Evening journal., 1898-12-21
CIGARS OF MANILA.
Now Much Better Than Americans
Used to Smoke.
Some Interesting Particulars of the
Tobacco business in the Phil
tppines-The work and
Wages.

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 ten dol
lars per 1000, and the most expensive
for 500 per 1000. Reduce that to a
gold basis, and you find yourself won
dering how they can be made for the
money. The cigarettes are even cheap
er. The cheaper grades retail for IA
and 2Ia cents Mexican per package of
"a and 30 cigarettes, and the grades in
most common use sell at the factories
for $50 Mexican, or $3.50 gold, per 1000
packages of "a and 80 cigarettes each.
The best cigars canbe boughtatretaila AT
the cigar stands for five and ten cents
Mexican, and it is recorded that in the
days Of the monopoly very fair cigar,
as Manila cigars go, could be bought
for one and two cents Mexican. The
genuine Manila cigar of to-day is not
known in the United States. and If
ever it finds it way there it will at
once spring into immense popularity.
The old Manila cigar, short and stubby,
or the cone-shaped, is rapidly passing
and in its place modern cigars are be-
ing made. All of the modern shapes in
vogue in Europe and America have been
introduced since the monopoly ceased
to exist, and anything that pleases the
fancy may be had at tho lsiosl1s of Ma
Mia. The modern cigar, made of the
best Cagayan OF Isabel tobacco, is not
as good as the Cuban product, but it
will bear comparison with it, and is Ger
tainly the superior of scores of domes-
tic brands sold in the United States.
The tobacco is milder, and there is no
favorir,E introduced into j. nor any
chemical processes resorted to III treat
ing it.
There are 1900 Americans in Ma
Mia 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 OF
the Philippine group. The cigarettes
ure also made of pure tobacco. The en-
tire industry has suffered,on account ol
the inferior grades that are shipped
from here, and Manila cigars have beer
unIalrIY condemned.
The average small native planter
grows no more tobacco and does M
more work than is absolutely necessary
20 earn living. He plants in Novem
Der and garners in March, and in tn,
interim raises what maize he needs foi
his house and farm. He has no Other
cares. and borrows none. He pockets
- ,,,.,.l-aE
rives, and it keeps him until he come
again. He has to sort his leaves int,
five sizes and bundle them into manos
each Of which contains 100 leaves. an,
there end his troubles. There ar
eight large, and between so and 1O
small factories in Manila, and the for
mer employ from 400 to 1000 opeara
tives each. In the manufacture of III
better grades of cigars men and boy
are employed almost exclusively, Will
on the cheaper cigars and cigarette
women are most generally employed
The former are, as rule, paid on tn
piece system, while thelatter are oftei
contracted for in gangs, and answe
to their employers only through sub
contractors. Wages vary, not only a
TO the grade of the cigars made, bu
as to the skin of the operatives, an
there is wide range in pay. Exper
cigarmalers in the large factories ca
earn one dollar Mexican, or As cent
on the gold basis, but the average :
nearer to rs cents Mexican. and anon
the children and less expert operative
wages ranges down to 20 and 30 cent
Mexican per day.-Manila Cor Chicag
Inter Ocean.