The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-12-11
WILL SEND
IN CIGARS
Manila Goods May
Be Cheap Once
More.
ONE DEALER LOOKS
FOR HIGH TARIFF
NoIte is Not Manufacturing Any
Cigars From Philippine
Tobacco,

Manila imports will come in free of
duty under the decision of the Supreme
court. but outside of cigars the de-
cision will have little effect upon local
trade. The total imports from the new
possessions have been so slight that
it is not expected that there will be a
sum greater than $1,000 to refund 10
importers The cigar refund will be
greater, and may reach $4,000
1t is the opinion of cigar dealers that
there will now be heavy importations
of Manila cigars ana cigarettes. and
that the result will be that prices will
once more get down nearly, if not
quite to the point where they were
before the passage of the Organic Act
made the American rates of duty ap-
plicable. 1t may be, however, that
there will be a greater rate to be paid,
owing to the fact that the dealers will
endeavor TO hold up the rates. as the
| factory prices have advanced, owing
to the great demand. The trade has
sprung up through the soldiers leaving
the islands and taking home samples,
which have assisted in fastening the
taste upon many persons who did not
know it before.
H j. Nolte was the first man here
to take up the making of cigars from
Manila tobacco. He was also the only
American who went into the business,
although there is some importation of
tobacco for the use of Chinese facto-
ries. Mr.. Nolte has not continued his
| To "a fact
| that it was impossible to find cigar
makers who would work and thus ena-
BILE him to go ahead. Mr.. Nolte en-
ployed Porto Ricans in his factory, and
said that he found them entirely I'M
reliable as workmen, owing to their
desire to rest. He said it was COM
mon thing to find that after quantity
of tobacco had been prepared for work
! ing the following day, the men would
not turn up, but would take a holiday,
the result being that the tobacco WAS
lost. After several experiences of this
kind he determined to stop the expert
ment, and so sold his stock of tobacco
to "a San Francisco house and himself
shut down.
| Dealers in cigars are of opinion gem
orally that there will be immediate i'm
| portations which will result in the
cutting of prices. There is one dis
senting voice, however D. Lawrence
& Co said in regard TO the matter:
| Coming from us just at present.
any comments regarding the Manila
cigar question would, we believe, be a
trihe premature. The Supreme Court
decision says: Congress can legislate
| in regard to the Philippines, and the
present Congress will no doubt do So
We believe prohibitive tariff will be
| imposed, to remain in force for years
to come.
! Personally, we would much prefer
a free entry, as anything that will in
| crease the sale of cigars, no matter
what country the cigars come from,
would help our business. How would
it effect Honolulu cigar factories?
Well. that's different We know moth
ing whatever of our competitors bust
ness, and must refrain from making
comments; the fact is, our business
has grown so large that it takes all
our time"
! G. G. Eakin said that in his opinion
there would be no legislation upon the
subject of cigars at this time, owing
to the fact that the cigar men of the
United States do not believe there is
any great danger of competition from
the Manila goods, the taste for those
cigars being largely an acquired one.
He said there would be an immediate
bringing in of cigars. and the price
[
! where it was before.
At the Honolulu Tobacco Company
the same view was expressed. and the
| Chinese dealers said they would get
in the Manila goods as soon as posi-
BILE.