The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1892-11-19
THAT TOBACCO DUTY.
THE TWO DOLLARS Is PARTLY PAID
BY THE HOME GROWER.

Tho Poor Cigar Maker Also Has a Share
OF the Burden-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 in
dustry in America, made 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 $3.50 before the
market began to feel the effects of the
Mckinley bill early in 189O-when the
price climbed to $3.50, to 80, ON up to
| SO and above-so high that quantity
of 1889 Sumatra leaf recently sold for
"a per pound. The supply here of Su-
matra and leaf tobaccos is largely held
by spectators who get artificial prices
the duty as usual fostering combines
| The United States Tobacco Journal of
Sept. 10 announces the completion of a
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 list of
fifty-six millionaires who have made
their fortunes in the tobacco industry,
many by specializing in Sumatra
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 supply of good
wrapping tobacco at q fair price. Be-
fore the introduction of Sanlatra the
larger manufacturers would buy up the
best domestic wrapping tobacco early
in the season, and the small manufac-
turers, with but little capital to do bust
ness, were at a great disadvantage. With
high duty the tendency il to again put
the manufacture of cigars into the hands
of large manufacturers and lnonopolists.
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
few months supply, and soon had to use
wrappers at $3.50 or s2.75 and compete
with wrappers that cost 81 less per
pound.
This duty at once increased the whole
sale prices of cigars from So to SIS on
five cent goods-perhaps seven-eighths
of all. Then the trade everywhere be-
came demoralized and manufacturers
were compelled to use cheaper filters"
to make smaller cigars and in other
ways to deteriorate their goods. Often
they squared accounts by reducing
wages. The effect upon the 100000
OF 100000 consumers has been exas-
perating. That they still demand Su-
matra wrapped cigars is seen from the
fact that there has been no great dim
mutton in the imports of Sumatra to-
bacco. 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 10
Mckinley SO vigorously that they have
even made some of the Democrats in
Connecticut believe their nonsense. The
United States Tobacco Journal of Sept
10, in two column editorial, shows that
by The Tribune's own admissions Con-
necticut tobacco has been so improved
by the use Of new fertilizers that it is
Sin appearance as good as Sumatra and
better in quality" OF course this is not
true, or cigar manufacturers would not
pay So for Sumatra when they could get
better for from twenty-five to fifty cents,
but it is true that the better grade of to-
bacco grown in Connecticut is response
Bile for the increased prices and prosper
ity there. The following from this same
journal forever disposes of The Tribune's
absurdities:
"What benefit can the domestic pro-
Queer derive from the fact that we are
importing nearly as great quantity of
Sumatra under the two dollar tariff rate
as we did under the thirty-tive cent rate?
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 is pro-
duced in Pennsylvania, New York, Wis
consin and Ohio. The domestic pro-