crops OF 1876 ana loI! very bad
Tue quality and price Of cigars made from the crops Of
these later years lower cigars OF the size
were OF weight tnan formerly, and tobacco sold
good. but not so good as that OF 1878.
Mr.. Palsoio claimed that all American smokers had
guarantee OF the quality Of their cigars In tho name OF
the manufacturer; but II they relied on the custom
pure article "he bastard tobacco in Cuba" be said
made by small dealers and sold In the interior OF
baeeo are sent 20 the United States but arc not con-
signed TO houses Of known reputation They can always
S Ds Sn the box which '' contains only ini
tmls" Mr. Palaeio was very positive that the
taton at abroad, used only the best tobacco
Obtainabe In the market and that II American con-
sumers relied the OF the manufacturer rather
than the Government stamp, they would run no FISK
being sWinded. He however said that even In that
ease cigars would be obtained at high price better
ia quality than could be obtained in the domestic mar
ket n lower price. The best tobacco, he said, is inn
ported here by some manufacturers who mako good
cigars IA can be made In Havana. Different houses
here in Havana, have regulations based upon the
known character Of their goods, and the discrm
nation should be used In purchasing domestic cigars
| in purchasing those from Havana
1
MRS. VOSBURGFS Contradictions