Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-12-10

I ecvfh .rsnts pfv poAnd.' Now. under
| the existiag tari4s II " specified that to-
baceo used a. wrsppers. 100 tascs 10 the
| peuud, shali psy 81 scnis duty. Al the
| grsst hulk ofail The tsbAcco mn rtcd from
tuta h used for Oilers and binders. under
the proposed treaty dIltrs will actually have
/ to pay 2 cent? Yer pound more thsn Is now
psid byswrspg,ers, and laa cents mere than
will the wrappers benceforfb. This "
| clearly either huge blunder Of the makers
| Cf the treaty, or mistake In transmission.
| II would probably he correct II the word
/ mot ,was inserted before requiring
! Tho Times deserves the thanks OF the en-.
| tire trade for clearing away the clouds OF
| doubt that have hung over this treaty. No
one knew until to-day what II contained,
| and the Times has done q great public ser.
/ vice In publishing the text"
Another very large house IL that OF
| Schroeder a Bon. Mr.. Bon was emphatic
| In his opposition to the treaty. cit
means," said he, "the practical annihi-
lation OF q greet portion Of the sugar
uade of the country, and almost ir-
reparablr damage to the leaf-tobacco Indus
try, particularly 10 the farmer. The only
benefit TO the United States win be for the
| shipping interests. and the tobacco trade,
| ] think, will be unanimous In Its opp0-
90 much and receives so little. There
will be a general howl from the
northern tobacco States. IL will not
affect, EXCEPT indirectly. the hogshead
tobacco raised in the southern States, and
which goes TO the .Regies.' This will
probably remain rs 40 present, except when
the price OF seed-Ieaf gets so low that the
cutters can mix Tugs with leaf. The talk
about building up an export trade IN cigars
or other tobacco products Is absurd. The
| prejudice in favor OF imported cigars is too
| strong, and with the duty reduced only 80
| per cent. prices here will be too high for
us to compete in foreign markets. / trust
whatever Is done with the treaty will
| be quickly done, although postpone
ment will certainly kill it. The injustlces
are too many. Take -four. for instance.
| We ran under the new treaty send wheat
| to Barcelona and have II ground and ship
| ped thence to Cuba cheaper than we can
send -four direct. Everything works in
favor OF Cuba as against the United States,
| and hope the treaty will be rejected. SO
much damage will II work TO the tobacco
| interests of this country that II ratified l
ioresee and believe there are many like
me would feel disposed to 20 out OF busi-
ness altogether"
Mr.. Steinecke, Of Steinecke & Kerr,
| Observation-Disclosures. who was present. be-
lieyed the treaty TO be in the interest OF not
| over 10 per cent. OF the people OF the,
| United States, while 1t would work ruin
to the cigar-man ufacturers here ald 10 the
farmers and serious injury TO the balance
OF the 90 per cent. Both gentlemen spoke
| in praise OF the enterprise OF the Times
and Of the service II had rendered 10 the
country in obtaining and publishing text
OF the treaty.
At the Office OF the Tobacco Leaf 1t was
said that thu treaty would seriously lnjure
the entire tobacco trade here. No organized
effort bad been started TO defeat tue ratif-
cation Of the treaty except among the cigar
makers. One effect upon the cigar trade
here would be TO stop the manufacture Of
high-nriced goods, as the popular prejudice
In their favor was too great. This would
cause rush of business 10 Havana, with
the result OF increased wages to the
Cuban wOrkmcn, as cigar-makers were
prone TO strike. This would practi-
cally leave the price to the consumer
about as it is now. They thought
also that the Netherlands Government
would. under the clause in its treaty with
the United States. allowing the products OF
its colonies TO come in upon Us favorable
terms as those OF any other nation having
treaties with the United States, move for q
modification ct the present treaty to
admit its colonial products upon the same
footing as those from Spanish possessions.
This would arouse great opposition here,
as, even with 4 duty OF rs cents per pound
on Sumatra tobacco, its consumption was
operating disastrously against American
secd-l6af. The present American croD is
about 100000 eases and the consumption
H. Il
rate. With free leaf this business would
practically be annihilated.
A Hartford special says: The tobacco
interests Of this section, which are large
and important, are almost as much dis
turbed over the Spanish treaty as they
have been over the Sumatra tobacco-taX,
hut there is difference OF opinion as TO
the effect OF this treaty upon the manufac-
turing and growing interests. A promi-
nent wholesale buyer said to the TimeS'S
correspondent that the manufacturers
would no doubt feel as the heavy New
York concerns felt. They would prepare to
meet the new conditions II the treaty goes
into effect. Just now, with stocks on
hand, they could well afferd to stop work
and wait. 4 he effect Of a reduction OF so
per cent. Of the duty on manufactured
cigaIs would hurt the small dealers in do
nestle cigars, hut the gentleman was free
TO say that the army Of smokers would get
the benefit Of imported cigars at the same
price they are now compelled to pay for the
domestic product. He did not think putting
raw tobacco on the free list would be a
damage TO the Connecticut seed.leaf indus
try. as less than per cent. OF the importa-
ton are wrappers. and the Connecticut
growth is valuable for wrappers only. An
other large buyer said that the Connecticut
Valley growers would be injured because
the Cuban growers would raise and export
seed-leaf under free laws. II, how
ever, the increased importation OF Cuban
tobacco was in filters alone. an increased
market would be afforded for Connecticut
wrappers. IL is yet too early TO know
what the growers themselves think OF the
treaty. as most OF them were in ignorance
Of It's provisions to-day. A very intelIi-
gent tobaccn merchant, who has been FORE
most IN trying 10 secure relief from the
Sumatra importation, says that, failing to
get what was desired at the last session OF
Congress, and relying upon the promises
Of protection politicians TO have some
thing done this winter, which promises
are liable to fail, because TO touch
the tobacco interest would open up
the whole tai III question, he is now
feauN 10 submit 10 Tie lueNltlDlc. lie
worked, lie says, for his own interest, but
there are other and greater interests. Why
should tobacco stand in the way OF treaties
which open markets to all sorts OF manu-
featuring industrlesy He believes the !
Spanish treaty will be ratified. Connecti-
cut tobacco growers. he adds, must make
up their minds TO start upon equal terms
with other industries. II they can sell to-
bacco for 10 cents pound and live, well |
and good; II not, they must abandon its |
cultivation, as Connecticut farmers have |
heretofore abandoned other improbable |
agricultural ventures.
1t is SAIL tonight that many growers on
the east side OF the Connecticut river con-
tracted sales last week with New York |
buyers at from twenty TO twenty-five cents |
a pound, which is a strong price. 1t is |
safe TO say, however, that no more pur-
chases on these bases will be made at |
present.
A FRIGHTENED ENGINEER.