New-York tribune., 1902-01-24
THE TARIFF ON TOBACCO.
PRESIDENT OF NEW-ENGLAND TOBACCO
GROWERS ASSOCIATION TELLS WHY
HE FAVoRs CONCESSIONS TO CUBA.
LEY TELEGRAPH TO TIE rRrsuxr.l !

Washington, Jan. 23--+H s. Frye, of Connecticut
president OF the New-England Tobacco Growers
Association, who is in Washington urging on Con-
gress the wisdom ard duty Of tariff concessions to
Cuba, made for The Tribune to-day the following
statement IN explanation Of his position and also
the reasons which have induced him partially to
change his views the subject OF a reduction of
the present tariff on Cuban tobacco:
It may be a hopeless task. but I will make one
Of o5iio1 on es f rrrited siG stes ,,fv on Cuban
leaf tobacco. Several weeks since becoming CON
vinced that some reciprocal arrangement with Cuba
Cuban (Havana) tobacco would certainly be made
either IN this or the next session Of CONGRESS, l
and as result I not 9ny o5 nat but 81 IaTge m 6 sT
on Havana tobacco Of 5 cents per pound (conceding
the wrap pper rate you'd be decdedy tor the oeSr
AS Havana wrapper imports had for, dozen
years been only l12 cent OF the total havana
imports and never exceeded s per. cent, while it
duty, it wouii not only be a most valuable con
cession to Cuba by removing al [estfaafr@on on & e
cigar Interests Of the United States because then %
Havana 6iier, which he cannot do now because Of
excessive wrapper appraisements. Havana wrap rap
6onefor 9Io With %ewFngland wrapper as Every
fnteiiigent tobacco farmer, leaf dealer and manu-
facturer has always known and admitted; there
no. rSre %E PPe3R1eo8 in DUTY reovng
shadow not substance e but shafTw a f5e taP PGfs1n It
was one that would give the New England leaf
ard the rehab btation Of the Islands industries and
thus aid in indefinite & qT snneXa e
come Of past events.
So absolutely certain was I then, and am now.
that under conditions as they have existed IN the
past and up to the present this proPosluon OF one
pound the wisest and best solution OF the
been the sole proprietor Of every acre OF TOBACCO
in all New England. II and II only was me one !
by Congress. could write pages Of incontroyeruI
bic arguments and cite many facts N PROOF InaI
fore the Wsys and Means Committee in opposi-
ton. based on conditions as they always existed To
Sbeing that grown in the open held5 was irrevoca-
BILE and absolutely correct, for Cuba has always
country. only per cent Of its entire leaf output
0S 4ge sa ia ana aTa3s being SO high rom 70
SO pound together with their rapid deterloraron
son ta pracoaY IL probted imports Of Havana
wrapper into the United States.
CHANGE IN CONDITIONS
These were the conditions, I had in mind, and
gGSe9 5hT Ss6 0e nor+sS S into the tinted states
tent tobacco in Cuba would be tried the coming
ton OF fhe New-England Tobacco Growers Asso-
caton Ianuary = ala n not know that ,e single 5gs
produced on the island, and find that hardly any
store for me and the New-England leaf interests.
On January 21 at the Capitol I saw handled ana
the equal IN appearance. nneness and texture OF
any Surnatr I ever saw. and largely superior TO IL
in quality. grown both from Cuban and SUmatra
seed and yielding. per cent hut 50 per cent Of
this high grade wrapper leaf. and my information
is that, exploited by large capital the Output OF
Cuban tent covered tobacco be and will be
enormously increa sed IN the future Instantly
the entire conditions changed and reversed.
and II IS quite possible that Cuba may become q
large wrapper instead of a almost exclusively
filler producing country. for every the
tremendous difference between per cent wrapper
output and 50; wrapper percentage higher than
Connecticut or any wrapper section ever produced.
to my knowledge. and condition that would make
quite possible serious competition 70 the wrapper
interests of the United States. II the duty on Ha-
vana wrapper leaf should be abolished or largely
reduced.
Therefore. under the changed condition mot
theory that confronts US. while I know my posi-
ton under the former condition was absolutely the
only correct one and could and would not be
changed hairs breadth under the same con
dition. solely in the interest OF the New England
tobacco growers-for the tariff IS q local issue-I
shall at early date, file with the Committee
OF Ways and Means brief stating the above facts
and urging that the wrapper rate on Cuban
(Havana) tobacco be retained. and that such con-
cessions or reductions IN duty Cuban leaf as
may be necessary-and believe could and should
be made 10 rehab!litate the islands industries 10
keep invioate the nations pledge 70 promote trade
with the island, 70 perpetuate the independence
and thus postpone. u not prevent, ultimate annex
trade and duty her tobacco products at an
should. under the changed conditions involved in
tent-gTown wrapper lear there, be applied 10 the
a1yter