Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-08-11
WILL HAVE A REGlE.
JAPANESE GOVERNMENT TO DEAL
DIRECTLY WITH OUR MARKETS.
HIGH JAPANESE OFFICIALS HERE
They Discuss the Recent Actions
and Plans of Their Governments
American Tobacco I'm Increasing
Demand.
Demand.

On next Tuesday, August 18th, all Amer
lean and foreign tobaccos will be prac-
tically excluded from Japan, except that
which goes to that country by order Of
the Japanese Government. This end is
purposely accomplished by a very high
protective tariff against all foreign to-
bacco for the sole purpose of throwing
the control Of the tobacco trade into the
hands Of the government These facts
are important and of great interest TO
the tobacco men of Richmond Heretofore
each year the great firms of Japan have
sent their agents here TO purchase to-
bacco for them. Richmond men have
made a great deal OF money and sold a
great quantity Of tobacco In this way.
The japanese like American tobacco bet
ter than any other. and this year and
last the amounts of purchase in this
country have run up into the millions OF
dollars.
JAPANESE AGENTS HERE.
The japanese Government already has
agents in this country on a trip of inspec-
ton OF the tobacco markets. and TO es-
tablish an agency here. These gentle
men are now in Richmond, and are Mr..
h. Hashimoto, secretary of the japanese
Tobacco Reggie, and Mr.. T. Sasaki, in
spector of tobacco for the Government of
Japan. They are at the Jefferson Hotel,
and will be In Virginia Some time yet,
going from here TO North Carolina and
Kentucky
They are accompanied by an interpre-
ter, Mr.. y. Matsumoto, a student of
Columbia University. New York. Mr.
Hashimoto states that his country has
recently decided TO control its own to-
bacco. and has adopted very high tariff
TO bring this about. This is 100 per cent.
ad Valorem importation tax on all to-
bacco coming 10 Japan not shipped 10 the
government. Besides this, a high inter-
nal revenue tax is fixed on all tobacco
admitted into the country for private
corporations.
HOW 1T WILL BE DONE.
The purpose OF the government is not
to make it an offence for the people to
deal in tobacco directly with this coun-
try. but to place the tax so high that
they cannot begin 10 compete with the
firms Of that country who get the same
American tobacco from the government.
When asked how the tobacco would be
purchased by the regie, Mr.. HashiInoto
replied that "in one of three ways"
The japanese Government would buy to-
bacco here through one Of the many
well known japanese tobacco firms Of this
country, or keep an agent perman-
emily established here. or again pur-
chase the tobacco through one Of the
American firms, just as the private ia
panese houses have done heretofore.
Mr. Hashimoto was asked how much
American tobacco the japanese people
use in a year. He replied, through his
spokesman, 100000 wOrth-and more
last year than ever before He Continued
that the Japs liked the taste Of Ameri-
can tobacco, and were using u constantly
increasing quantity.
These distinguished gentlemen have
been driven over the city and shown
much attention by Mr. Greanor Neal and
others. They express themselves as
truly charmed with all of American life
that they have seen, and particularly
Richmond life