West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1892-10-27
THAT TOBACCO DUTY.
THE TWO DOLLARS &c PARTLY PAID
BY THE HOME GROWER.

OF the Burdcn-Smokers Suffer BE-
cause OF the deterioration of Quality.
An Ubiquitous Tax.
The importation and general use OF
Sumatra leaf as wrappers has, during
the past ten years, built up the cigar i'm
dustry in America, made "a market for
native tobaccos, given steady employ
ment at good wages to thousands Of
cigar workers, and satisfied the aesthetic
taste Of the millions of smokers.
This tobacco used TO cost our cigar
manufacturers about ei50 before the
market began TO feel the effects of the
Mckinley bill early in lS90-when the
price climbed to $3.50. to So, on up to
So and Gbove--so high that "A quantity
of 1889 Sumatra leaf recently sold for
81 per pound. The supply here of Su-
matra and leaf tobaccos is largely held
by spectators who get artificial prices
the duty us usual fostering combines.
The United States Tobacco Journal of
Sept. 10 announces the completion of
leaf tobacco trust in Cincinnati, which
will be incorporated in New Jersey, and
the same journal of Sept II reprints
from the New York Tribune n list of
tifty-siX millionaires who have made
their fortunes III the tobacco industry,
many by specializing in Sulnatra.
Not only did the use of Sumatra wrap
pers build up the industry here, but
when the duty was light it encouraged
small manufacturers who could always
be certain of obtaining n supply of good
wrapping tobacco Mt =. fair price. Be-
tl... ,,,t-.
larger manufacturers would buy up the
best domestic wrapping tobacco early
III the season, and the small manufac-
turers, with but little capital to do bust
ness, were at Il great disadvantage. With
high duty the tendency is to again put
the manufacture of cigars into the hands
of large manufacturers and monopolists
Thus in 1890. when the Mckinley bill
took effect, nearly all the large manu-
facturers had an eighteen months or
two years supply of Sumatra on hand,
while small manufacturers had only n
few months supply, and soon had to use
wrappers at $3.50 or S275 and compete
with wrappers that cost 81 less per
pound.
This duty Mt once increased the whole
sale prices Of cigars from 81 to s. on
five cent goods-perhaps seven-eighths
Of all. Then the trade everywhere be-
came demoralized and manufacturers
were compelled to use cheaper "fillers,"
to make smaller cigars and in other
ways to deteriorate their goods. Often
they squared accounts by reducing
wages. The effect upon the 10000, 900
or 10000, 600 consumers has been exas-
perating. That they still demand SUI
matra wrapped cigars is seen from the
fact that there has been no great dim
mutton in the imports of Sumatra to-
Gacco. The effect then has been bad
upon the millions of cigar smokers; upon
the tens Of thousands of cigar workers.
and upon thousands of small manufac-
turers. and is doubtful boon TO hun
dreds of large manufacturers.
Now it so happens that Connecticut
tobacco growers have been prosperous
since 1890, and have been getting good
prices for their tobacco. The New York
Tribune and other Republican papers
have been accrediting this prosperity to
Mckinley 50 vigorously that they have
even made some of the Democrats in
Connecticut believe their nonsense. The
United States Tobacco journal of Sent
10, III a two column editorial. shows that
by The TTibunes own admissions Con-
nechcut tobacco has been 50 improved
10y the use Of new fertilizers that il ia
I'm appearance as good as Sumatra and
better IN quality" OF course this is not
true, or cigar manufacturers would not
pay S:}'for Sumatra when they could get
better for from twenty-five TO fifty cents.
but 1t IS true that the better grade of to-
bacco grown In Connecticut is response
bic for the increased prices and prosper-
lty there. The following from this sume
Journal forever disposcs Of The Tribume's
Hbsurdities:
What benefit can the domestic pTo-
ducer derive from the fact that we are
importing nearly az great quantity Of
SuInatra under the two dollar tariff rate
rs we did under the thirty-iiyc cent ratei
That the Connecticut producer received
few cents more for his crop last year.
That does not prove that the domestic
producers as class received more
Connecticut produces the smallest guam.
tity Of cigar leaf By far the largest
quantity Of our useful cigar leaf il BRO.
duced IN Pennsylvania. New York, Wis
cOnsih and Ohio. The domestic pro
ducer in Pennsylvania, who raised q
- |a ~'tf'ff Aft1f.Nf tt-lAAlirA NtW Liz
lands 81 900 cases, received less for hi.
last years crop than he probably eye1
did. So did the Wisconsin producer foi
his 10000 cases. And the New YOrl
producer got much less for his las
years than for his 1889 crop, when ovet
"a Por cent. Of the Sumatra was admit
ted at The thirty-Gve cent rate Of duty
The more the Connecticut farmer 90
last year was therefore not due TO SIC
Kinleyism, but To- tire poor results Of the
cigar leaf growing states; he simply 20
the more 81 the expense Of bis lrothe
producers in tho other states, and not -
the expense Of the SuInatra or the Su
matra importer
The United States Tobacco Jourua
then shows that the increased duty di
not catch tho cigar lea9 growers vOt,
Congressman LaFOllette, II Wisconsin
the responsible author Of the two dOlla
outrage contained in the tobacco gchc,
ule of the Mckinley bill. was iguomir
iousiy defeated in his district, which
almost au excluiyely tobacco CROWN