Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1884-12-09
THAT SPANISH TREATY.
The Tobacco Manufacturers and Grow
ers Are All at Sea.
One GLASS Fayors, the Other Disfavors the
Proposed Treaty,
Twenty-Threo Hundred Cigar Makers
Already Out of Work.
A List Of the Principal Articles Affected
BY the Treaty.

fotoIu unnouuCeu 10 lnelr ZUOO en-
ployes Saturday night that their fac
tory would discontinue work until the
uncertainty about the new treaty with
Spain in regard to the West Indian
trade was removed.
In an interview Mr.. Stratton said:
1.-THE firm now keeps its stock OF to-
bacco in Havana for IL we had lars q
stock here ana the treaty should be
ratified we should be OUT the amount
that the duty is reduced. AT the
first moment the text Of the treaty of
the officials already made public Is
acted upon by congress we shalt open
our factories, The effect Of abolishing
the duty on tobacco would be, think,
TO make the United States the great
center of the tobacco trade OF the
world.
1.-THE manufacturers welcome the
abolition Of the tax, as It will cause
great increase to their business. The
tobacco growers for obvious reasons
are opposed to it. l look for bitter
fight against 1t in congress
The cigar makers from all the prin-
cipal factories in this city held meet
ing yesterday to consider the pending
treaty, Mr.. Gompersk presiding.
'If this treaty. said he, lis ratified
by both countries it will cause a reduc-
ton OF 80 per cent. in the duty on
manufactured tobacco from Cuba and
Porto Rico. A moments thought will
show that this reduction would be
q death blow TO the tobacco
trade of this country. Tobacco grows
naturally and well In this country, yet
il cannot compete with the fine grades
OF tobacco from the Spanish posses
sious. 1t ia useless to argue that the
free imported tobacco will be mixed
with our American growth in
cigars. The smokers of Havana
cigars will not be imposed upon by
any such deception, in other words
the smokers OF Havana cigars will not
smoke an amSlgamatedproduc only
half as good as the genuine Havana
when they can get the genuine at the
same price as the ANAL samated, and
this condition of the trade we claim
will be brought about IL this treaty Is
ratified.n
"Other delegates here report that
other large manufacturers are pre-
pairing To follow the example of STRAIT
Ton u Storm. Their employees cannot
complain OF such action the employers
say in justification, and we know 1t to
be true that they cannot compete with
Havana cigars imported almost
free OF duty. A reduction OF 25
per cent. in the duty on Havana
cigurs might enable them to manu-
facture from the Havana leaf q cigar
or cigarette that would allow them TO
compete successfully with the import
cd cigar, but so per cent. is rubbing
it in too deep, and hence their actions
and the sing OF their shops. TWEEN
ty-three hundred ofus are already laid
off and by the end of another week
there is no telling how many more will
be eating the bread or rather tho crust
OF idleness.
"The importers are secretly at work
while we are lying idle. The treaty Is
probably already in the hands OF the
senate; by its conditions the proposed
reduction will take effect from the LIST
Of January next. We have but little
time 10 work in. We must be up and
doing at once"
The executive committee, which had
been in session during the early part Of
the afternoon, reported in favor OF
issuing r circular explaining the effect
Of the operation OF the treaty upon the
| tobacco interests Of the country and
calling upon the country ~ large to
raise It's voice in protest. The COM
/ mittee also recommended the appoint
ment OF a committee 10 visit the man
! ufacturers and obtain their co-opera-
| ton in the movement.
The recommendations were unanl-
mously adopted. A motion TO call a
mass meeting in the interest OF the
| movement was voted down, and In
stead, IL was deemed best TO appoint a
| committee to 20 TO Washington. This
| committee will be appointed next SUM
| day The executive committee re-
| ported that a meeting OF the cigar
J manufacturers had been called for
some day this week.
The Times this morning publishes a
| COPY OF the treaty which IL obtained in
| Madrid, and It's terms seem more ia.
yorable IN this country than was sup
posed at yesterdays meeting OF the
cigar makers.
Following are the principal articles
Of the products OF both countries
which will be affected: Articles, the
product OF the provinces OF Cuba and
Porto Rico, 10 be admitted into the
United States on the following con-
ditions:
PRE- IRON DUTY:
Horses, cocoa, coffee, fishi freAh
fruits, cotton, hemp, flax, hides, skins
undressed, analine and mineral dyes,
palm oils, sugars not above No. ~
Dutch standard In color, ioaves OF
crystalized syrup Of the sugar cane,
meladA molasses, seeds. wood, cast iron,
eggs, honey, WAX, sponge, bone, guRno'
manure, coca, esparto,. horse hair
rushes, osiers, straw, and coins OF gold
or silver.
SUBJ ECr TO DUTY.
Cigars, cigarettes 81 2o per pound
and i2l Der cent ad vaInrem; tobscco
leaves having. stems, 81 cents per
pound, aud without sienna, So cent?
other tobacco in leaves having stems,
ia cents per pound; tobacco, maufAc,
tured Of every kind, without stems, y
CENTS per pound; snuff and powdered
tobacco, Is cents per pound Tobacco
not Manufactured, Is per cent. al val
/