Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1883-03-09
THE REVISED TARIFF.
What St. Louis Bankers, M0r-
chants and Manufacturers
Think of it,
How it Effects Various Indus
tries.
Bankers and Tobacco Men
Satisfied Druggists
Grumble.
Sugar Reflners and Match Manu-.
facturers Indifferent.

facturers Indifferent.
st. Louis Post. Dispatch.
The tariff revenue bill that passed
congress Saturday and is now law
contains provisions that affect almost
every industry and branch Of trade In
the country. To ascertain the eject
of the most prominent features of the
bill, and particularly those that relate
to this section, Post Dlapatch reporters
were seat out this morning, and the
result of their researches Is given In
the following interviews:
MR.. VAN BLARCoM,
cashier of the Bank of Commerce,
said:
"My understanding Is that the tax
on deposits and on capital are re.
pealed, but that the tax on circulation
Is not. That Is only my opinion, how.
ever, and 1t is no better than that of
anybody alse."
''But the stamps on bank checks are
done away with2'
"That does not affect the banks.
They did not pay that; the depositors
did. You will have to wait until !
get further information before I can
tell you anything about the BILL"
THE TOBACCO TAX.
Mr.. Jas. G. Butler, of Jas. G. But
ler & Co., said the manufacturers,
jobbers and tobacco dealers of this
country could not help being pleased
with the new law.
SIT Is the best thing of the kind, "
said Mr.. Butler, 'that has ever been
adopted. It lifts q burden of at least
$40, 1000, 900 from thu workingmen of
the country, for they are the great
consumers of tobacco. The tax col.
lected ON tobacco for the last fiscal
year, at sixteen cents per pound,
amounted to SAC, 900, 900, one.half Of
which, at the reduction to eight cents
per pound, will be saved to the con.
sumer, and this consumer LIS the per.
son who can least stand a burdensome
tax. Take a man getting 500, Oh
even $50 month. He will smoke
cigars, because he can afford to do So
But 90 to the laborer on section oi
railroad or the man working on the
levee and you will find him every time
with a piece of tobacco in his pocket
The manufacturer is only the agent ol
the government to collect the tax from
this class of consumers, to whom thu
relief will be . great blessing. Tit
tobacco interests of st. Louis, manu-
facturer, johbsr and dealer alike
amounting in all to more than $15,
600, 900 annually, are thorough!
pleased with the reduction, and VI
have only one objection to urg'
against the bill, and that is the fire,
leaf clause, which allows the farme
or producer to sell his tobacco II
auantities not exceeding 500 II
whomsoever he plesses, thereby plac
Ing him In direct competition with tn
manufacturer. Tobacco for chewing
must be submitted to oertaiI
process, but for smoking very littl
treatment Is required, and 1t may b
purchased right from the field. The.
can dry it under q stove and rub 1
with their hands or through sieve a
they have been In the habit Of doin
heretofore, In violation of the revenu
law. Under the old law a produce
was compelled to sell his product to
licensed dealer, and could not dispos
of II otherwise, under penalty OF heav
fine and imprisonment.
"With the exception of this clause,
said Mr.. Butler, "the bill has bee
passed Just as 1t was recommended ,
the National 7 obacco Association, and
such being the case, the tobacco trad
of the country cannot but be satisfie
with everything in 1t except the OF
noxious provisions. A uniform ia
was first fixed In 1875. when twent
cents pound was levied on all kind
of tobaoco. Previous to that the ia
was 80 cents on chewing and 16 cent
on smoking tobacco. In 1877 Grar
and Sherman, while nobody was CIV
ing the subject any attention, stol
over to the Capitol one night, ane
because they were short In certain 81
propristions, had the tax put up to 2
cents. In 1879 1t was reduced to II
and now May 1st we will have 1t
Dealers having tobacco to the value
over $40 on hand that day, in ul
broken factory packages, will be allowe
a rebate OF eight cents for every pour
by the government. The manner
putting the law into effect 30 as
prevent fraud has not yet been dete
mined, but I suppose that Commi
sioner Raum will appoint special agen
and adopt some scheme for brandiI
inspected packages whereby, after q
agents have visited one dealer q
goods cannot be carted of to anoth
dealers place-in the style they 8
the banks sometimes affect by borro
ing each others cash after the insps
tor has counted 1t, and making 1t
double duty or even greater duty
they think the thing will work.
MR.. M. W. ALEXANDER,
the druggist, was called upon to asc
tain the possible effect of the abe
tion of tax on patent medicines, p
fumery, etc.
"The abolition of the tax on pat'
medicines Is a good thing for
manufacturers" he said, "but
nobody else. 1t will not cut down
price to the consumer cent. Melt
will It benefit retail dealers 1t II
good thing for the manufacturers on
Il the tax on perfumery taken OFF,
"Yes, believe It is."
"That will benefit the copsum
considerably. For instance, on
bins extract, which Il imported,
had to open the GASES and put on