New Britain herald., 1929-01-23
TARIFF HEARING
Held ON TOBACCO
S Witnesses Called for House
Committee

Warrington. Jan. - N-In Ito
consideration OF tariff revision, the
house ways and means committee
today turned its attention from
hearings on an article Of especial
interest to the housewife-sugar-
to ono which In these modern days
concerns both sexes of many house,
holds-tobacco.
Thirty-six witnesses were called
tor testimony on this schedule, and
tomorrow the committee will take
up the agricultural section.
A plea for Z good five-cent cigar
was made by manufacturer repre-
sentatives, who requested q reduce
ton in the duty on Sumatra wrap
per tobacco from $40 to $3.50 .
pound.
Harvey L. Hirst, Of Philadelphia,
representing the Bayuk Cigars. Inc.
told the committee that to bring
the ave cent cigar back to its pre-
war popularity. a lower duty was re-
Quired on imported wrappers.
Hirst added that no wrapper was
produced In this country suitable for
a good quality five-e-n, cigar and
that the manufacturers prices for
raw materials we're steadily increas-
ing.
Asked by Representative Crisp.
democrat, Georgia, II he did not be-
lieve the farmer was entitled to the
same protection ~ the manufacture
er, Hirst said he did. but mot at
the expense Of the public"
Hirst said manufacturers Of the
low priced cigar paid more for
Pennsylvania, Connecticut and Wis
consin wrapper tobacco last year
than the year before and that II
they were to continue to patronize
the farmers OF those states they
would have to have = margin OF
profit.
Jacob Mazer. a Detroit manufac-
turer. Joined In tho reduction re-
quest, contending Tho more relief
we can get on the wrapper. the more
we can afford to pay the tobacco
farmer for filler"
In asking a $3.50 rate, Charles
BORROW, of Philadelphia, said the
manufacturers could not use the
Florida wrapper because 1t was OF
an inferior quality" although there
was no difference ~ to color or
yield.
Speaking, he said, for 5000 pro-
ducers of tobacco. Emerson Ella. on
behalf of the northern Wisconsin
Cooperative Tobacco Growers asso-
citation, urged the reduction on the
ground that 1t would increase the
demand for the cheaper filler prod
uct grown in Wisconsin and benefit
the growers Of that state. He said
he spoke for growers Of 100000
pounds Of tobacco.
Leslie w. Newberry. OF South
Windsor. Conn.,. who described him.
self az dirt stalk farmer" argued
against any increase in the wrapper
duty, contending 1t would wipe out
the stalk growers In the Connecticut
Valley.
He said the shade tobacco grow
ors of Connecticut, who are menu
bers Of the New England Tobacco
Growers association, would seek an
increase, but maintained there was
no economic relation between the
two kinds Of tobacco. The stalk
farmers had $4,000 acres planted. az
against only 5000 by the shade
growers. he continued, with the lat
ter having made good profits under
the existing duty while the stalk
farmers had lost.
J. b. Stewart Windsor. Conn.
representing the New England To-
bacoe Growers association, asked an
increase Of e4.s2 pound In the ex-
listing duty Of $40 on unstemmed
wrapper tobacco. He declared the
growers Of shade tobacco in New
England were In = deplorable condi-
ton and that the higher duty was
necessary to equalize the cost of
production in 1914 and that Of to-
day. The shade tobacco, he said.
came In direct competition with Gu
ban tobacco.
Stewart conceded that the higher
duty on Sumatra wrappers might in.
terfere with the manufacture OF
five cent cigars. but he doubted 1t.
adding this was "only an apology
for . cigar"
He believed enough wrapper to-
bacco could be produced in this
country to take care of, domestic
needs and mentioned Florida, Geor-
gia. Alabama, Massachusetts ana
Connecticut as states where produce
ton could be increased.