The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-11-26
CIGARS OF MANILA.
Now Much Better Than Those Americans
Used To Smoke.

49,. W sso.
Cigars and cigarettes are remarkably
cheap. even in the face of the economic
conditions that exist In the east. says a
Manila correspondent OF the Chicago
Inter-Ocean. The cheapest cigars are
sold for $40 per 1000, and the most ex-
pensive for 800 per 1000. Reduce that
to a gold basis. and o find yourself
wondering 10Y they can be made for
the money. The cigarettes are even
cheaper. The cheapest grades retail for
Ia and 2h cents Mexican per package
of twenty-four and thirty cigarettes.
and the grades in most common use sell
at the factory for $40 Mexican. or $3.50
gold, per 1000 packages of tw~enty-forr
and thirty cigarettes ach The best
cigars can be bought at retail at the
cigar stands for 5 and 10 cents Mexican.
inc 1t is recorded that in the days II
the monopoly a very fair cigar, as Ma
nila cigars go. could be bought for /
and 2 cents Mexican. The genuine Ma
Mia cigar of to-day Is not Known in the
United States. n IL ever 1t finds its
way there IT will at once spring into
immense popularity. The old Manila
cigar. short and stubby, or cone-shaped.
is rapidly passing n In its place
modern cigars are being made. All oe
the modern shapes in vogue In Europe
and America a W been introduced since
the monopoly ceased to exist, and any
thing that pleases the fancy may be
had at the kiosks Of Manila. The
modern cigar, made of the best Caga-
yam or Isabel tobacco. is not as good as
the Cuban product. but II will bear fair
comparison with II. and Is certainly the
superior OF scores of the domestic
brands sold In the United States. The
tobacco is milder. n there is no flavor
ing introduced into II nor any chemical
process resorted to in treating II.
There are 5000 Americans in Manila
now. and they take very kindly to the
better grades of Manila cigars. and
freely predict a revolution in the cigar
industry In the United States in the
event of the annexation of Luzon or
the Philippine group. The cigarettes
are also made Of pure tobacco. The en-
tire industry has suffered on account of
the inferior grades that are shipped
from here, and Manila cigars ave been
unfairly condemned.
The average small native planter
grows no more tobacco and does no
more work than In absolutely neces-
November and gamers in March.
and in the interim raises
what maize he needs for
his house and farm. He IA not other
cares. and borrows none. He pockets
the market price when the buyer ar
rives. n II keeps him until he comes
again. He has to sort his leaves into
FIVE sizes and bundles them into manos.
each OF which contains 100 leaves. and
there end his troubles. They are eight
large and between nifty and one hun
dred small factories in Manila. and the
former employ from 400 to 1000 opera
tives ach In the manufacture of the
better grades OF cigars men and boys
are employed almost exclusively, while
on the cheaper cigars and cigarettes.
women are more generally employed.
The former are. as a rule. paid on the
piece system. while the latter are often
contracted for In gangs and answer to
their employers only through the sub
contractor. Wages vary. not only as
to the grade Of the cigars made. but as
to the skill Of the operatives. and there
Is a wide range In pay. Expert cigar
makers In the larger factories an earn
81 Mexican. or Is cents on the gold
basis. but the average IL near IS cents
Mexican. n among the children and
less expert operatives wages range
down to 20 and 20 cents Mexican per
day.