Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-10-22

| the number OF persons 1t gives employ
| ment to. is one OF Richmonds greatest
interests. As consequence. any legisla-
ton touching 1t is a matter OF grave
moment to our people. In view OF this.
| the Dispatch sought and this morning
presents the views OF a number OF lead
| ing tobacco men OF the city touching
| the proposed increase Of the internal-rcve-
| nue. tax on tobacco, the probability OF
such increase by Congress. and the effect
an increase would have upon the interest.
mr. Charles MiIIhisrr.
| Mr.. Charles Afillhiser, manufacturer of
| cheroots. said: IF 1t is contemplated TO
| increase the tax on cheroots (Which are
| now taxed the same as cigars) L am
| opposed to such legislation. Cheroots are
| now unjustly classed under the tax for
cigars and, being a cheap article, made
| by cheaper labor and entirely from domes-
| tic tobacco, the sale ot which Is compelled
necessarily to be on very small profits,
| should not be taxed as high as cigars.
| The present tax on cheroots. being three
| dollars per thousand, is burdensome and
| enormous, as Il Is equal to being taxed
| fully 25 per cent. on the gross selling price
OF the article. To increase the present
tax on cheroots from three to six dollars
! (as / learn 1t is proposed TO do) would be
| a tax OF ~ per cent. OF the manufac-
turers present selling price. and would
require considerable more capital 10 con-
duct the business. Such a cash outlay
for stamps alone would paralyZe the In
dustry and business of all small manu-
facturers OF cheroots, as all their labor
and expenses are also cash. 1t would
reyolutjoniZe the entire business, as the
cberoots could not, under such a tax, be
sold at five for ten cents"
PAY MORE AND GET LESS.
"It is very easy TO say. raise the tax.
tho consumer pays it, Yes. he does In
n measiTe, but the manufacturer has TO
credit out his goods and often meets with
losses. The consumer would pay more
and. also, get less for his money. yet
with n price so uniformity fixed as the
price on cheroots. IL - very doubtful II
the manufacturer could get the full In
creased tax added to his selling price.
As the manufacturer must get out OF the
hole some way, inferior tobaccos
would, perhaps. have TO be used at the
expense of the consumer. and. no doubt,
the price OF labor would have to be re-
duced The cheroot manufacturers or this
city pay more tax than all the cigar man.
ufacturers OF the entire State. i consider
that an increased tax upon cheroots would
he Injurious to the business, burden
upon those whose delight Is to smoke
them. and detrimental TO the interests of
the large numbers OF girls who msse
them"
Mr.. Thomas Atkinson.
Mr.. Thomas Atkinson. vice-president OF
the 4. II. Mayo & Brother incorporated.
tobacco manufacturers, said: 1T Is. or
course difficult to anticipate the action
of Congress with regard to an Increase OF
tax on tobacco, but that It Will be In
gcreased / think nDst probable, for the
reason that Congress. IN taking up the
tariff question, will make many reduc-
lions. and II will have 10 look to some
other source of revenue to meet the un-
diminished demands upon the Treasury
and it seems as II tobacco and whiskey
will be the subjects selected. AS to the
effect upon manufactures. / think for Il
time the agitation "a tho Ginsiiou will
greatly stimulate sr1ciilatiye demand
for the manufactured article thus tenn
porarily increasing the output OF the fac
tories. This. perhaps. would benefit the
planter and dealer, who would end more
ready sale for his crop and their stock
than he or they have had for months.
To the permanent advantage of the manu-
facturer an increase of tax would add
nothing that / can see; on the contrary.
II would effect hardship and injury, espe-
cially so long as the 'free-leaf clause con-
tinues TO be a law. and further, would
work great trouble and inconvenience by
reason of the changes which would arise
i'm the styles of packages 10 which the
trade is now accustomed under the present
rate of tax"
Mr.. j. v. CuIiiugworth.
Mr. ]. n. Cullingworth. manufacturer
OF plug tobaccOs. said:
"If the tax on tobacco Is TO be increased
for more revenue. the first step should
be to abolish the law on free leaf. so
that all tobacco sold for chewing and
smoking shall be taxed alike. This uni
fomity of burden is only fairSto the pro-
ducer of the manufactured article. Before
this tax Is increased, all other legitimate
resources should be exhausted. Liquors
of all kinds, incomes, legacies, patent
medicines perfumeries and the like should
be made to contribute their share to the
revenues of the government. OF these,
incomes and legacies can best afford to
stand the tax, because best able to pay
II.
THE FARMING INTERESTS.
"In matters of taxation, the farming
population should be more kindly con-
sidered, and II is a fact beyond dispute
that a tax on incomes and legacies would
affect this element but very little.
IAN increase in the tobacco tax may
necessitate a change In the present laws
on packages of some kinds of manu-
factured tobacco. but this will regulate
itself in time. My decided opinion is that
the increased revenue needed can be OBJ
tanned from the sources above mentioned
without any advance in the tobacco tax
and upon these it should be levied"
Mr.. Adolphus Dill.
Mr. Adolphus Dill, of the firm of J. G..
Dill & Allen, plug and smoking-'C-
bacco manufacturers, expressed the
opinion that the tax on tobacco
would probably be raised II our re-
presentatives in Congress did not make
hard fight against 1t. Il think.
continued Mr.. Dill, that the tax
on tobacco should be abolished altogether
II is a war tax. and fosters monopolies
and | am opposed 10 monopolies. IT.
however. the government needs the reve-
nue. I am willing TO pay the present tax,
and think the government should be salts
fled with IL as II stands. An increase OF
tax would. in my opinion, be very in1u-
rIous TO the trade. IL would necessitate
a change in packages. stamps, &C., ana
produce confusion. II would also prob
ably cause inferior grades or lear 10
be worked up III oiuei tidt pic
manufacturer might realize the difference
in the tax and the consumer would thus
get an inferior article. An increase would
hardly be to the advantage OF the planter,
for the reason that II would tend to an
effort to depreciate the price OF the leaf.
Another point is that 1t would require
manufacturers to have more capital
Mr.. A. NJ. Seldom.
Mr.. A. NJ. Seldom, OF the firm OF Boykin
& Seddon, said:
Living, as 1 do. In tobacco-growing
State, where the mass OF the people be-
leye that the tax on tobacco is great
hardship whether.it be so or not, natu-
rally sympathize with them, and would
like to see the tax taken off. yet. as the
government must have revenue, and as
the tax is very small one, and as TO-
bacco is a luxury and therefore a more
appropriate article for taxation than a
necessity, + am clearly OF the opinion
that the tax should remain; but 1t should
remain as It is unless the revenue nee
essary for the support OF the government
requires that II should be raised. Even
then 1 am opposed TO the tax being made
higher until all other more legitimate
sources from which revenue can be OBJ
H.. -