Birmingham state herald., 1897-05-27
TOBACCO MEN PROTEST
Against the Proposed Advance of Two CentS-Their Objections Are
 Briefly Presented.

Washington, May 26.-Representatives of practically all the tobacco manufac- turers in the United States, with the ex- ception of the cigar manufacturers met here today to protest against the pro- posed advance of cents a pound in the tax on tobacco contemplated in the sen ate amendment to the taliff bill There were present and represented about 150 manufacturers. The total tobacco out put exclusive of cigars, of the United States is about 300,O 100000 pounds annu- ally, and of this amount over 250000,0 900 pounds was represented. Resolutions were unanimously adopted which briefly cite the injury inflicted upon the trade by the frequent changes ofothe tax rate and protest-aga the adoption of the senate amendment.
 The meeting adjourned to present the resolutions at the capitol.
 MT. Allen, in speaking of the proposed tax increa se,l ,Said.s. agf f4a4 aUtt
 "It is not the amount of the tax we ob-i ject to as the expense involved in a change at all. An increase of 2 cents a pound means smaller packages. That is the only way the manufacturers could pay it and the change in the size of pack ages means an outlay of just about $1,- 100000 in changing stamps, dies, moulds and wrappers. We have had three changes of tax in the past twenty years, s cents, IS cents and cents, which 1t is now. When this change was made in 1893 congress was going to reduce it to r. cents, but we told them rather to make it cents and then let 1t alone. What we ask is stability. The fluctuations are what ruins business
 The delegation was at the capitol today and conferred with representatives from tobacco growing states.
 The senate committee which has charge of the tariff bill gave a hearing to the delegation of tobacco manufacturers at the Arlington tonight. The tobacco men were represented by a committee of six, Messrs. Harry Weissinger, of Louisville; c. B. Hall Detroit; P. Loril- lard, Jr., of New York; John Haines, Winston, N. C.; J. R. Broker, Winston, N. C.; w. N. McAlpin, New York, the chairman of today's meeting.
 Their spokesman was MT. Weissdnger, who presented the case of the tobacco men, and at the suggestion of the Sena- tors briefly.
 The contention was that an increase of the internal revenue tax would lessen the consumption of manufactured tobacco, diverting it to raw materials. That the manufa cturers had adjusted their busi- ness to the csnts lax and would be put to 8 heavy expense to change the sizes of plugs and packages, a change which would greatly disturb trade if it should be made. The only alternative beside reducing the sizes of plugs and packages would be to use material of an inferior quality that they might sell the quanti- ties of tobacco alt prese mt prices An ar gument upon which stress was laid was that the effect of increased taxes on to- bacco would be to concentrate Ghe busl- ness in the hands of a few great firms.
 While the senators asked several ques- tions they gave no indication of whether the arguments of the tobacco men would result in any change in the bill. They were particularly desirous to know upon whom the burden of the increased taxa tion would fall MT Weissnger replied that it would be felt first by the manufac- turers but thac irr the end it would be shifted to the growers of leaf tobacco. Great sscrecy surrounds the dehbera tions of the senate committee. Members of congress from the eobacco producing states sought admission to the confer ence, but said thst they were barred out and felt considerably aggrieved because of their exclusion.
 Most of the eobacco men will stop in Washington for a time. They do not ex- pect so great results from their formal appearance before the committee tonight as from the personal canvass of sena.ors and representatives which they are pros- ecuting.