Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1886-12-17
DortG obaccoGtmes
PORT TOBACCO:
Friday Morning ...."December II, 1886.
The German Tariff on Tobacco.

The German Tariff on Tobacco.
In the course of his speech at Leonard
town during last falls campaign, Hon.
Barnes Compton took occasion to refer to
the very high German tariff on imported
tobacco, which serves to depress the mar
ket tor Maryland tobacco exported to that
country, and argued that this action on
the part of the German government was
but retallatory measure prompted by the
high tariff now imposed by our Federal
laws upon all articles Of foreign manufac-
ture imported into this country. This
was not an especially new idea, having
been more than once adverted to on the
hastings and by the State press in recent
past years and never controversial.
But Republican subscriber Of the st.
Mary's Enterprise having been present at
Mr.. Compton's speech. it seems to have
impressed him as novel idea, and so be
addressed letter to the editor of the N
Y. Sun, which, with the Suns reply, is
published in the last issue of the Enter
prise as follows:
Editor Ne0 York Sun:
"Does the German empire impose tax or
tariff on tobacco raised in the United States
when carried into that country and If SO, how
much is the tax or tariff How old is the
law? Any other information on the subject
will be thankfully received Please answer at
your earliest convenience and obligs P. j. d.
[By the act of May 80, 1879, the Chancellor
of the empire was empowered to set in force at
once certain laws imposing customs duties
which the Reichstag, then in session, had pass
ed already, or had passed as far as the fnal
reading. In pursuance of this act the Chan
cellor, by publication dated July Z, 1879, set
in force the laws imposing the following duties
l. Tobacco ia leaf, manufactured tobacco,
stem, and tobacco extracts, per 100 Kilograms
(26s pounds)-s5 marks $3.50 23).
2. Manufactured tobacco:
a. Cigars and cigarettes, per 100 Kilograms
-27o marks (S64.25).
b. All other manufactured tobacco, per 100
kilograns-l80 marks ($42.s4).
The above specific duties became pat of what
is known as the tariff Of July Is, 1879, and
have not been changed since they vent into
effect. They apply to tobacco raised in the
United State as we'll as to that raised in other
countries Eds Sun.
The Enterprise publishes this as proof
conclusive that the statement made by
Mr.. Compton was another species of pre-
varication' and that "the German Empire
acted purely from prudential motives and
no more for or against the United States
than any other nation"
Now for its naioete and sweet simplicity
this editorial opinion is very charming
indeed. The fact is the data thus quoted
from the Sun, instead of proving the state
ment made by Mr.. Compton to be srrsns
Gus, affords the most satisfactory proof of
its correctness; and at the same time
shows the magnitude of the great burden
thus placed upon the Maryland tobacco
growers.
It will be seen that this tariff was first
put in operation in 1879 and that it a.
mounts, upon leaf tobacco, to a little ocer
II cents pound. At the time of its adop-
ton over fourteen years had elapsed since
the close of the American civil wsr, and
get the -manafsstHrings Interests aes-
many saw that the heavy tariff upon their
productions, which had been first imposed
to meet the necessities of war, instead OF
being reduced, were maintained at the
same war rates and justified and defended
by the American government as measure
of protection" to American industries.
In this state of affairs, with the American
government erecting Chinese wall of pro-
hibition against the productions of Ger
many, was it not natural and just as re-
taliatory measure that the German gov
eminent should refuse to admit American
products any longer into that country
duty frees That this was the chief motive
which prompted the German tariff on to-
bacco has been asserted by men we'll ia
miliar with cotemporeaneou history and
has never been seriously controverted that
we know Of There is certainly nothing
in the Suns data to show the contrary or
point out any prudential motives" Is the
actuating course.
1t is true that the German tariff laws do
not in terms refer to American tobacco as
especially prohibited, any more than the
American tariff laws refer in terms to the
productions of Germany. But when we
consider the fact that practically the only
source from which Germany imports to-
bacco is from America the effect and oper-
alton of the tariff is too plain to be mis-
understood.
This heavy burden of seven and a-half
cents pound, imposed as . retaliation for
our oppressive tariff laws, falls directly
upon the tobacco growers Of the United
States, and especially of the State of Mary
land, and diminishes the value of their
product to that extent. It will thus be
seen how both directly and indirectly this
ubiquitous American protective policy
falls upon the tiler OF the soil. And ye,
there are men here in Southern Maryland,
where agriculture is the only industry and
support of the people, who try TO delude
themselves into "a obscure belief that they
are not conflicting with the material in
terests of our people when they support
the Republican party with its onerous pro-
tectiYe policy which has ever been in d.
rect conflict with agricultural interests.
Think of seven and a-half cents taken
off from the value of the tobacco you grow
and from 40 to so per cent. added to the
value of your clothing and shoes and hats
and farming implements by the Repubi-
can tariff and then say, Maryland tobacco
growers, what you think of the men who
preach republicanism to you and delude
the colored agricultural laborers into the
support of it.