Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-09-21
NEW CIGAR STAMPS
ENGRAVING or THE PLATES HAS
BEEN SUSPENDED.
Representatives Of tie Tobacco Inter-
sc Is
ests to Be Heard Saturday by
Acting Secretary Taylor.

Z
The bureau of engraving and printing has
been instructed to SUSPEND the engraving
of plates for the PROPOSED new customs
stamps for boxes of imported cigars, and
all the tobacco men who are interested will
be given a hearing on Saturday before AS
sistant Secretary Taylor, who is acting
secretary in the absence of Secretary
Shaw. The order for the suspension of
further work ION the preparation of the
plates comes as surprise. following a
statement Monday that the original order
of Assistant Secretary Armstrong had not
been changed, and that the situation stood
as he had left it ten days ago, before the
tobacco trust entered its protest and
threatened to take the protest direct to
the President. which it did later
Mr.. Armstrong; Action.
The case is sure to attract wide attention
among the tobacco interests of the country
Mr.. Armstrong is the assistant secretary
in charge Of customs matters. Ever since
he became assistant secretary the question
of changing the present customs stamps
affixed to boxes of imported cigars has been
more or less urged and considered
Some time ago Mr. Armstrong took the
matter up In detail and finally concluded
that the customs stamp now in existence
of light cream color, should be changed and
a new stamp, resembling the regular revs-
nue. stamps Of the government should be
printed and affixed to the boxes of import
ed cigars In a way. different from the pres
emit style, covering the end of the box.
This decision of Mr.. Armstrong was
blow to the tobacco trust which controls *
per cent of the cigars imported from Ha-
vana, and which has relied upon the old
customs stamp as an absolute guarantee to
| purchasers that the cigar is imported In
measure the existing stamp has been
trademark for the tobacco trust in the
matter of imported cigars.
Mr.. Armstrong refused to give in to the
al guEnents of the tobacco trust against
change in the stamp. and ordered the en-
craving of plates for the new stamp. The
tobacco trust took the case to the Presi-
dent. and the matter has been under con-
sideratiOn resulting in determination to
give a full and complete hearing to all the
| interests involved before definitely deciding
whether the printing of the stamps shall
proceed.
Position of the Independents.
The Independent tobacco men Of the
| country are intensely interested In the
question. They have maintained that the
existing customs stamp is entirely unfair
to them, and for years have insisted on
! change Their position is that they make
from imported leaf tobacco. on which the
duty is low. as fine cigars as are sent out
from Havana. They procure, they say.
| identically the same tobacco used in the
imported goods. but there is lack of conf
| dence in their goods. and the average pur-
chaser finds 1t more satisfactory to look
upon a box and .hnd the customs stamp
and ten go ahead and buy what he knows
to be the imported La
The independent tobacco men claim that
| the tobacco trust has been given every adj
vantage and they, think they ought to have
a chance to develop home industries, which
they could do more certainly If the Gus
toms stamp were mot allowed to stand in
their way. They say that the intention OF
tariff legislation to transfer the Havana
cigar industry to this country by Its low
been successful ii achieving its purposes
but for the customs stamps and later Dy
the reduction of duties on imported cigars
as arranged in the Cuban reciprocity
treaty BetweenCthis reduction and the
customs stamp. the independents say. they
are not fairly treated They also have ap-
peaIed to the President ana a hard fight Is
promised when the hearing is held at the
Claim Of the Trust oMcials.
The tobacco trust officials claim that pur-
chasers Of cigars are entitled to know
whether they are getting what they want
and that any change in the stamp at this
time would make the government a partner
ina game of fraud. The proposed stamp
ordered by Mr.. Armstrong Is to be such an
exact duplicate of the ordinary green stamp
of the internal revenue bureau that the
man who buys an imported cigar now with
an old custom stamp as guide would not
be able in the future to tell whether he was
getting an imported Havana or one made
| by home manufacturers out of Havana
| leaf tobacco. The contention Of the trust
| is that this would be fraud Of the clearest
kind and would not be tolerated by cigar
smokers who want their regular brands.
The independents meet this with the
statement that the government has not the
slightest right to advertise imported cigars
by distinctive stamp such as any man can
tell the minute he sees 1t. They say that
hundreds of thousands of men buy cigar
merely because it has this stamp and not
because they understand appreciate the
difference in the Havana made and the
homemade article.