The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-01-05

crease in the cigar consumption. South
| ern leaf was used almost altogether In
| cigarette manufacture.
| H S. Frye of Windsor, Conn, opposed
| the 30 cents per pound rate and said thai
al. the American growers desired was
duty which would allow them TO wrap
the cheap scent cigars.
CIGAR MANUFACTURERS.
At the afternoon session a delegation
appeared representing the National AS
| ISOLATION Of Cigar Manufacturers. Moses
Krahn of Cincinnati, spoke first for the
| manufacturers. The inter rests Of many,
| he said, demanded uniform rate on to-
bacco and he admitted that only small
fraction of the tobacco growing farmers
We're represented by those VINO had
spoken at the morning session. A uni
form specific duty of 521a cents a pound
on all imported leaf tobacco, the manu-
facturers urged, would put all branches
OF the trade on a parity, would save the
government expenses, loss and annoy
anoe in the collection of duty and would
yield q revenue equal TO the average of
any year C the last seven.
The output of cigars in the United
States during the past fiscal year was
4,oS9, $50, which was decrease of
64,3o0,OGO from the preceding year. The
output of cigarettes had increased by
SS1, 229. A difference in the duty on
wrapper and filler tobaccos. it was
claimed, had begotten an unfair compe-
tition, because at many ports of entry
30 per cent of .unstemmed tobacco i'm
ported from Cuba has been entered I'M
der the 30 cents per pound filler duty.
In regard TO imported cigars, the manu-
facturerS suggested that they were en-
titled 10 a duty of al least S. pound
and % per cent ad valorem. The small
quantity Of cigars imported during the
past fiscal year was not TO be taken as
a standard, because the importations
had greatly increased during the past
few months, and were likely to continue
to increase. This plan would increase
revenues. In conclusion the manufact-
urers stated that they would be unable
TO continue in business with a higher tar
i'll .nan the present one, and they would
prefer to submit to the present unsatls-
factory and discrimina ting rates rather
than face the inevitable havoc which a
specific rate exceeding 90 cents a pound
would accomplish.
NJ. Payne endeavored to elicit an adj
mission thar the Mckinley law had not
been IN force long enough to demonstrate
the effects on the business of a 81 a
the manufacturers would not concede.
Mr.. Tawney of Minnesota, asked if
very high duty on Sunatra would not
drive the small manufacturers out of
the business, to which Mr.. krahn an
swered that he could not definitely pre-
dict.
Don't you think the duty on cigars
under the law of either 1890 or 1894 is
pretty stiff protection?" asked Mr..
Payne
Yes" was the answer.
CLEAR HAVANA MEN.
The manufacturers of clear Havana
cigars were represented by L. z. Cum
by, Of Tampa, Fla. He expressed sur
prise at the statements made by previous
speakers. From the statement, he said,
it appeared that the manufacturers Of
New YorI ard Cincinnati knew what
the growers of native tobacco wanted
better than did the growers themselves
From these same statements, it was to
be inferred that Havana tobacco reaped
all the benefits from the present scheme.
This was far from the truth.
Describing the conditions of the Ha-
vana tobacco business. he declared that
the growing and packing of it was entire
~ beyond the control of the American
buyer Having been collector of the
pDiI VI all bd. Il Id. NIL duiiiOs ZIG
was acquainted with the conditions of
the irnporiations 1t was true he said,
thai only about five per cent OF the Ha-
vana tobacco imported into the United
States and used as wrappers paid duty
as such, because the manufacturers
used much tobacco commercially apprais
ed as filler for wrappers. 1t was i'm
possible to tell in importing such stock
how much of it would be fit for wrap
rers. 1t might be >, 10 or 10 per cent.
To tax it as wrappers would stop its
importation entirely, and would drive
the manufacturers of New York and Flor
ida u Cuba. II was probably true that
a specific duty of 5212 or 30 cents a
pound would produce as much revenue
as the present law, but it was also true
tina. Sumatra would be imported to an
extent which would drive the farmers
of New York and Connecticut out of
business. The tobacco scheule of the
Mckinley law had increased the bust
ness ot thu manufacturers by decreasing
that % the Havana manufacturers.
SCATTERING SHOTS.
or the manufacturers using Sumatra
wrappers, George ]. Smith of New York
protested against the advantages to the
Havana tobacco users under the pres
INT law In answer to a question Mr..
cigars were made for American filler
and Havana wrappers.
Mr. L. II. Neudecker of Baltimore con-
tended that duty of so cents a pound !
would produce more revenue than the |
present rates.
Mr. j. /. Ellison of New York, editor Of |
the United States Tobacco Journal. stat |
ed that the cost of producing a pound of |
Sumatra tobacco was 241a cents a |
pound. The stories that Coolie labor |
cost bur : or s cents day in Sumatra |
We're erroneous.
George Nicholson. who owns tobacco |
lands in Connecticut. stated that there |
had been no money in tobacco for New |
farmers since the crop of 1892. |
With a five-dollar pound rate on SUI |
matra tobacco he would cultivate 200 |
acres in Connecticut.
Chairman Dingley said before the COM
mittee adjourned that tobacco. being a |
luxury, was a proper subject for reve-
hue, with incidental regard 10 the inter-
astS of manufacturers and growers.
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