New-York tribune., 1901-12-03
DIVIDED ON TOBACCO DUTY
IMPORTERS FAVOR REDUCTION ON Gu
BAN AND PHILIPPINE PRODUCT
MANUFACTURERS DO NOT

The Washington dispat>n printed IN Inc
Tribune of yesterday dealing with tarlH con-
cessions TO Cuban and Philippine TOBACCO grow
ers was read with great interest by importers
and manufacturers Of that COMMONLY No
importer Of Cuban cigars could be founo VINO
not in favor Of the reduction or the tarlll Oh
cigars from 81 30 and % per cent ad valorern
the present rate. to 50 30 a pound, with no al
valoren, the rate asked for by the Cuban COM
mission now in this country. On the other
hand manufacturers, rule, were IN 1aNor
Of maintaining the present tariff one eXcep-
ton was found yesterday in the person OF
manufacturer who frankly declared that ne
did not believe the free admission TO this couh-
try Of every cigar made in Cuba would ihJufl-
ously affect his business He thought that the
total annual output of Cuban cigars would
If sold here, make only slight impression upon
the American market
The United States annually produces o,ooo-
G0oooo cigars he said. Cuba can make only
.5o00oo9o a year. Under the present nearly
prohbtiYe tariff import less than per
cent of all the cigars we consume. Now, sup
pose Cuba turned over to US her entire output
of .Jn 100000 cigars instead Of only about
40o00o0o, IS she now sells TO us We should
then import only one-twenteth of what We
consume How can such small amount as
that hurt us?"
IF Congress cuts down the present tariff to the
point the Cubans are clamoring for said an
importer of Cuban cigars. I'VE can sell our ID
and 20 cent cigars for 10 cents These cigars
cost five and six cents in Havana. The duty,
the expense of shipping, the revenue stamps
and our small margin of profit bring the price
of imported cigars up to its present lever! "A
man pays from five to seven cents duty on every
u and 20 cent imported Cuban cigar that he
smokes More expensive cigars are smoked in
otgna -0f-xr
ent protection of lbs per cent were removed we
could make little profit and the smoker would
get his cigar at a very appreciable reduction
Havana wrappers and filters, which now lapor
under duties of 81 50 a pound and % cents a
pound should be placed under a uniform duty
The tariff on each should not exceed 90 cents a
pound. I think the present duty on Sumatra
wrappers should be retained The quality of
this wrapper is no better than that of the Con-
necticut and Massachusetts wrappers, but 1t
makes a better looking cigar
A manufacturer OF Key west cigars lilail-
tained yesterday that if the tariff upon manu-
factured Cuban cigars must be reduced II would
be ONLY lust 10 reduce proportionately the duty
on leaf tobacco, in order that the cigar makers
in this country might faVorabIy compete with
the Cuban factories.
1--WE have a hard enough time keeping up with
the Havana concerns as it is" the manufacturer
added. Our factories are at Key West ana ana
Tampa. We import filters from the Remedies
and Santa Clara districts in Cuba, and wrap
this tobacco with Sumatra leaf. OF course, when
the Spanish war on We were compelled 10
mix what little Cuban tobacco could get with
the American product In our New-Hork fac
tories use Pennsylvania, New-N ork and Ohlo
filters and Connecticut wrappers. American to-
bacco will never equal the Nuelta Ahajo product
of Cuba, which is grown in small patches near
Havana
IN my opinion" said another large importer,
"a substantial reduction of tariff upon Cuban
leaf and cigars would be q splendid thing Tor
the island. The effect would not be instanta-
neous Tobacco planted in october is harvested
IN February. BY April four or five crops are
ready for curing. which takes three months.
BY October or a full year after the planting.
the cigar is ready for sale.
There is point which has not been
brought out" he added. ''If the tariff on Cuban
leaf tobacco is reduced the Key West and Tampa
manufacturers Of clear Havana cigars may be
able 10 work up a good export trade. This
country exports practically cigars at pres
ent. The question of Philippine tobacco con-
Germs US very little The Philippine product is
not much used here because of its inferior
quality