New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-02-19
THE PROPOSED DUTY ON TEA.
MANY IMPORTERS AND DEALERS IN
THIS CITY FAVOR 1T.


THEY DECLARE THAT THE PRESENT STATUTE
DOES NOT SERVE TO KEEP OUT THE OUT
RAGEOUsLY POOR GRADES Or THE LEAF.
The question whether tea shall be restored to the
duty list Is just now the topic OF especial interest
among the dealers in New-York City. There Is
strong sentiment among many Of them that tea be
restored to the duty list and that specific duty OF
fifteen cents pound be placed upon It, What does
that mean? Simply that tea which Is now bought
here at cost of ten cents pound VIII tneh Cost
laid down in New-York. twenty-five cents pound
The cheap grades will be so Increased in price that
they cannot be sold ali. The object OF the whole
movement in the words OF prominent Importer.
Is so Ito fix matters that people will buy tea and
not crockery ware with the tea thrown In by way
OF premium"
Among the leading importers in Front-st. who
yesterday afternoon, the feeling seemed to
be the same. Said one: 1T seems shame that
Americans should be duped with cheap and I'M
drnkable stuff which they call tea. The fact of the
Is the people at large are coming to realize the
folly of it all and in consequence the tea trade Is
falling off most perceptlbly. IT Is safe TO say that
out of the 100000 pounds annually imported to tn,
United States from China and Japan. from one-thlrd
to one-half Is sold wholesale at ten cents under
per pound While we have a statute here to govern
the matter of adulterated and spurious teas still It
Is very uncertain in its workings and have
long felt that the only way in which the interest
be restored TO its rightful place is through the i'm
position of spcciilcNduty. No. this movement H.
not for purposes of tariff revenue at all. Under
stand tina, fully.
Russia to-day has a duty OF 45 cents per pound
payable in gold. and Russia has the best in the
world. The duty In France is q cents In Germany
II IL II. In Austria Hungary II is 90 In Spain Is in
Portugal ~ I'm Norway "a cents per pound and
England collects duty of cents per pound. OF
England this Is true not only of the teas she brings
from China and Japan, but from India and Ceylon
as well That duty IL imposed simply to keep the
native dealers from shipping away the fallen leaves
OF thc plant ana other exhausted portions which
have no vitality left
As a result of the general looseness of the impor
tation here people leaving off their tea drinking
IN" duty would not come out OF the pockets OF the
consumer. as IL so often the case. 1t would bear
long have been imposing upon the market of this
country with Inferior grades. Good grades OF tea
would cost no more at retail than they do to-day.
say % cents per pound"
The general committee representing the tea trade
OF this country which appeared before the Com
mittee OF Ways and Means Of Congress to urge the
matter. Is made up as follows: f. Tomlinson, Of
Mken. Tomlinson CO.. Portland. Me- A. s.
Mass; Frederick Mead. jr.. OF Frederick Mead
Il Co. New-York: George II. Macy OF Carter
Macy e. CO. New York; VI. =. 1eraty. OF T.
J. Heraty Il Co. Philadelpha George " Grouse
y. Y. George r.. Lavcrack. Buffalo. y. Y. william
II. Brace OF Phelps Brace q Co. Detroit Mich.
Grcamc Stewart OF W. VI. Hoyt I: Co. Chicago. ILL.,:
Abel J.. Cphnm. OF Sprague. Warner & Co, Chicago
III. +. Sanders OF Sanders & George. Baltimore
Md. T. II. Kelly cf tho = H. Kelly Mercantile Co..
St Paul Mimi; NJ J. Brandensten. OF NJ j. Bran
denste!n G. Co. San Francisco. CAL F. II. Krcn-
ming. OF 7. II. Krcnning x Sons. 81 Louis. No r.
+. Des Bordes OF Preston & Siaufrer. New Orleans
La J Wilcox OF the Roian Grocery co. Waco
Tex. and f. \. willard. OF New-York. secretary.