The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-01-05
|.oIFF DUTIES ON TOBACCO.
-,crTnERs AND GROWERS
NJ ,sK AN INCREASE.


drction in His State Has
'h' o. From $4,000 Cases to 10000
IN the Importation of Su-
WIN Tobacco-FOreign Growers
"a Have Discounted the De-
s"'N Dutv by Raising the Price
If the Leaf.
rosbington Jan. 4,-Tobacco ans man
ives thereof, being schedule F of the
ling tariff law, was the subject Of the
'1 ,aT before the committee on ways and
49,. his morning. The National Assoc
a ''an of cigar Manufactures of the
"a states was represented by these
5.r,en: Moses Krahn of Gin
at president; Maurice s.
of New York, secre-
Sc walter A. Shiffer of New York,
~. smith of Kingston, N. Y, Richard
olI57,r,bert of Philadelphia, John II.
usbsim of New Orleans and MIR. Allen
pbiladelphia. The Leaf Tobacco
~ "a If Trade of New York was repre-
tsd bv +. A. Schroeder, A. Blur, Jo-
+ CuIinan and Herman Votterlein,
a Of New York.
g ,r.bael Tobin of Baldwinsville, N. Y,
+ba irst speaker. He said that he had
"a M amounted by the New York State
II obaoco Association. The tobacco growers
"a Nv York state were badly in need of
81 rsf al the hands of congress. They had
% 4ared through the importation of Su-
81 ara tobacco to the extent that their
e r,5nction had fallen from $4,000 cases an
a ,uv TO 12000 cases. He thought that a
"a mrn to the rate of duty imposed by the
#cKnley bill, $1.50 per pound, on Suma-
a wrapper would not be adequate to pro-
4 II the domestic producer.
"a The chairman asked Mr., Tobin if he
mid account for the fact that the foreign
III rca of Sumatra wrappers had gone up
"A The same proportion as the rate of duty
81 a been reduced-from g a pound under
"A Mckinley act to $3.50 under the Wilson
Il but Mir. Tobin could give no reason
I'm it unless it was under the law of sup
1y and demand.
4 The chairman. however, intimated his
apnion to be that the foreigner had sim
|5Iy taken advantage of the reduction or
a. duty.
NThe next witness was James Van Dues
Al of Households, N. Y, who said that he
represented the tobacco growers of the
fbemung valley, which comprised a few
4ounties in Southern New York, and a few
a the northern counties of Pennsylvania.
Ia argued that 81 a pound on wrappers
While an apparently exorbitant tax ad
4aorem, was not really exorbitant when
h. difference in the cost of labor was
&ken into consideration.
4 How is it, Mr.. Mcmillan asked, after
BE- witness had made a rather long politi-
sal argument, that Sumatra tobacco,
Which costs S1.20 a pound, drives out do
.s.,I,
tents a pound?"
4 1T is because" the witness answered,
tOf the foolishness of the American peo-
1e in thinking that because a thing is
Imported it is of necessity better"
4 Mr. McMillan-You think that is all there
Il in it?
The Witness-That is all there is in it.
II is a fad.
Mr. McMillan-What rate of duty do
i lou suggest?
\ The Witness--I don't want, at this time,
u advise the committee. l would like to
: lave rate of duty which do not think
ihere is courage enough in the party 10
Impose. Laughter) 1 would like to have
rate OF duty which 1 believe the cigar
ben, the leaf men, the growers and the
Smokers would all agree to. 1 would have
rate of duty which would substantially
leep out this Sumatra tobacco, or at least
lut down its importation largely. 1 dare
Dot ask this of you, because I do not
believe you are in a situation to give it
p US. (Renewed laughtcr) Subsequently,
II an incidental manner, the witness sug-
gested S. a pound as the rate of duty
hich he would like to have imposed.
Frederick A. Schroeder, ex-mayor of
Brooklyn next addressed the committee
Is a representative of the Tobacco Board
u Trade of New York city He said his
rm dealt as largely in domestic tobacco
5 in foreign tobacco, and he did not wish
b be regarded by the committee as d
Preventative of importers of tobacco
'he last time he had appeared before
Pie committee was in 1890, and he had
fhen protested on behalf of the import
frs, against a differential rate of duty on
the wrapper leaf. He had said at that
me that such a rate would not perma-
fently benefit the domestic grower, but
ould very much disarrange and injure
Pc business of cigar making. He thought
n could prove that what he had saAd
Pen had come true. He had put in writ
ns the argument which he desired to sub
IAt and he proceeded to read it,.
Re recommended changing the duty on
Far tobacco from the differential of $50
Per pound on wrappers and 50 cents a
p all unstemmed leaf tobacco with a rea-
fohaDle addition, also specific, not exceed
ilg 40 per cent, on stemmed leaf. AS
lhese two grades could be readily dis
Ilngushed by ocular inspection, there was
valid objection to a discriminating rate
ne experience of the past six years had
fmply demonstrated that with the most
fdfe1ul efforts the present law could not
r. justly administered. The discrimina-
foh was no longer demanded by the large
pass OF farmers who had discovered that
Eney could not overcome the demand for
ne sumatra, except by prohibitive duty,
men would be destructive to the cigar
iluustry. He believed a rate of so cents
4 pound on imported leaf tobacco was all
Pne trade could stand.
Inc chairman called Mr.. Schroeders at
fehuon to the fact that the foreign price
II Sumatra tobacco had largely gone up
between 1898. when the duty was 50 a
pound and 1896, when the duty was 81. so.
hd asked whether the foreigners had
rdAeh advantage of the reduction in duty
X put up the price in a corresponding
Mr Schroeder did not coincide in that
view, remarking that the increase in price
Eas larger between 1893 and 1915 cents
pound-during which period the Me-
ENlhley act was in force, than it was be-
Ween 1894 and 1896 Besides the consump-
ION OIL Sumatra tobacco was not limited
'He united States. 1t was used for
'sdr Wrappers in every country in Eu-
ope' lie added that there was no market
N Where for American wrappers. "Yoy
i III