New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-01-08
THE TOBACCO HEARING.
SEVERAL ARGUMENTS MADE BEFORE THE
HOUSE WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE.
MANUFACTURERS, IMPORTERS AND GROWERS
HEARD-A DIFFERENCE OF OPINION ABOUT
THE INTERNAL REVENUE TAX-URG-
~. II
ING PROTECTION FOR THE FARMER.
Try TELEGRAPH TO The TRIBUNE. ]

ING PROTECTION FOR THE FARMER
lBY TELEGRAPH TO The IBIBUSEI
Washington, Jan. The duty on imported eh
tobacco fitted for cigar wrappers, and the question OF
the repeal Of the internal taxes on manufactured
tobacco, cigars. etc, were maucrs winch aosorOcu
the attention Of the Ways and Means Committee 10
day, what time its members were not required 10 be
in the House 10y the filibustcrng OF the Democrats,
All of the tobacco interests well and aby rep
resented-the producers, the manufacturers and the
impOrterS-and the discussion developed variety oil
opinions, as well some radical differences Oh opl
ion. should all the internal taxes be swept away
one of the questions and It was answered IN the
affirmative by the southern tobaccogrowcrN' a. wei
as by certain manufacturers, while the retention of
nominal tax cigars protection to manufacturers
and consumers was urged necessity in behalf OF
the Ncw-York Cigar Manufacturers Association and
the International Cigarmalcr> Tnon-thc latter or
ganzatOn consisting il said of more than
%. 900 wage carncrS. ON the whole, the dl>'ussloh
indicated pretty clearly that all the obacc" interests
will gladly welcome the reductions proposed By the
Senate substitute for the Dark Lantern bill which
in all probability will bc recommended by the ma
jory Of the WAYS and Means Committee.
As 10 the dutc, imported leaf oil inc NorI u'cu
for wrappers the way is not 50 clear. The manu-
facturcrs or an ovcrwh cming majority of them would
be willing 10 ION hards with the domestic producers
Of leaf tobacco TO obtain higher even prolnbl''ry
duties >umatrt wrappers, # that 'ouIu pc "'"'
without interfering with the Importation oi '"o'"
vr,,pers The importcr, Of Sumatrd wrappers,
through their representatives, were also profu-e III
their IMPRESSIONS Of sympathy for the American l''"
crs: but the representative, Of the domestic pro
ducers did not regard this sympathy as genuine me
capital speech of secretary Van Dnzcr Of the 'hcmuhH
Valley Associations and the carefully prepared "'S"
mcrt Of Mr.. Dincudorfcr of the PcmSN wanna N''o
catlon showed where the farmers 'tiud on uc P"''
ton Of protection: but neither OF them lhd''u ''
desire Of the Latter n, 10 the rate, when sIl""" ~
imposed upon >umatra wrappers, the imp'f'"'''' u"
which, at present rates. coupled with cN"-ioh' III
the law have seriously crippled, ana no" '"r'"''"
ultimately Ia DESTROY AN important industry n VINO"
thousands Of American farmers u New England. Sew
York. Pennsylvania and a number 81 iN' Nc,'''"
states are 80 deeply interested. II l. ml'rf''' i""
ever. that. when the proper time comes an e''r' WIZ
he made 10 have the dutic, >umatrH wrappers 30
creased 10 81 per pound. with more stringent
provisions against cvaspu- OF Ole" law.
Another feature Of the day discussion WIS wv
urgent demand Of the manufacturer, for the "b'1
,ion ~ hc law which rcqu.,c, that every h"N "i ih
ported cigars shall bear distinguishing marx mace
v an I'm, pcctor after the duty hdr been I"id To- $40"
the fact Of importation.
Frederick g. Schroeder. 81 Sow York the first
.pcakcr advocated uniform rate 81 'U'F "H ''''
tl,,rco Of thirty i've cent pound exactly wiz" D"
were adopcd lie opposed thc proposition {" Increase
n. drty ON wr,ppcr and nlicr tobacco. II Oh" ants
an vrarpcr leaf were increased. the American W'''
f,,turcr would reduce the quality ANA cost 81 Ue
filler and the waEc- Of Oh" cF'rin'h'F- Won" ''
reduced The avcrac" cost ~ production "l ''''' ~
in tho United state, twelve cent pound ""''
, frr.cr Wa protected e. thi, extent. c'"r'Nunt
that could hc done lad been done. lf higher rate
If duty. the product might be slightly increased .u'
| ,ot a. .uch AN cxtcn; a. 90 make any dppfrl'F'
Inference The cost 81 cotton corn and p''hi"'' """'
rcr,l,te the cost Of tobacco. II the importation 90
.uu,ir, tobacco had been prohibited when ID "''
rr-t brought 10 th, country. Oh" prodn't"n 81
leaf might have been increased but h"" me -''"'
,,,d mot accent the American leaf for the >uniat7'
vr,upcr The farmer raising Tobacco" were o'"'
better than they hai formerly done. ana The Amen
can .,okc- WA. using better cigar. The farmer
eli cnioycd the ~untri tobacco for WRAPPER "'"
rejected b., own product
NJ schroeder cited statistics 10 prove thi' me 1
| r,r,,,io, - sumatra t"bao'" hh n"' injured 'H'
,,c product lie maintained That an increase COY 'H
,,. 49,, .rm,tra wrapper, woGh not increase iAr price
| ,li,cd for the domestic wrapper ana -''''1 NAV
49,, -i,c 81 -urnatra wrappers had increased - cent
,',,d within I've or -iN year without adding 7"
ga. cost If wrapper tobacco grown here To increase
rho duty on ~umatra from 30 cent Z" - l'"H'
might Increase the acreage Of domestic leaf 'u' h''
,hr prioc The American people would have - ''
educated 70 use the native wrapper. and meanwhile
would Doe apt take Z" cigarette or Pp' "'i-N''
~, "a. u.r,,por they wanted
r, show the di1lculty of cla~- lfNlnr i' 0uha''
,r-,rncr- the wituc~- produced two pach'~''' ann
| aid mat only one was nt for wrapper. lh" ans
/ .nould bee 80 cents moro on one KIND than Oh ''
other vet hc dcncd any inspector 10 tell the amer
cp,c between the two package. Therefore. 10 Wa
within the power u Government Inspector '
cciying ~ 100 year. 10 charge Wines 80 cent
/ A pound duty on the same Mnd "l i'ha''' '"''
another Inspector AT another port rif' '"' '''''"
importer al -, cents pound Inc "uN 7"'''N q"
specific Make il A. hish a. Us necessary hul ma"
II -uccGc 80 that the importer shall not %" placed
AT the mercy 81 the in-pc' Tor The committee ""''
Ice asked 10 increase largely the duty on si"mm"l
tobacco ~ compared with 10" uu-t"mmcd ar''rl"
and there some Justice In thi, Request Int TIE
duty should not De- fixed above g. or 30 cent per
pouud or II would be- piohihitory. In answer ~
Mr Flower. witness aid that % would hardly ho
possible for an American citizen io start 100 the bu-l