Waterbury Democrat., 1902-01-09
TOBACCO GROWERS.

TOBACCO GROWERS.
 Preparing for the Annual Convention
 to Be Held in Hartford.
 Washington, Jan S.-7At the forth coming annual convention of the New England Tobacco Growers association, to be held in Hartford in few days, President Frye, who is in Washing ton, will refer to the Cuban tobacco question as follows:
 The present status of the island is that of a foreign country under mili- tary occupancy and suZerainty of the United States, coupled with promised removal of same on formation of q government there and compliance with conditions imposed by the United States, and so long as annexation and consequent free trade is not imminent, the settlement of the Cuban question so far as it relates to tobacco and man. ufacturers of. involves no serious diffi- eulties or danger to the leaf interests of this country. Indeed, on the con, trary, by the opportunity that will be presented in q reciprocal treaty with the island some time in the future it may in the settlement of the veXatious Havana wrapper ys filler question re suit in great and permanent benefit to the leaf interests of New England. for the moment the vexakious wrangling and contentious over wrapper vs filler 1 in Cuban (Havana) tobacco ceases at fcustom houses, and consequent litiga- ton in the courts is ended, at least nine-tenths of the arguments for one uniform rate and objections to the differential or wrapper rate in the gen. eral tariff are eliminated and the great danger that for many years has hung as a nightmare over the future pros poets of the leaf interests of New Eng land. that in the next revision of the tariff no power on earth can prevent | congress enacting one uniform rate of duty on all leaf tobacco, including Sumarta, is removed forever.
 Brush away the Havana tobacco question and the Sumatra importing { interests admit that they have not q leg left to stand on in their contention for one uniform rate on all leaf to- bacco, therefore I may say, as We I United States) have get to make some concessions to the leaf and cigar in terests of Cuba. or through the inevita- 1 ble sequence of poverty and discomfort there, face the prospect of annexation ! of the island in the not distant future l let us take out an additional insurance l policy to protect our wrapper rate n { the general tariff and at the same time put up the bars against annexation ot l the island and no duty at all on her leaf tobacco by consenting to one rate { Of duty only on Havana tobacco, and l that at about the present or filler rate of B cents per pound. We can afford ! to do this, for fifty years experience l has demonstrated the incontroyertible fact that there never has been a time i that any New England tobacco farm CTS needed, thought of or asked for I 1 differenttal or wrapper rate to protect his interests against Havana wrapper 1 for the very good reason that as Ha vana wrappers can never be used 1T l this country on any but Havana filler making the clear Havana cigar. il never has and never can be q com petitor i'll our market with Connection or New England wrapper.
 Moreover, the high prices in Havana and their rapid deterioration when ex posed in temperate climates brings tn, percentage of wrapper leaf imported from Havana down to 11a per cent o all leaf imports from the island, leay ! ing 9S1@ per cent as filler leaf, whicl we need and must have to create market for our domestic wrappers Moreover, not only will this concession by the leaf interests of New Englans be entirely ample to restore prosperity to the leaf interests of Cuba by re moyal of present restrictions on trad
 in Havana tobacco, but it will be O immense benefit to the cigar interest,"
 of the United States and to the con sumer as we'll for then the manufac turer can use the better grades of Ha
 yana filler, which he cannot now dc vastly improving the quality of hi
 cigars, thus increasing the reputation \ of and demand for his goods to tha N extent. He can then have no reason
 able excuse to even an attempt to sad
 dle all the concessions to be made ol
 Cuban tobacco imports, entirely on tn
 leaf interests alone. Tn short. unde
 the above propositions, the cigar inter
 ests must consent to fair. just am
 equitable concession on their part, o
 have no standing in court whatever.