Arizona republican., 1922-06-03
Can We Have Nickel Cigars?

the American product. with conse-
quent direct loss to the tobacco
growers. Using the imported wrap
per in spite of the high tariff on il
would mean there could be no nickel
cigar of the old quality unless this
American grower of the filler wera
paid much less for his product in
order to bring the price down TO the
old retail figure.
Decline Of Cigar Smoking
It is declared by the manufacturers
that fewer cigars are being smoked
today in the United States than were
consumed five years ago. They say
this is due to the high prices of
cigars and that the tariff situation
is responsible in large part for the
higher costs.
Not only that, but the government
is getting less revenue from the high
tariff on imported tobaccos OF high
grade than it would receive in in
come if the tariff We're lower. The
lower import duty would. they con-
tend, result in such an increase in
importations that the bulk of the
business would more than offset the
lower rate as far as the income of
the government would be concerned.
Instead OF being a protective tariff.
as now proposed, the s2.35 duty on
Sumatra wrapper would act as draw
back to the efforts OF the American
tobacco planter, the makers OF cigars
aver. On the theory that cheap
cigar without the Sumatra wrapper
would not sell readily, the makers
say that raising prices would reduce
the volume. This. of course, would
hit the tobacco planters directly.
The tariff bill is not done with yet,
and the question OF the Sumatra
wrapper is not Of very much import
ance. when the whole scope of the
measure is considered. But there is
a lot of agitation, one way and an
other. and more will be heard from
it before the tariff bill is sent to
President Harding for his signature.
The manufacturers are trying to con-
vince not only congress, but the
growers as well. that the best inter
ests of everyone would be conserved
if the tariff on imported Sumatra
were brought down several pegs.
For Home. Grown Product
On the other hand, there are those
growers who insist that cigar can
be made entirely of American grown
tobacco which will not only be readily
acceptable to the class of smokers
who like the old fiye-cent class of
cigars, but that the demand will be
good. and therefore the American to-
bacco crop can be marketed with
good return to the raiser of domestic
tobacco.
Some of the makers of the old
time five -centers were on the verge
of big advertising campaigns based
on getting out a cigar with the for
eign draper at the old price of
nickel apiece. These plans have been
held up pending the final action of
congress on the question oe duty en-
Sumatra. These makers insist they
cannot make the cigar with the old
wrapper to sell for five cents il the
proposed duty goes through, and will
not even make an effort.
Some of the manufacturers are
rather annoyed that all of the Aneri-
can growers do not see the situation
from their point of view. One cigar
maker here recently had this to say:
American farmers who raise to-
bacco viii be the first to feel the
pressure, if the plan to increase the
duty Is adopted. Instead of applaud
ing the senators who are trying to
jam through the tariff, tobacco grow
ers will be likely to curse them a year
HSASS. w Wltn a $3.50 tdI4lL dS pIO-
posed. we will have to raise the price
of domestic cigars or pay less to the
grower for his filler tobacco. If we
raise prices to the consumer, we will
lose volume. so will the grower"
There are the two SIDES of the
question. 1t may be that the old
five-cent cigar will never come back.
If it is true that the Sumatra wrap
per is necessary to supply aroma and
flavor, the high tariff may block re-
turn to normalcy in this line. If just
as good a cigar can be put on the
market made entirely of American
tobacco, the time five-cent cigar
will soon return to solace those who
mourn its loss.