The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-01-19
PHILIPPINE rOBAcCO.
4 Prominent sew York Healer Protests
Against Its Free Admission.
TO mn EDIron on TnE SuS SIR You


Yea. the tobacco growers and dealers,
also the cigar manufacturers OF the United
States. are bitterly opposed 70 opening cur
gates 10 the entrance Of n few (C thousand
pounds OF tobacco from the Philippine
Islands, and they are justified in sitting
up nights TO devise means whereby Con-
gress may be- restrained from producing
such a result.
A slight idea Of the possible imports TO
the United States under free trade, OF even
a sufficiently reduced duty, may be had
from statistics just issued by the Bureau
Of Insuar Affairs Philippine exports of
manufactured tobacco to foreign ooun-
tries for the seven months ending July 81,
1904 were el5s $50 pounds, valued at $45S.-
036. OF these totals probably because OF
either unusual demand or unusual supply,
or of a combination Of BOTH the exports
in July alone were ! Ell 400 pounds, valued
at s92 ,7lo.
These figures tend to prove, first, that
the Philippine Islands certainly do produce
quite "a few thousand pounds of tobacco,
and. secondly, that its present value Is five
cents per pound.
Considering the very extensive area
about 10000 square miles) and the e1-
IRENE fertility of the Philippine Islands
it is certain that the present considerable
production of tobacco would be immensely
increased by the stimulus OF an active
American market for II.
The value of FIVE cents per pound includes
the dealers and growers profit Contrast
this with the fact that after the American
tobacco has been grown and harvested
Il f.r,r ah ntl al d.
and if 30 assorted and sized as generally
demanded by the manufacturer as much
as three or four cents to pack it into cases
for the market Tho very cases. containing
from 500 TO 400 pounds each, cost about 81
apiece. Other details are the cost OF land
and labor.
IL there not ample reason for the grower
Of domestic leaf to despair at the prospect
of competition with leaf which is profitaoiy
grown and sold at five cents poundf
We're it proposed TO limit change to no.
or to a reduced, duty on the unmanufac-
tured leaf only, the cigar manufacturer
would not care; he would simply use Phlllp-
pine tobacco or domestic leaf tobacco, as
he found such suited for his trade. But
the proposed reduction s to cover also man
ufaotured products Of Philippine leaf
An investigation of the subject shows
that while wages in Manila are much higher
than anywhere else in those islands, yet a
bulletin of the Department Of Labor states
that Il lGs employees of the thirty-one
cigar and cigarette factories in Manila re-
ceive an average Of $50 cents day
Contrast this with the census $500 state
ment that similar operatives in the United
States receive four times this pay.
Now estimate the number of people out
Of a population OF overs 600 900 who could
be easily taught the nowise difficult trades
OF making cigars and cigarettes and
the quantity they might make under the
stimulus OF an active American demand
The above facts. It is hoped, will produce
nm admission that the American manufac-
turer has good reason to fear competition
with the Philippine cigar and cigarette lie
simply could not compete, factories would
close, millions invested therein would be
lost and almost coD O00 souls now protitably
employed be made idle
Tho tobacco dealers buy from the grow
ers and sell to tho manufacturers. who con-
s,,me the leaf ia the manufacture Of cigars
&c. Wipe out the manufacturers and there
,riu be no field left for the dealer 10 sell IN
and no dealer left for the grower 10 sell to-
This explains why the entire industry Is
united against and afraid OF Secretary
Taft reported plan.
In addition to the direct industry Is the 10y
no means small one of the manufacture 81
cigar boxes, ribbons, labels and other aTu-
Giles too numerous 10 mention. all uulNed
by the cigar and cigarette manufacturer
This industry Is dependent on his success
or failure.
In total. Secretary Taft's reported 7ug-
gestion threatens the commercial existence
prosperity and means OF livelihood OF pos
siby as many as 300 coo American citizens
While admitting that We are morally
bound To try to advance the welfare oi me
Filipino are we bound, IN our EFFORTS LOT
such result 10 include therein measure
which Ia csDable Of such disastrous results
70 one Of our leading industries ana 70 80
large a number OF our Ciuzen~'
Further. will tho kind deyotee a. our
dear ady Nicotine for the sake OF q cheaper
cigar Clet him have no hopes of n better one
because in the United states are mace
cigars as good "a any made in Cuba, ana
Cuba is world renowned for the excellence
of her cigarsl demand such sacrioe'
Now why under a reduced or under no
tariff. would there be any restrictions on
the energies 81 the Filipino With the pig
American market ut his command WY
not then manufacture many articles IN direct
competition with our home manufacturers
and likely capture our home market LOT
them. when the all important factor OF COST
Of labor r. so greatly in his iavor'
Assuming such possibilities would arise
will not thpf energetic and keen merchant
Of the East. the Japanese quickly establish
himself In the Philippine Islands, 70 there
enjoy market now closed to Japan by
our protective tariff And would not Eng
lish. German and other foreign. and even
hoariless American. capital quickly take
similar advantage .
Docs our moral duty TO the Pmhpplnnes
/ include mourning unknown ana llc@!cH, up'o
danger 70 any and all home industries
Then. again assuming that solely for the
benefit Of the Philippines a market oe mere
established. say. for only their tobacco ana
the products thereof. Uncle sam must bear
in mind that such change from existing
conditions will bring about some change IN
the amount of tariff tspproximaung s!Q'-
OOO. 900 annually now derived from the
large consumption here OF imported leai
tobaccOs (Havana and SnmatrAl. ana
possibly. too. in that from imported cigars;
In 1902 the PHILIPPINES sent 10 Norm
America United States, Canada Mexico;
&o) exports TO the value Of S7O3, lsS ana
bought from the United States 70 the value
Of 81 .OS7, 1854. In 1901 exports from inc
Philippines 10 the United states alone
reached total Of sli 12l SOP. an increase OF
more than - per cent. over the 1892 exports
to the entire North America. Yet the 1904
Philippine purchases from tho tinted
States were only s48ii 1873. an Increase OF
only II per cent over those Of 1902; and 81
! our annual export to the Philippine Islands
no uncomfortable part Is for American
III 81 FaHHa