The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-11-09
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THE CIGARS OF MANILA.
Now Much Better Than Those Amer.
leans Used TO Smoke.
Manila Correspondence Chicago Inter-

Ocean.
cigars and cigarettes are remarkably
cheap. even In the face OF the economic
conditions that exist in the East The
cheapest cigars are sold for $40 per 1860
and the most expensive for 500 per 1860
Reduce that to gold basis, and you find
yourself wondering how they can be made
for the money. The cigarettes are even
cheaper. The cheapest grades retail for
"a and "a cents Mexican Per package OF
twenty Tour aud thirty cigarettes. and the
grades In most common Use sell at the fac
tory for $50 Mexican, or $3.50 gold Der
LOO packages OF twenty-four and thirty
eigarettes each; The best cigars can DC
bought at retail at the cigar stands for 5
and 10 cents Mexican, and it is recorded
mat IN the days OF the monopoly a very
iair cigar, as Manila cigars so. could be
bought for i and cents Mexican. The
genuine Manila cigar OF today is moi
known in the United States, and If ever ii
nnds It's way there 1t will at once spring
INTO Immense popularity. The old Manila
cigar, short and stubby or cone-shapej l.
rapidly passing. and in its place modern cl-
CARS are being made. All of the modern
Shapes In vogue in Europe and America
nave p.en introduced since the monopoly
ceased to exist, and anything that pleaxes
tHe iancy may be had at the k!osks OF Ma
MIA The modern cigar made OF the hes,
sagayan or Isabel tobacco. is not as good
as tne cuban product, but II will bear fair
comparison with 1t, and Is certainly the an
perior or scores OF the domestic brands soIa
IN the United States. The tobacco Is milTt
sT' ana there is no fiavoring introduced into
treating IT, "" ~ ."
There are I5.000 Americans In Manila now
ana they take very kindly 10 the bette,
grades OF Manila cigars. and freely predict
revolution In the cigar Industry in fh,,
onlted states In the event of the ennaxa
tion or Luzon or the Philippine group. The
cigarettes are also made Of D,lre ts,ls,ceo
Inc entire Industry has suffered on arcY,nt
OF the inferior grades that are shipped from
mere. and Manila cigars have been unfairly
condemned '' oiAi"AiiS
The average small native planter grows
no more tobacco and does no more work
man Is absolutely necessary to earn A Iiv-
ing. He plants in November ana rar,ars
In March, and In the interim raises wa,
maize he needs for hts house and farn,
re mas no oiner cares, and borrows none
lie pockets the market price when .hs
suyer arrives. and II keeps him until he
comes AGAIN He has to sort his leaves
into i've sizes and bundle them into manns
each or which contains 100 leaves ana
there and his troubles There ara eirb,
largo, and between City and one hundred
sinai factories IN Manila. and the former
employ from 400 to zoo operatives each
In the manufacture OF the better grades
OF cigars men and boys are EMPLOYED a.
most exclusively, while on the cheaper 81.
cars and cigarettes women are more rener.
ally mployed. The former are no a -,,ta
paid on the piece system while the Ia.ter
ARE often contracted for in gangs and an
swer To their employers only through the
sun contractor. Wages vary. not only IA
10 the grade OF the cigars made I'm. a.
20 me skill Of the operatives. and there Is a
VICE range IN pay. Expert cigarmakers
III the larger factories can earn 81 Nevica,
or T. cents on the gold basis hut the aver
age IL nearer 10 IS cents Mexican. and
among The children and less expert cnar-
ativ.s wages range down 10 ~ and % cents
Mexican per day.