The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-01-05

scheme of protection TOO far and that
| they could not continue In business un-
der higher rates than those tney sas-
gestcd' These duties would be satlhiac.-
tory to all manufacturers importers Oh
/ and dealers In leaf tobacco.
Thc output OF cigars IN the United
statea during the past fiscal year was
| 4 099. iS7,s SIS, which was n decree OK g4,-
50O 00O from the preceding year. The
! ontnut OF cigare.tes had increased BY
| SSi paS .295. The difference in the duty
| on wrappers and filler tobaccos. It was
claimed. had begotten m unfair COM
petitlou, because at many ports OF en-
| try 95 per cent Of unstemmed tobacco
imported from Cuba had been entered
under the thirty-hve cents per pound
Imported Cigars.
In regard to imported cigars, the
manufacturers suggested that they
were entitled 10 duty Of at least IS q
pound and per cent ad valorem. The
small quantity Of cigars imported dur
ing the past fiscal year was not to be
taken as a standard because these i'm
portations had greatly increased dur
ing the past few months and were like
liz 10 continue to Increase. This plan
would Increase revenues. In conclusion
the manufacturers stated that they
would be unable to continue In business
with a higher tnriff than the present
one. and that they would prefer 10
submit 10 the present unsatisfactory
aud discriminating rates rather than
face the Inevitable havoc which q spe-
clfic rate exceeding flfty-iive cents
pound would accomplish.
Mr.. Payne endeayored to elicit an
admission TINT the Mckinley law had
not been in force long enough to dem-
onstrate the effects on the business OF
Il two dollar a pound rate, but this
the president OF the manufacturers
would not concede.
Mr.. Tawney OF Minnesota, asked II n
very high duty on Sumatra would not
drive the small manufacturers out OF
the business. 10 which Mr.. Krahn an
swe.ed that he could not definitely pre-
diet
"Don't YOU think the duty on cigars
under the law OF either so or '94 is pref
ty stiff protectlon?" asked Mr.. Payne.
yes was the answer.
The manufacturers OF clear Havana
cigars were represented by E Il. Gum-
by. OF Tampa, Fla. He expressed sur
prise at the statements made by pre-
Vious speakers. From these statements
he said, II appeared that the manufac-
turers OF New York and Cincinnati,
knew what the growers OF native to-
bacco wanted better than did the
growers themselves.
From these same statements II was
10 be Inferred that Havana tobacco
reaped all the benefits from the pres
ent scheme. This was far from the
truth. Describing the conditions OF the
Havana tobacco business. he declared
that the growing and packing OF 1t was
entirely beyond the control of the
American buyer. Having been collec-
tor of the port OF Tampa, Mr.. Gumby
said he was acquainted with the condi-
tlons OF the importntlons. II was true.
he said, that only about per cent OF
the Eavanu tobacco imported into the
United States and used as wrappers
paid duty as such because the manu-
facturer5 used much tobacco CONNER
cially appraised as "flller" for wrap
pers. 1t was impossible to tell In inn
porting such stock how much OF u
would be fit for wrappers. To tax It as
wrappers would stop its importation
entirely and would drive the manutac-
turers OF New York and Florida to
Cuba.
For the manufacturers using suma-
IRA wrappers. AHtOikc u 1tAAilllt VI ANtN
York, protested against the advantages
20 the Havana tobacco users under the
present law.
In answer 10 a question Mr. Smith
said he did not believe any cigars were
made OF American filters aud Havana
wrappers.
Mr.. l.. II. Heudeeker, of Baltimore,
contended that q duty OF fifty cents
per pound would produce more revenue
than the present rates.
Mr. ]. l. Ellison, OF New York, editor
OF the United States Tobacco Journal,
stated that the cost OF producing a
pound of Sumatra tobacco was twenty
four and one-half cents pound. The
stores that cOolie labor cost but seven
or eight cents day In Sumatra, were
erroneous.
George Nicholson, OF ST. Paul, who
owns tobacco lands In Connecticut,
stated that there had been no money
in tobacco for New England farmers
since the crop OF 1892. With FIVE dol
lar a pound rate on Sumatra tobacco
he could cultivate two hundred acres
IN Connecticut
Chairman Dlngley said before the
committee adjourned that tobacco be-
inT a luxury, was a proper subject for
revenue with incidental regards 70 the
interests or manufacturers and grow
ers.