New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-01-26
WANT FLAT RATE ON LEAF
But Domestic Growers Oppose
importers of Havana Tobacco.
TRADE DISCUSSES DUTIES
straight Filler with Domestic
Wrapper Sells Freely as
Clear Havana.

The Governments Investigation Of the TO-
hscco trade ir,portations from Cuba seemed
Iuks,v IA result in a movement in the id-
,,.ns leaf trade for a fat rate of duty on
oil leaf imports. from the views expressed
,.ssterdav Charles Fox. secretary OF the
reaf Tobacco Board Of Trade, SAID 'he
whole agitation would be good thihs io'
,r,por,er and consumer alike. as
closed the fact that nat rate Oh -
would no beneficial TO both trade ana
patrons. .., ~, :, oo
TIE tariff law makes difference Oh 9 ~
g mound on cuban importatons OF ieal' q
between wrapper and filler, and importers
generally admitted that such a iaise IN
terence was nothing less than temptation
70 the dishonest men in the trade 10 tame
advantage Of the government
Nr Fox told how the efforts OF toudo'o
dealers 10 nave the present tarni ohdnse1
20 a Eat rate on all leaf met win '"e
united opposition Of the domestic grow
&c % tobacco. who would not listen to the
,,ade argument that they could command
os rirb a price for their goods. WIN
or without such protection, as they no"
have. because they are turning out wrap
rer which compared favorably with any
thing grown IN the world 81,
IF we had a specific uniform rate on al
leaf tobacco imported. embodying in the
Cuban reciprocity treaty when II Is revised
such a reciprocal allowance as woulH III
sure those cigar manufacturers IN 'he
United states who use Havana TOBACCO
sirorlv as filler a sufficiently low rate '"e
whole question would be settled, ana SET
lied right. so that the government Wouiu
collect every cent that was coming 10 i
without trouble and with less expense
than under the present system ofsappraise-
,,ent FOR classification" said Mr.. Fox yes
terday.
Discussion Of Proposed Rates
7,s+ what that specific rate should he
seemed a question on which EVEN the taue
.zner,s disagreed. but all are agreed that
:, could be fixed so that the government ,
r.venue would he the same as at present
Twentv.fve or thirty years ago import
.-e said there was a fat rate OF 80 Genus
q nound on tobacco, and that app1ieu "
he satisfactory. but since then the Fopao0o
lamentations had more than treoled~ some
,hinr between 81 and 35 cents a pound WAS
The general average agreed on by ma
,oritv Of the importers and Leaf 'tooacco
dealers who discussed the matter 'yesIei
dsv as being about the fair duty "HliCH
should he assessed on all tobacco lnrs'r'S'
Tobacco dealers in New York said yes
terdsv that there could he no donnt thdt
small manufacturers throughout thefcoun-
nv who bought bales In this city Whlch
had come in as straight filler managed 10
extract anywhere from l. 10 20 per cent
Of the leaf for use as wrapper 'out theE
said not more than per cent at the out
side could be used by big manufacturers as
wrapper.
Wrappers Not Havana.
Big manufacturers" said a prominent
irporter. do not use even that per cent
Of Havana wrapper, because II would not
nav them TO select il. They ouy havana
Gle and use it as such, and for wrapper
they use either sumatra. which Is pracu-
cauv all wrapper. or domestic leaf which
&c satisfactory as 20 appearance. while the
flavor is supplied by the actual Havana
filler"
The same importer said thatSof the 1900
nm bales ~ Havana tobacco annually i'm
ported as straight filler there was probably
not more than an occasional hale from
which a small manufacturer who handled
all his goods personally Couiu Ao' N"'' '
more than 3 per cent wrapper
SO if You would look on that as wrap
per- lie added. because the outside OF
cigar could 10 made from some OF those
leaves. and If YOU would levy duty therefore
on all the filler as wrapper which is wha
you must do under the present law'if more
than IS per cent is suitable for wrapper
YOU would wreck the man who now uses
~
per and who turns out a cigar which
thought II NAV not be a clear Havana, is
az least a satisfactory smoke to his pa
irons