The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1892-03-17
CAPT. WILLIAMS CIGARETTE
BILL.

about the bill which Hon. \. II. 4.
Williams is preparing to introduce IN
Congress, IN the nature Of an amend
ment to the internal revenue laws, for
the purpose OF suppresslng the paper
wrapped cigarettes. We did not have
time then to comment on 1t as we
wish, simply having space at our com
mand to give the substance Of the
main features OF the bill. Capt. Will
liams proposes to practically suppress
the paper cigarette<<,,by taxing 1t SO
heavily as to drive it out Of existence,
or prohibit It's manufacture altogether.
His idea is TO enforce the use OF to-
bacco wrappers, assuming that all to-
baCCo cigarettes would not be as in
furious to smokers as the paper wrap
ped variety, and that this would prove
in the end a benefit 10 the farmers by
creating a demand for their tobacco
Let US see whether or not his pre-
misses are sound. Without meaning
to champion the cause of the "perni'
cious cigarette or speak for the
American Tobacco Company (since
they are the principal manufacturer:
of these goods the GOLD LEAF think:
| it but right that a fair showing be
made and all sides of a question bs
presented without prejudice to any
Does Capt Williams believe the inter
est of the farmers of the bright tobacco
producing districts of Virginia and
North Carolina, would be advanced
by the passage of a law compelling
cigarettes to be made wholly of to
| baCcO? Is he aware of the fact that
our bright tobacco is totally unfit for
wrappers Of this kind The experiment
has been tried sufficiently to demon
strate to the entire satisfaction of those
interested, the manufacturers and pro-
duCers of the raw material, that it is
not. The character of our tobacco is
such that it is worthless as cigar or
cigarette wrapper. So then, if Capt.
Williams bill should become a law,
instead Of creating a greater demand
for the product of his constituents (the
tobacco growers of the bright belt, it
would really cause falling off.
The cigarette wrappers would have
to come from Pennsylvania and Cone
necticut, the seedleaf type grown in
those sections being the only thing
that is at all adapted 10 purposes of
this kind. And again, there would
be an enormous decrease in the output
of cigarettes, as it would be impossible
to do by hand the work that is now
done by machinery. This of course
would mean less consumption of the
raw material and that would be where
the farmers interests would be af-
fected. With less demand for his
tobacco we fail to see wherein he
would be !. benefited by extending
the market for his product" This is
our view Of the matter at any rate.
If Capt, Williams wants to prohibit
the manufacture of cigarettes alto
gether, that is another matter But
we have thought proper to direct his
attention to the above facts lest he
should fall into an error unwittingly.
The farmer, in whose interest he pro-
poses to legislate, would not be ben
Gifted by such law If the idea is
! ~ DlSdh uONl lllC tAtllCIlCdll lODdCCC
Company (and this paper is no friend
of the cigarette or any other kind Of
trust, would not the means applied be
disastrous to the farmers as we'll? |,
strikes US that be would be the greatest
| sufferer IN the end.
We have no respect for the cigar.
cite, and no interest in the Combina.
ton controlling it, but we think i,
well enough to look at both sides o.
the question and consider carefully be
fore taking any step that might prove
fatal to the very class whose welfare
it is sought to protect and promote
We respectfully call the attention o
Capt. Williams to this matter.
| SENATOR Hill is off on a Southern
tour ostensibly in the interest of hi,
Presidential boomlet. Hill is a shrewd
! Dolltici3n y man Of uepi,l ,.rcn,,);,,