Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1922-06-03
OLD FIVE CENT
CIGARS NEEDED
FOR NORMALLY
BY FREDERIC j. HAsKIN,

Washington, June Thomas
Riley Marshall. former vice presi-
dent, is authority for the state
ment that what this country needs
is a good five-cent cigar.
Cigars of the old time standard
selling for five cents would be a
long step backward to normally,
according to confirmed smokers Of
this grade of tobacco. The nickel
cigar was long regarded as the poor
mans luxury, and he ought to have
lit back again.
Abolition OF the luxury tax on
cigars, where the consumer paid
directly to the retailer and he in
turn to the government, SO many
pennies, depending upon the price
of the cigar purchased, did away
somewhat with the odd prices such
as seven and eight cents. However,
the stamp tax on cigars remains,
and is not considered low. Because
of this and the high cost of produce
ton, most of the brands of tive
cent cigars have never dropped
back to that price level.
According TO manufacturers, this
was about to be realized when there
was written into the tariff bill now
in the senate a duty of $3.50 on
Sumatra tobacco from which wrap
pers are made. Sumatra, cigar
makers say is essential in COM
bination with the American tobacco
filler to make q fragrant and ac-
Ceptable cigar which will retail at
five cents.
There has long been a big tax on
Sumatra, which must be imported
1t started as a war. tax, and is one
of the reasons why the price OF
the former nickel cigar went soaf-
ing.
Some of the tobacco raisers are
for and others are against the high
tariff on Sumatra at present in the
tariff measure. Some of them be-
lieve that the practical exclusion of
the Sumatra wrapper, and its dis
use for cheap cigars, will be benz
eft to them. An all-American to-
bacco cigar would have to be put
on the market. and this would
mean, they think, the entire use OF
their crops at a good price in order
to supply the demand which viii
spring up.
Opposed to these are some grow
ers who believe with the manu-
facturers that the quality and fra
GRANGE given by the Sumatra wrap
per will turn many cheap cigar
smokers to more expensive brands
using imported tobaccos, or to ci-
garettes. This would mean a les
sened demand for the American
product, with consequent direct loss
to the tobacco growers. Using the
imported wrapper in spite of the
high tariff on it would mean there
could be no nickel cigar of the old
quality unless the American grower
of the filler were paid much less
for his product in order to bring
the price down to the old retail
figure.
Decline of Cigar Smoking.
1t is declared by the manufact-
urers 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 govern
ment is getting less revenue from
the high tariff on imported tobac-
cos of high grade than it would
receive in income if the tariff were
lower The lower import duty
would, they contend, result in such
an increase in importations that
the bulk of the business would
=, ratio ~
far as the income to the govern
ment would be concerned.
Instead of being protective
tariff, as now proposed, the $3.50 |
duty on Sumatra wrapper would |
act as a drawback to the efforts
of the American tobacco planter, !
the makers of cigars aver. On the |
theory that a cheap cigar without |
the Sumatra wrapper would not sell
readily, the makers say that rais-
ing prices would reduce the volume. !
This, of course, would hit the to-
bacco planters directly.
The tariff bill is not done with |
yet, and the question of the ST.
matra wrapper is not of very much |
importance, when the whole scope |
of the measure Is considered. But |
there is a lot Of agitation, one way |
and another, and more will be !
heard from it before the tariff bill !
is sent to President Harding for his !
signature. The manufacturers are |
trying to convince not only con-
gress, but the growers as well, that |
the best interests 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 a |
cigar can be made entirely of |
American grown tobacco which |