Evening journal., 1918-08-03
FREBLED TAXES ON
SMOKERS IS PLAN
House Committee Draws
Up Tobacco Increases to
Produce $340, 900, ,000
10 CENT CIGAR
TO BE 13 CENTS

tost the American public a whole LOT
more to have a smoke II taxes written
tentatively yesterday into the new rev.
NIUE bill by the Ways and Means Com
nittee stand
On top OF It's action yesterday In
doubling the taxes imposed on tobacco
manufacturers the committee yester-
lay drew up a schedule Of taxes de-
signed to reach the smokers them
lelves which amounts 10 more than
trebling present rates. The taxes af-
lected by this action are those on Gig
trs and cigarettes. as well as cigar
ute papers and those little things call
ID tubes which some people consider
Necessary TO the enjoyment Of a sigar-
,tte or cigar.
Convinced that the country needs
money from all possible sources to
prosecute the war, the committee fair
" ripped its way through the present
slgar and tobacco schedules without
visible tremor or regret. It is estl-
mated that II the nations smokers are
still able under the new taxes 10 buy
rigars and tobacco at the present rate
Of consumption the government will re-
-eive about s34000O,000 from smokers
lnStedu OF ule Fioc,V'Nvub ~ hvW it-
eelves.
Under the new rate cigars costing 5
" Sents are likely TO so TO I and s
,ents, while the ten center" will prob
lbly so up TO 70 or t3 cents. This
VAS the prediction OF committee mem
bers, all OF whom appear to be heavy
smokers. When the last bill was pass
ed the cigar and tobacco taxes were
passed right along TO the consumers
md there is no reason to believe the
manufacturers will do anything else
his time.
This is the schedule Of rates in tho
tobacco taxes tentatively agreed on to-
day:
On cigars weighing not more than
three pounds thousand, 50 instead Of
81, as under existing lawA.
Weighing more than three pounds
thousand. retailing at not more than 4
cents each, So instead OF SO a thousand
On cigars retailing at more than 4
cents and not more than cents each,
$40 instesd Of s4 a thousand.
Retailing at more than cents and
not more than 10 cents each, si5 in
stead of Sc.
Retailing at more than IS cents and
not more than 20 cents. $50 instead or
fe
Retailing at more than 90 cents, $40,
instead OF $40 per thousand
On cigarettes weighing not more than
pounds per thousand and retailing at
less than 2 cents each So per thous-
md. instead OF s205.
on cigarettes retailing az more. than
. cents each, sS per thousand, Instead
OF 500
Weighing more than pounds per
thousand, $40 per thousand, Instead Of
s&.S0.
THE tobacco tax was raised from i3
cents per pound to 20 cents.
On cigarette papers made up into
packages or books containing between
25 and 80 papers or tubes, cent, in
stead Of half a cent as at present.
Cigarette papers in packages or
books containing more than 30 and not
more than 100 papers. ? cents, instead
Of cent.
Containing more than 100 papers, 3
cents for each hundred papers or frsc-
ton thereof, instead Of 4 cent as at
present
on cigarette tubes. 4 cents for each |
Uu00TeQ IUUtS Ut AIdlhlbndl ldAN NAIAh-
Of, instead Of cents as at present.
The taxes tentatively written today |
are ia addition to all OF the taxes on |
manufacturers OF cigars and tobacco |
imposed by the committee. The COM
mittee is still confronted with short |
age Of Si.32s,0OO,000 In the Ss,OOO0OOOOO
the Treasury wants raised through tax
IS. providing the estimates Of the rev
enue to be raised through the to- |
bacco, cigar and cigarette taxes are
correct. Some OF this amount the com
mittee expects to get through the lux
ury taxes suggested by the Treasury
but how much more these articles can
raise Is problemsticsl
A subcommittee Of the Ways and
Means Committee has been at work
for two days on the schedule Of lux
ury taxes sent TO the committee by the
, Treasury Department, but propably will
not report until Monday.
The committee in considering the to-
bacco taxes considered the suggested
retail sales tax on tobacco and its prod
ucts. but. passed this over until later
10 see II the deficiency in the new bill
can be produced in other materials
before tackfing this article with still
q third tax.
Manufacturers are to pay an excise
tax and a tax on their products as 1t Is |
now and still a third tax. most Of the |
committee felt, would be rubbing it in
on one industry. OF course, II the |
Treasury insists that SiO00,0O0OOO inl
revenue is. absolutely essential from
taxes and there is no other way OF
raising it tobacco, cigars and cigarettes
viii have another tax slapped on them.
The committee is still lighting shy /
~ the taxes on liduor, beer and wines.
Tue members want to double these tax
es, as they see a billion dollars in rev.
enue right there, but they are afraid
Of the action Of the two houses OF Con-
gress on the war time prohibition rider
to the food stimulation production bill.
II this rider goes thrugh IL means that |
the committee will have another Dil-
lion dollars to raise in some way or
other. Consideration of-the tax is being |
DN "A q Wy~ ~ -