New-York tribune., 1911-09-17
TOBACCO MEN COMPLAIN
Importers Say .by-BaIe Ex.
animation Causes Losses.
WANT NEW CUSTOM RULING
Tribune's Story of Classification
Is Followed by Increase in Rev.
enues of the Government.

The bale-by-bale examination Of tobacco
imported from Cuba, which was begun BY
the customs authorities four months ago In
an erort made by the Treasury Depart
ment TO put stop to faulty classification
OF bales, through which the government
lost millions OF dollars In revenue. has
aroused the opposition OF tobacco import
ers. who asserted Yesterday that the new
method Of examination was too slow and
was beginning to hamper business.
number of importers. who described
the situation as intolerable. have decided
TO bring the matter before tho next meet
ing Of the New York Cigar Leaf Board Of
Trade on Tuesday and 10 demand that
their protest be carried 10 Collector Loeb.
The men responsible for this movement
took particular care to emphasize that
they did not blame Collector Loeb for the
situation created by the tardy pale-by-b bale
examination. They said that they did not
want 10 obStruct the governments efforts
20 investigate and TO find new manner OF
classification or examination that would do
away with the abuses discovered early this
year, but they added that the Treasury
Department might have decided by ths
time what Il intended to do in the matter.
When The Tribune, on January "A, told
exclusively Of the great loss TO the govern
ment through faulty classification OF Ila-
vana tobacco, government officials admitted
that the loss must have amounted TO many
millions. and The Tobacco Journal de-
clsred that II estimated this loss at from
S5Dn,Uo 10 ,loooo,ooO during the last
twenty years.
he aft a
toms authorities made quiet inquiries here
and in Havana as 10 the manner Of putting
up the bales and their classification. This
was done because, under the practice or
examining only 10 per cent OF each ship
ment, the discrepancy between wrapper
and filler tobacco could not be established
in satisfactory manner. and the spprals-
ers had to rely upon the invoices accom-
panying each shipment As the difference
I'm duty between wrapper and filler tobacco
amounted 10 sl25 the government fire.
quently was deprived Of revenue through
shipments of wrapper leaves In bales clas-
sifed as containing filler.
When Mr.. Loeb found that no real prog
ress was being made with the investga-
ton he ordered a bale-by-bale examination
early In May. and since that time the
method has been pursued. That II con-
frmed the governments suspicious was
shown by the statement made by Collector
Loeb yesterday that the governments rev.
enue from tobacco duties has increased
considerably during the last three months.
The dissatisfaction OF the tobacco i'm
porters seems 70 be based on the assertion
that Mr. Loeb does not have a suf'icient
force at his disposal to conduct the BALE
by-bale examination In a speedy manner.
They contend that II this method OF eX-
animation Is 70 be continued the force OF
examiners should be sufficiently enlarged TO
insure the same speedy passage OF tobacco
cargoes that was achieved formerly, with
out imposing unreasonable delays and re-
sultant loss TO the importers.
The importers also say that comparative
" little wrapper tobacco is entered through
the port OF New York. and yet the whole
investigation seems 20 centre upon this
port. They assert that nothing more can
be gained by extending this examination.
which hampers their business. and they
ask that II either be dropped or suficient
force be employed 10 do away with delays.
Meanwhile, Collector Loeb is well salts
fed with the results OF the bale-oy-paIe
examination. In so far as II produces more
revenue. He says, however. that this meth
cd has not been definitely adopted by the
Treasury Department, though he expects
some definite ruling on the question In the
near future