The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-08-10
The Tax on the smoker.

The Tax on the Smoker.
Next to the income tax, no Federal
impost directly strikes so many men
as an increased tax on tobacco. The
United States is not only the greatest
producer, importer and exporter of
tobacco, but the greatest consumer.
We do not know what is the percent
age Of non smokers among men above
the age of IS, but it must be small
1t Is the natural assumption of Jones
that Smith smokes. If he discovers
that Smith does not smoke he Won
ders what other, and greater, vice Is
nursed By the unusual man. Most of
those who do not smoke look with toll
erlnce, or envy, on those who burn
the weed. OF course there are some
male shrimps who write letters to the
Government and to the newspapers
protesting against allowing our boys
in France to lie poisoned by letting
them have tobacco" If you live near
one of these tiny crustaceans. keep n
chain on your doormat q nights. If
he can lift it. away it goes.
But 10 return to our taxes. The
man of small or moderate salary
yawns over the prospect Of Increased
levies on excess profits, on automo-
blles and gusolene, and even on the
rentals Of moving picture films; but
when the lion. CLAUDE KITCHIN boosts
the tobacco schedule, the man in the
street begins to talk TO the cigar
store clerk, and sometimes to him
self. We speak Of Man, but in some
! sections of this rapidly advancing
world there may be interest in to-
bacco taxes on the dlstaff side of the
house.
The tax on tobacco which Is pro-
posed TO he fixed is double the old
fax. If 1t is written into the law the
schedule will be as follows:
ION cigars Weighing less than three
pounds per 1000 81 per thousand.
Weighing more than three pounds
per thousand and retaring at less than
! five cents each So per thousand.
"On cigars retailing at between 8 and
s cents each IS per thousand.
Retailing at between 8 and Is cents
each SIC per thousand.
Retailing at is to 90 cents each SIS
! per thousand.
Retailing at more than 20 cents each
$50 per thousand.
"On cigarettes Weighing less than
| three pounds per thousand and retailing
at less than . cents each s4.1o per thou
sand,
Weighing less than three pounds per
thousand and retailing at cents or
more each $50 per thousand.
weighing more than three pounds
per thousand regardless OF retail price
| $3.50 per thousand.
ION tobacco and snuff 20 cents a
pound"
1t Is well to remember that these
| taxes include the present tax as well
as the proposed; therefore the in
crease, the burden that 1t is expected
will be added to the smoker, Is just
half Of the money figures named here
A new tax Of 81 thousand, or two
hfths OF n cent on each cigar, will
come upon all cigars costing between
| five and eight ce"tS--and their name
Is legion. II Is | story that tax of
two ifths Of clnt on the dealer
means one cent when the cigar il
handed over the counter; so the
smoker of six Gel cigars will prob.
ably pay rs mucl of n tax as the
man who puffs fifteen centers.
Hit by the tax, the man who ha~
luxuriated in six cent cigars may fall
back upon the five cent brands, but
| the cigarette user Is not that kind OF
n fish. If he has drawn solace from
! Pharaoh Fumes for the last ten yea RS
he will not drop them and turn to
the cheaper Menelaus Marvels. No
indeed; he will pay his tax and smoke
his faithful Fumes, for they have he.
come part of his life. This stubborn
smoker is going to be palpably hit by
the tax, II 1t goes through. An extra
levy Of S2,05 thousand on all Gig,
arettcs costing less than two cents
| apiece Is tax that falls upon the
majority Of cigarette smokers In