The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-12-19
OPPOSING TARIFF CHANGES.
On Tobacco Coming from the Philippine
 Islands.

Washington, Dec. 17.--(Special.)- There Is every prospect that any at- tempt to further reduce the tariff on Philippine products at this session. as advocated by Secretary of War Taft, will meet with determined opposition. While the beet sugar interests, espe- cially of the Far West and Pacific Coast, are against the proposition, the bulk of the opposition comes from the tobacco trade. For the past six months a systematic campaign has been con- ducted by the National Cigar Leaf To- bacco Association to arouse the trade to the fact that the interests of every one concerned were threatened by the proposed reduction. As a result of the campaign of education, the various as- sociations have formed an alliance to fight the bill, including the National Cigar Leaf Tobacco Association, the Havana Cigar Manufacturers Associa- ton. the National Association of Retail Cigar Dealers. the Independent Tobac- co Manufacturers Association, the American Tobacco Growers Associa-
 tion. together with local organizations of tobacco growers. especially in New England. All of these have formally expressed their opposition to the pro-
 posed bill and in Philadelphia on Mon- day and Tuesday important private con
 ferences were held. at which represen- tatives of the various organizations
 were present, and a strong alliance was
 perfected to work against any reduc-
 tion in the duty on Philippine tobacco.
 The grounds of opposition may be briefly stated, as being that with cheap
 labor, cheap land and low margin of tarih, the tobacco industry of the Phil
 ippines will be stimulated to a degree
 xx,bi xDnvtId nndnnhfadlV dnmnraiixa
 the industry here and might even ruin it. While the other branches of the
 trade consider their interests are in
 danger, two in particular are greatly
 exercised The first Is the tobacco-
 growing interests of the Connecticut Valley, where the Sumatra-seed wrap
 pers are grown. To protect these
 growers. the Dingley bill imposed
 duty of $1.50 per pound on Sumatra wrappers in addition to the ordinary
 duty of S5 cents per pound. total of s1S5 per pound Yet. Connecticut wrappers bring only about 35 cents per
 pound. and s000.00O pounds of sumatra wrappers Is annually imported. One of the reasons given in support of the measure Is that the growing of the Sumatra wrapper can be successfully transferred to the Philippines If lower duty is granted. It is believed by the New England tobacco growers that as s,O00,0O0 pounds of Sumatra wrapper leaf Is now imported under duty of $1.S5 per pound the demand Tor Philippine wrappers of Sumatra seed will far exceed that amount. This be- lief is based on the fact that the cli- mate and soil of the Philippines close ly resembles that of the Dutch East h. dies and. therefore. the wrapper would be almost identical with the original Sumatra. Being produced with cheap labor and having to bear duty or only 46 cents per pound. they fear the Philippine -Sumatra wrapper would run the Connecticut wrapper out of the market
 The other interest so deeply concern ed is the National Cigar Manufacturers
 Association. This organization Is com posed principally of manufacturers or cigars made entirely of domestic to- bacco or of Havana filler and Sumatra wrapper, and selling from 10 cents downward. It is especially strong in Pennsylvania, which leads the country in the production of cigars and IS the home of the stogie industry. Under the proposed reduction. Manila cigars can be prohtably retailed in this coun- fry at from to 10 for quar- ter. while cheroots and stogies would he much cheaper. The Filipinos cigar makers receives 70 cents a day against an average of $1.77 paid the American. SO with cheap labor, cheap tobacco and low duty, the manufacturers foresee the transfer of the business of making cheap cigars from the United states to the Phflippines.