The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-02-19
PHILIPPISE TOBACCO.
Little Danger of Competition with Ameri-
can Goods, Says n Dealer.

Little Danger of Competition with Ameri-
can Goods, Says n Dealer.
Just at the present time" said n prominent
tobacco man. 1T Is Of interest to consider the
relation OF the Philippine tobacco industry to
the United States. There need be no fear OF
competition. We will sell them infinitely more
than We will ever buy from them. and as the
Islands get more civilized and more Americans
J and Europeans settle there. we will sell Thorn
more and moro tobacco and cigars and buy
less. though we cannot take many fewer cigars
than we do now.
Il have several acquaintance. Enclishmen,
who occasion illy.like a Manila cigar. and they
have to get them of one dealer. He sends to
Canada for these cigars In sin gle case lots. for
there is no stock kept in this country. and yet
they make in the Philippines a matter OF 15O,-
100000 cigars a year. There have been from
time to time efforts TO introduce these cigars
here. but without much success. In England
they sell verylargely. mainly In bundles OF five
and six. which cost 20 cents a bundle. These
are both cheroots and cigars. rather roughly
turned OUT. banded with strips Of red and yell
low paper about a quarter OF an inch broad.
They come five hundred in a big cedar box
with a sliding lid and cost the English dealer.
duty paid. about $3.50. They are to be found
In nearly every drug store In the country. The
buNN 10 ~ - uAlh en- SOlOIs ulOSI vi IL
rather dull looking. ana 1t has. to my taste. the
flavor among tobaccos which tho beet mas
among vegetables. rather earthly. 1t Is also
heavy In type. and makes the smoker rather
sleepy. which gives rise to the mistaken idea
that there is opium In 1t. Our people will not
smoke It at any price. 1t 10 good enough, but
not the type they prefer.
when tho last rebellion in Cuba began
and the supplies OF Havana leaf tobacco
fell Off. among the growths introduced
as substitutes was Manila. but even I'M
der these favorable conditions tho importa.
lions never amounted to much more than a
drop In the ocean. In 1892 we brought In
1876 pounds. valued at 81. 703; in 1888, l.268
pounds. valued at 5000: In 1894. none. and in
1896. IL $50 pounds. valued at 81. 724. None
OF this WAS classified as wrapper tobacco. In
cigars. the importations.i in 1885, were 800
pounds. valued at SAP; In 1883. 526 pounds.
valued at S317; In 1S94-95, 1880 pounds. valued
at 5000. and In 8 1895 pounds. valued Mt
1914. The great bulk OF these shipments
came from Canada. Outside OF one uptown
store which deals In every tobacco under the
sun. .or pretty nearly. ! do not think you could
find q Manila cigar In the city. EXCEPT memen-
tos recently brought back by soldiers.
THE principal tobacco factorya at Manila ia
the Isabel. with a capital OF $15. 900, 900. en-
ploying 10000 hands. and making SO.OOO.-
600 cigars. 4Oo,OOO.OOO cigarettes and 5,OOO,-
coo pounds of cut tobacco a year. The value
OF the leaf tobacco at the plantation is fixed by
an agreement which provides thnt no matter
what the supply or condition these prices snail
never vary.
With the exception OF comparatively few
high-grade cigars from.Cuba. mo foreign cigar
has ever been able to gain a foothold here. and
probably never will. Fully nine-tenths OF the
cigars sold as imported are made Ugh in this
country OF imported leaf tobacco and are of ac-
knowledged higher quality to-day than the CT
Qara Of lnha y