WHY IT SHOULD BE GROWN. 7 



produce of Customs duties on tobacco amounted 

 to only £9,277,058. Why this enormous differ- 

 ence, except that our restrictive system does 

 not attain the desii-ed ends, and that France 

 protects her home produce and heavily taxes 

 foreign ? It is true France is a larger country 

 than the kingdoms of Great Britain and Ireland ; 

 but it is equally true that our population is, 

 in proportion, very much greater than hers, 

 amounting in 1883 to 35,250,000, while in 

 France the population was 37,320,000. 



Lord Harris, in introducing the subject of 

 tobacco before the House of Lords on the 29th 

 March, suggests three means of raising the 

 necessary tax. He says : " 1st. There might be 

 an acreable tax ; but there would be some diffi- 

 culty in this plan, because, unless a system of 

 guarantees were established, it would be doubtful 

 whether men could be found to put down so 

 large a sum as would be required ; 2ndly. Comes 

 the excise duty on the cured tobacco ; this is 

 undoubtedly the fairest plan, and will, I hope, 

 prove feasible ; lastly, the cess might be levied, 

 as in Belgium, at so much per growing plant." 

 His Lordship further stated that he proposed a 

 tax equivalent to the pi-esent 3s. 6d. per pound 

 to be placed on the home growth. Here, how- 

 ever, we must beg to differ very emphatically. 



