The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-01-08
TOBACCOANDTH THETARIFF
sUMATRA LEAF THE FAVoRITA
WITH SMOKERS.

It Would Take an Exceedingly High
Duty to Keep It Out of the Coun-
try-One OF the Speakers Claims
That sumatra Leafs Superiority Is
All Imaginary.
WASHINGTON, Jan. There were but
four members Of the committee on ways
and means present this morning when f. A.
Schroeder of New York began to address
the committee on the subject of tobacco,
He advocated uniform rate of duty on
leaf tobacco of So cents pound-exactly
what it was prior to 1888, when two spe-
citic rates Of duty were adopted. He op-
posed the proposition to increase the duty
on wrapper and filler tobacco. II the duty
on wrapper leaf were increased, the
American manufacturer would reduce
the quality and cost of the filler, and the
wages of cigarmakers would be reduced.
The average cost of the production Of
tobacco in the United States was about IL
cents per pound. Whom the former was
protected to this extent every thing that
could be done had been done. BY higher
rate Of duty the product might be slightly
increased, but not to such an extent as to
make any appreciable difference The cost
of cotton, corn, and potatoes would regulate
the cost of tobacco.
sUMATRA THE FAvoRTTE.
If the importation Of Sumatra tobacco
had been prohibited when it was first
brought to this country, the production OF
American leaf might have been increased.
but no smoker would accept the American
leaf for the Sumatra wrapper. Farmers
raising tobacco were doing better than they
had formerly done, and the American
smoker was using a better cigar. The
farmer himself enjoyed the Sumatra
tobacco for wrappers and rejected his
own products. He cited statistics
to prove that the importation
of Sumatra tobacco had not injured the
home product. Mr.. Schroeder maintained
that an increase of the duty on Sumatra
wrappers would not increase the price
realized for the domestic wrappers. To
increase the duty on Sumatra from 55 cents
to 81 pound might increase the acreage Of
domestic leaf, but not the price. The
American people would have to be educated
to use the native wrapper, and mean
while would be apt TO take to cigarettes, or
the pipe, if deprived Of the wrapper they
wanted.
ALL IN THE IMAGINATION.
J. s. Vandusser of Elmira, N. Y, said
that the only reason for the preference the
people and trade had for the Sumatra to-
bacco was that the American people were
disposed to believe that an imported article
was better than a domestic. There was no
sound reason for it.
James Ertheiler, representing the New
York Leaf Tobacco Board of Trade, said
that that board wanted the internal reve-
nue. tax repealed. The system should be
completely wiped out. The cigarmakers
were also in favor of repeal. A
uniform duty of 35 cents per pound was
wanted on all imported tobacco The board
meeting yesterday was in favor of free to-
bacco, but, as there was desire not to ask
for any hing that would injure the farmer,
it was decided to ask for uniform duty of
IS cents. If that rate would not protect
the farmer, no rate of duty would. Sumatra
wrappers would be imported regardless
of duty. Three dollars per
pound would not be prohibitory.
Some manufacturers would import it and
others would be forced to do SO. Smokers
looked for the import stamp on cigars, and
if that was not there they would not buy
the best American cigars, while the biggest
trash made in Cuba would be eagerly bought
if it only had the stamp affixed.
WANTS A PRoHIBrToRY DUTY.
Frank R. Diffenderfer, secretary of the
Pennsylvania Tobacco Growers Associa-
tion, wanted prohibitory duty on foreign
wrappers.
L. H. Neudrecker, of the Baltimore
board of trade, said those he
represented wanted the internal revenue
laws repealed. They did not want the tax
reduced What they desired was the aboli-
tion of the machinery for the collection of
the duty. That machinery was harsh, and
could not be otherwise if the duty was to
be collected.
George M. Trader Of Atlanta, Ga, and
Danville, Va, also urged the wiping out Of
the internal revenue system, and wanted it
done quickly.
Waiter E. Barnett Of New York, man
ufacturer of fine Havana cigars, wanted
the law repealed requiring imported cigars
to bear an import stamp. This stamp was
what many smokers looked to to determine
the quality of the cigars under it, and they
would buy any kind Of trash that came in a
box bearing an import stamp. Better
cigars, he said, were made here than in
Havana.
OPPOSED TO REPEAL.
Morris s. Wise, counsel and manager of
the Cigar Manufacturers Association of
New York city, opposed the repeal of the
internal revenue system 50 far as it related
to tobacco. They did not care whether the
tax was increased or reduced; but they de-
sired very much that the restrictions and
regulations necessary to collect the tax
should not be done away with. The manu-
facturers claim that the moment the safe
guards and governmental restrictions
against the refilling of an empty package
are repealed, that that moment there will
be food of piracy and retilling of empty
packages of well-known and success
full brands throughout the United
States. The manufacturers ask that
the law be continued for their protection in
the first place, and in the second place for
tie protection Of the consumer. The trade
mark law would not give protection. There
was now vast amount of re6lling, and
this would be increased a thousandfold by
the repe Il of the system.
Moses Crone, a manufacturer Of Cinciu-
natl, agreed with Mr.. Wise that the system
should be retained.
Mr.. Hopkins, representing the manufact-
urers of Detroit, also wanted the system
retained.
Robert Stewart, secretary of the Balti-
more Tobacco Board of Trade, urged the
total abolition of the system. Manufact-
urers must be very hard up If they could
not protect their brands. There were copy
rights, trade marks, and labels for the
protection Of manufacturers. The people
tha total r.apaa1 NJ the far Tha