Evening journal., 1888-07-02

SO head. we about $3.50. HaH or ner
revenue from customs is derived from
tobacco. As I said, on the leaf the
duty is s5 cents aud on manufactured
tobacco S1.25. With this heavy tariff
on the leaf it is easy to see that the
Irish and Scotch farmers would have
q grand chance TO raise the tobacco for
the English market. But the English
treasury would suffer proportionately,
Accordingly il is made penal offense
in Great Britain to raise tobacco ex-
cept in the propogating gardens Of the
three universities. Any farmer con-
victsd OF this offonse is liable to a
heavy fine and six months imprison-
ment."
"Whsww whistled the tariff talkfr;
''that is q peculiar kind Of protection,
indeed. England protects foreigners,
then, at the expense Of the own farm
ers. Generous, I'm sure. wonder
how the farmers like il, though"
'sEngland has thrown her farmers
overheard" responded Mr.. Denslow.
"But she sticks 70 her manufacturers
and merchants. Most manufacturing
industries have not needed protection
SO far, but are latterly beginning to do
80. What England may do in the
near future about these 1 am some
what curious TO know. But the
English tobacco manufacturer never
could compete with the Cuban manu-
facturers. SO Parliament has given
him the benefit OF tariff of 40 cents
pound over ana above the tax he
pays on his raw material. l say 'tax'
advisedly. For tariff backed up by a
penal enactment prohibiting produc-
tior is just a tax and nothing else"
"Just as our tariff on WOOL" put in
the tariff talker, would be a 'tex' il
we forbade the raising Of sheep under
pain of fine and imprisonment"
(which, happily, we cannot do
under our constitution, said Mr.. Dem
slow, noddlng. "Now, 40 cents a
pound amounts to about 400 per cent.
ad vaIoriem. This protection is much
greater than anything that can be
cited on the American schedule and
amounts to absolute prohibition. Ac-
cordingly, all the tobacco used in Eng
land, though grown elsewhere,is man
ufactured for uss in this country. In
this way England derives a great rev
enue from tooacco, and at the same
time protects an industry to the point
OF ambition. The English tobacco in
dustry is a thriving one.
II see, said the tariff talker, "and
by this peculiar policy three parties
are benefited, to wit; the British ex
chequer, the foreign growers and the
English manufactures"
"And three parties" rejoined Mr.
Denslow, assentingly. 'the foreign
manufacturer, the Irish farmer and
the British consumer"
"But this latter does not suffer from
the protection to the English manu-.
facturer, but only from the tax on the
raw material"
Exactly. You have hit the nail on
the head. To-day the poor man in
England pays a high price for his
tobacco, for it is taxed IS cents a
pound. But have very little doubt
but that if the penal prohibition were
removed it would not be very lor &
before he could get bis tobacco s
cheap as the native Of any 9th r
country, Notwithstanding the tariff.
Competition among the Irish farmers
first. and among the English make s
next would bring this about"
"But at the expense Of the Englis h
treasury
"To be sure. And-don'tf fail to add
with the advantage Of a large new
Irish and Scotch industry, bringing
large added wealth TO the country"