The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1904-09-27

Washington. Sept. A.-H. A. Taylor.
acting secretary of the treasury. today
gave a hearing to the representatives
OF the leading tobacco interests on the
question OF the proposed changes In
the customs stamp now required to
be used on boxes OF imported cigars.
The so-called independent tobacco in
terests contend for teh romival OF the
stamp altogether, or the placing OF a
smaller and less conspicuous stamp on
the bottom of the box. This position
is opposed by the American Tobacco
Company.
Morris S. Wise. of New York, repre-
senting the Havana Cigar Manufac-
turers' Association of the United States
stated in answer to Secretary Tay-
lor's inquiry, that the so-called inde-
pendent cigar manufacturers were sat
isfied with the design and general
character OF the stamp proposed to be
used by Assistant Secretary Arm
strong. That is. they were to be ma
terially reduced in size; to be printed
on blue paper of the same tint as the
internal revenue stamp now in use;
and to be placed on the bottom Of the
box.
lean Tobacco Company, New York,
said that in 1902, the Havana Tobacco
Company was organized and begun
marketing its products in the United
States. 1t found a situation deplora-
BILE from the standpoint of the manu-
facturer, the consumer, the honest Ie-
tail dealer and the government. Many
well known brands We're being initiated
so generally that the trade marks had
come to be almost meaningless and
valueless. Dozens Of Pennsylvania
manufacturers were putting out ci
garS bearing the same names as those
manufactured in Havana. and the only
protection the maker and consumer had
was the conspicuous customs stamp
But there was another trouble. and
that was the refilling of the imported
boxes bearing the customs stamp with
inferior cigars. To reduce the size of
the stamp and r ace it on the bottom
of the box and further to print it on
blue paper of the same shade as the
revenue would be a clear violation of
the spirit of the law and an acual and
strong encouragement to fraud and de-
ception.
Assistant secretary Armstrong gave
the reasons why he had ordered the
change in the stamp He said the
stamp in present use operated in effect
as discrimination against the indus
try in the United States.
Samuel Gompers, president of the
American Federation of Labor, and
first vice president of the Cigar Makers
International Union of America, said
that the cigar makers of the United
States were entitled to a fair ana
square deal and he did not think that
II the American workme made as
good a cigar as could be made in Ha-
wanna. which was a notorious fact,
they should be Disseminated against
hrv 10, l.
Ii Mr.. Armstrong; order is permitted
to go into effect, Mr.. Gompers said, the
imported cigar would have to stand
upon its merits as the American made
cigar was compelled to do.
Mr.. Pandas. representing the Cigar
Manufacturers Association, of Tampa,
also protested against the revocation
of Assistant Secretary Armstrong; s
order.
a. Blur, president Of the National
Cigar Leaf Association and National
Association of Retail Cigars, maintain
ed that the cigars manufactured of
clear Havana tobacco are in all res
poets equal to the Havana made cigar,
and that the present stamp certified
to quality they frequently did not
possess.
John Lanstreet, of Richmond, presi-
dent of the Independent Manufacture
ers' Association, said that the members
of this association without exception
were in favor of the proposed change.
Mr. Wise closed the hearing, declar-
ing that the proposed changes was not.
as he had stated. in the interest OF
dishonest dealers, but in the fntercs.
Of honest American manufacturers an
dealers as against a foreign product
| unfairly advertised by the government.
In answer to an inquiry by Mr. Wise.
| Secretary Taylor said he hoped to b
able to give his decision without much
delay