The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-12-21
THE DUTY ON TOBACCO,
MR, nIscooK IS UNsUcoEssTUL
In his Attempt TO RmsS the Tat on Leaf
Tobacco to Prevent EVasions of the
Law-Ths Political Turn the Nor
mon Question Is Taking,

WAsHINeToS, D, O., Dec, 2O-Mr, His
cock, in the House to-day, called up his
motion to suspend the rules and pass the
bill relating to the duties on tobacco, The
bill amends the statutea relating to the
duties on leaf tobacco as follows; Leal
tobacco in any bale, box, package, OF
bulk, any part OF which Is suitable fol
wrappers, II not stemmsd rs cents per
pound, Itssemmed one dollar per pound
upon the whole contents Of such bale, box,
package or bulk,
Mr.. Morrison opposed the bill. Since
the introduction OF this measure, and only
90 late as last Saturday, the House with
the concurrence Of the gentleman from
New York (HisCoCk) had decided not to
have any revenue legislation, neither 10
increase nor 10 diminish the revenue, and,
indeed, not to consider the question, He
had been in hopes that In obedience To
the will OF the House, the gentleman
would have withdrawn this proposition to
increase q tax already enormously high.
The proposition 10 to impose Q duty on
all imported leaf tobacco, suitable for
cigar wrappers Of 70 cents q pound, or II
stemmed oi 81 pound, The great
est portion Of this tobacco imported
now paid thirty.hve cents pound. The
pretext for the pending measure was that
the law as 1t now stood was evGded. As
it now stood the law, which was adopted
without ever having been considered cll
read la the House, under what was known
as the Kieier Reed device for change oi
rules, imposed Beveuty-tive cents on i'm
ported leg Tobacco Of requisite hneneas
and quality for wrappers and one dollar
for stemmed. The Tariff Commission
had been asked to impose that duty and,
alter investigating the whole question, It
had declined 10 report in favor ol 1t.
Then 1t had come to be q law In the way
he had already indicated.
The pending proposition was to impose
q duty Of 70 cents to protect the home
producer OF leal tobacco, who already was
protected by q duty ol IS cents pound.
That rate was more than ample protection
to-day.
Mr.. Breckenridge, Of Arkansas, regarded
the bill as u modest proposition 10 protect
a certain class ol tobacco 600 percent. The
cigars wrapped in Sumalra tobacco were
consumed principally by the working
class, and alone would have to pay the In
cresseed duty, although it now paid sub
sidy oi 90 percent to some 1000 persons in
this country. There was no commercial
industrial or financial reason based on
public interest Tor the passage ol
this bill. 1t was proposition
OF subsidy, pure, simple and un'
adulterAted and he hoped that the day
would come when the people would whip
such proposition from the Capitol. as the
money changers were whipped from the
Temple. The proposition Of the gentle
man OF New York was somewhat peculiar
It was not simply to tax oil wrappers Il
cents and 81, but 1t was 10 tax at that rats
all tobacco that was in bale In which
there was single leat suitable for wrap
ping.
loo; nays, l05. The following Democrats
voted with the body OF the Republicans II
the affirmative: AnderSon, Of Ohio, Boyle
Curtin, Ermentrout, Findl4y, Foran, Love
Seymour, Swops and Waliord.