Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-01-20

To secure higher tariff rates to
south Georgia and Florida, a COM
mittee from the Florida and Georgia
Tobacco Growers association passed
through Atlanta Monday on it's way
to Washington to confer with the
ways and means committee Of con-
gress. The committee is headed by
J. L. McFarlin, of Quincy, Fla, pres
ident of the tobacco growers asso-
citation, and E. M. Collins, ofQuincy,
secretary. 1t includes w. E. Smith.
Of cambridge, Ga, M. W. Munroe,
and M. L. Floyd, of Quincy.
The committee will ask congress
for an increase in the tariff on cigar
tobaccos imported through the Dutch
markets. The present tariff is S1.S5
per pound, and the proposal Of the
Georgia and Florida growers pro-
vides for a new tariff of s2.S5.
Since the cigar tobacco acreage in
Georgia and Florida now includes
more than 5000 acres, representing
an investment of more than $780,
600, 900, and since the Dutch growers
of Java and Sumatra have substan-
TALLY increased their imports this
year the southern growers are very
anxious to have a proper protective
tariff The average imports in Dutch
tobacco has been about 10000 bales
until 1920, when the imports IN
creased to above $4,000 bales, caus-
ing a market which, it Is claimed.
threatened the American branch of
the industry.
BEST in World
The Florida and Georgia Tobacco
Growers association is cooperating
with the New England Tobacco Grow
ers' association in presenting their
case to congress. The best cigar to-
bacco in the world is raised in south
ern Georgia and Florida, and in the
New England states, they claim
These sections supply practically the
whole market for America-raised
cigar tobacco, the south raising APP
proximately one-fourth of the sup
ply. The industry is adjusted to
take care of normal competition with
the Dutch planters of the East In
dies, but the growers believe that
flooding the American market it will
be best for the American growers
to be further protected.
In an interview Monday. E. M. Col
Inns, secretary of the Florida and
Georgia Tobacco association, said:
1.-THE cigar tobacco industry in the
south began about 1900, and has
grown to large proportions, and is
still growing. Georgia and Florida
raise enough tobacco annually to
make 2,225,000 cigars, or to manu-
feature one-fourth of all the cigars
manufactured in the country.
cit costs a great deal more for
| American growers to produce high
class tobacco, than it does for the
| Sumatra and Java planters. They
| have coolie labor and unlimited land,
and southern growers must pay for
! high labor. and use expensive fer
! tilizer. America has use for the
! Dutch tobacco, however, and we don't
want to prohibit the Importation of
it. We want to curb it so as to pro-
| tect the American market. and to
keep them from dumping their prod
uct on the market.
ABB primal Co: -ition
This is unfair, and is an abnor-
| nal condition which hampers the
American market considerably. The
| difference in the money exchange
| rates between Holland and America
also augments the danger. The
American farmers are seeking pro-
| lection merely. They are not ask
| ing for a raise in tariff nearly as
| high as are other producers of Amer
| lean goods, who have apple for pro-
| lection under the new Republican
| tariff laws.
1.-The Underwood tariff bill of 1913
| did not lower the tariff on cigar to-