The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-11-10
PRICE TWO CENTS.
THE TAX ON TOBACCO.
sEFERAL MdN LFAcYURERS ARGUE
AGdINSI ~ INCREsNE.
nr' j. +. Kisor- of Danyii.e, Says che Corn
mitiee is Itrer Two Things, Eionsy
and Noies-other Speakers.

WASHINGTON. d. G.. Nov. s.-"Yoa
are after two things. gentlemen. money
and votes. This Is a family affair anG We
can talk. plainly about it,"
50 50 oke Air. j. f.. bison, Of Danvllle.
Va, one OF the tobacco men. ln bis ar-
gument against an increase oc the tax
on manufactured tobacco. before the Ways
ana Means Committee. this afternoon.
The eleven gentlemen representing tho
anufacturers OF tobacco were before the
efnmiltee and argued al some length
against any Increase IN the tax on this
supposition. based. as they say, upon
| newspaper paragraphs. that such increase
was contemplated Tie members of ths
House Committee present were Chairman
Wilson and Representatives Mcmillan,
bynum. Montgpmery. Bryan. Turner. and
| Brechnridge OF Arkansas. The geutie-
| men representing the tobacco interests
! were Or. y. B. Spence. chairman. Ciucin-
| matt Mr.. IAggett ST. Louis: IA. c. Nail,
! Louisville Il. j. Reynolds. Winston, n. C.i
| Mr McGirnis, New York city; H.. IT, Mil.
Ter }. II. kison and }. g. Coyington. Dam
Niiie, Va Otto =. snyder Chicago;
| thafiea Davis, C0Wng,on, KY: Mr.. Part.
| lett, Baltimore. and Theodore H. Allen,
| New York.
] Dr. spence. Of Cincinnati, who is a
| large mnufacturcr OK tobacco. was the
I hrst speaker. Tie made an elaborate arr
! gumtut against an Increase over the
1 present tax of six cents per pound. lie
/ also urged tine committee 90 repeal The
| provision OF the law putting leaf tobacco
on the free list. oR the ground thai FREQ
! leaf tobacco did not benefit either the
| srower or consumer, and kept the goycrn-
ment out OF an annual revenue amount
| ing 10 at least Sl,5l00o0 An increase Ia
! the existing tax would. he said, compel
| an entirely new system OF packages at
| an enormous expense 90 the manufac-
| turers, while if the same quality OF to-
/ Oacco was retained the consumer would
/ receive less This. he said, would work
1 q hardship 10 the iabOring classes. FOR
! they consumed almost seycn-e. hts Of tho
manufactured product
Theodore +. Allen. OF New York. secre-
/ tary Of the Trademark Association, Mr..
! McGinnis OF New York. and Mr. Leg
/ gett, of St Louis spoke tn endorsement
of what MIR. Spence had aid, the latter
! gentleman starting the discussion IN u
| new channel with the statement that ne
! believed the retail leaf dealers should
| pay the same tax per pound imposed
| upon the dealer In the Manufactured
! product.
Mr. Miller. Of Danvine, Va, warned the
| committee that the subject OF free leaf
tobacco was OF vital Importance 80 the
people of the Virginias and the caro-
lmas, as it was doing much damage "a
/ the toba eco industry in those States. The
free leaf law had, he thought. miscar-
ried. and Instead Of the farmer getting
any benefit from IT, the advantage went
10 the dealer. 1n response 20 a question
by Mr.. Montgomery SIR. Miller denied
| that free leaf tobacco extended the mar
kets OF the grower. and he did not know
OF A single farmer In the states on VT
| ginias and the Carolinas Who hYofe'
! FREQ leaf.
Then it was that MIR. Rison gave Vt
| terance 10 the sentiment expressed ABOVE
lie discussed the question from poDu
| cal standpoint and made the positive as,
! sertion that il the tax on manufacturel
| tobacco was increased. the result wo1hd
be- disastrous politically The money the
| committee wanted. 10 which he reteIr'
| ed was. Of course, the revenue Tor ths
government Tho votes were presumed
10 refer 10 Democratic votes. bat Mr.
| Rison entered into no explanation Tic
did say. though, that the farmers In tna'
section Of the country believed an m
! crease Of the TAX WOuih rum Ai'4" ""N
that IL the committee decided upon an
increase. nothing could keep the growers
in the Democratic party.
| hlr. Bryan, Of Nebraska, was ANXIOUS ''
know lust how long such a rumor nae
been heard. but before the speaker eouls
reply, some one said: since the eiectioh'
and Mr.. Rison's answer was lost IN
shout OF laughter.
Mr.. Spence took q hand I'm the political
phase of the discussion. The policy o
the Democratic party, be said. had al
! WAYS been I'm the direction OF reduced
taxation. Even Mckinley advocated u'
abolition of this tax, and he asked th'
! committee not 10 80 back on the party
record by Increasing this tax. The country
would reap large revenues from low 10
on tobacco. II was impossible 10 jnde'
from other countries what the tax shotl'
| be here.
After the hearing, the tobacco mei
proceeded IN a body 10 the Treasury an'
eaw Secretary Carlisle They left fee!ln'
reasonably convinced that their view
would prevail. and that the only modh
| cations OF the tobacco tax that the Treas
/ ury Department would commend woul'
have relation to facilitating the sale o
leaf tobacco.