Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1892-11-04
SMOKERS ROBBED.
TOBACCO USERS ARE OVERTAIED BY THE
MCKINLEY BILL
Absurdifss and Iniquiies Of the McKinle? Tariff
Resented by the Trade and the Producers.
Change by the Ballot Is Now
Advocated.
CAiedqo Herald.

urerS TO an extent so great that II need not
be computed, are beginning TO md out the
enormity and iniquity Of the high tariff
law. Their knowledge comes IN the most
practical way-the increased cost and de-
Perforated quality Of the cigars they con-
sumo. Cigars Of foreign tobacco and work
manship-taxed s450 a pound by weight
and - per cent ad valorem-have gone up
IN price nearly $40 thousand and so fallen
of in weight that two will hardly suffice
where one was enough before Nc
Kinlevism ragged. Cigars Of American
make have gone up in cost TO the manu-
facturer,I owing TO the increased cost OF
necessary imported ingredients, and the
American manufacturer has "kept even,
so to speak, by making his cigars either
lighter or OF poorer quality, or by reducing
the wages Of the workmen. All this IS due
wholly TO the Mckinley bill-a fact which
dealers, irrespective Of party afiliation,
are ready and glad to admit To them the
Mckinley bill is failure, or worse than
a failure-a theft. One OF them, man
whose retail business is as large as that OF
any Chicago dealer, said: You can say
that all imported cigars made since the Nc
Kinley tax was imposed cost more money
than they did before and the cigars are
lighter in body; also that all domestic
cigars are either dearer, poorer or manu-
factured at loss. The Mckinley bill is
an evil TO every man in the tobacco busi-
ness and means Of robbery OF every man
who smokes cigar"
ENRICHED THE LEAF RING.
Before the Mckinley monstrosity became
law the duty on imported tobacco leaf fit
for wrappers and fllers was 5O cents
pound on the Sumatra product and 80
cents a pound on the Havana Now the
duty on either is an even 81 pound.
When the imposing of the big tax was first
agitated the leaf tobacco ring in New York
looked far enough ahead TO realize that the
bill would pass. So the members OF that
ring began laying in stock OF Sumatra
and Havana. About sixty thousand bales
of the stock was hurriedly imported under
the old tax. Then the s. tax went into
effect. There are 100 pounds in bale OF
Sumatra, consequently 100000 pounds
came in the hurried transportation. On
this enormous amount the knowing i'm.
porters realized, at the lowest calcula-
tion, sl.50 pound in the matter OF
tax alone. This put sl4, 400, 600 OF the con-
sumer's money into the pockets or the leat
tobacco ring in New York. This was prob
ably not intended TO be the protection"
assured by the bill, but the protection
tobacco growers, thinking the - tax pro-
hibitory of the importation of Sumatra
leaf, began putting up the price or their
product, which, by the way, Is the only
good wrapper tobacco grown in America.
These Nutmeg State growers had been
content with the fair profit repre-
sented by sales at 35 cents pound !;
but so soon as the big tax was
placed upon foreign wrappers, they
added day after day to their quotations, SO
that now 75 cents pound for the best Con-
necticut wrappers is not far from the mar
ket price. The few other men who sue
ceeded in raising a wrapper fit for use in
good grades Of cigars were protected TO like
extent. so the benefit that has already ac-
crued by the operation of the Mckinley
tariff has been confined to the leaf tobacco
ring in New York and the handful Of east
ern growers of wrapper leaf. Against
these few are the 10, ,000,0 600 OF smokers and
the 100000 retail dealers, manufacturers
and cigarmakers throughout the country.
HIGH TAX ON NoN-CoMPETITIoE.
1t has been conteuded that TO increase
the cost of foreign wrappers was to enhance
the value of the protected home industry
and stimulate greater acreage devoted TO
the raising of wrapper leaf. The act did
enhance the value OF home leaf ut for wrap
pers, but IL did not work a benefit In in
creased production OF that peculiar leaf, for
all the acreage in the United States able 10
produce that grade OF tobacco has long been
devoted TO that purpose, and elsewhere
the wrapper cannot be raised. To-
bacco men everywhere are unanimous
in the opinion that there has
not been, Is not and cannot DC such state
OF affairs as an equalization OF the supply
OF and demand for wrapper leaf without
foreign assistance. The necessary supply
cannot be raised on the limited acreage in
America capable OF producing the accept
able grade, and even If IL could be pro-
duced here the trade would not have IT,
The smokers taste has been as highly cul-
tured as the tobacco ITSELF so that now the
higher classes Of tobacco, the Sumatra
wrapper and the Havana filler, are abso-
luteiy essential in the makeup OF
acceptable cigars. Some men contend
that tobacco is not a necessity and
that If it be used at all the domes-
tic is lust as good as the foreign. These
men are few in numbers and without infiu-
euce. The trade and the smokers know
that the weed is necessity aud that the
Havana filler is the sine qua nap OF good
cigar. The trade knows, too, that Havana
filler and Sumatra wrapper cannot be
raised in this country under the conditions
that exist here. They are, therefore, won
dering why tax should be levied upon it
upon something that is necessity and not
producible here. Senator Aldrich.
champion of protection, started that ball
rolling by q speech in the Senate, in which
he said:
"As a protect onist, believe that the
United States cannot afford, having in
view the most rapid development Of their
great resources, 10 levy duties upon arti-
cles ia the production OF which other
countries have permanent natural aovan.
tages. Such articles should be admitted
free"
CROWDS SMALL Mss TO TIE WALL.
But LAYING aside the question Of free
trade in Sumatra and Havana tobacco and
looking at the effect of the Mckinley tax OF
81. so far as il affects the cigar msnnfactu-
rer. IL Is found that the smaller men are
being crowded TO the wall They cannot
make goods acceptable 10 the consom r
males they use the imported tobaccos as
freely as they used them before the & a
Mound tax became effective; they canroi,
In other words, vftiate the cultivated
taste OF the trade. They cannot .pDt
up the price Of the cigars OF favored
brand because competition would rob
them Of their patronage even II they
were OF long standing. They can, ard
many of them do, lower the quality OF the
domestic tobacco used in manufacture
Many Of them have made their cigars
lighter Still others have cut down the
wages Of the workmen ia consequence OF
tha wise provisions Of the vaunted wage
Increasing effect of the Mckinley bill. The
manufacturer who is too honest % lo3ver
the standard OF bis goods, too much q foe
lof foreign pauper labor to place bis I'm
Move, on the level OF Russian immigra\ts.
and too proud Of bis reputation to give lk
aeasl,re in the quantity os tobacco in a
dred cicars--tbat man isslouIy bot
ooirz to the wall. Heknows II admit
nroclaims Il. and SAYS furthermore
s in faYor az . change Tbs YER