Date 20 April 1934
Author Franklin D. Roosevelt
Title Excerpt from Presidential Press Conference #114
Description Press conference excerpt
Location The Public Papers and Addresses of Franklin D. Roosevelt, Vol. I (New York: Random House, 1938).
 
Question: Have you given any thought to the proposal of the House Ways and Means Subcommittee for a forty per cent horizontal reduction in tobacco taxes?

President: I don't know a thing about it, only what I read in the papers. Why a forty percent reduction in tobacco taxes?

Question: On manufactured products.

President: You mean instead of a six-cent stamp on my Camels there will be only a two-cent stamp?

Question: Yes, sir.

President: Why, my Lord in Heaven, we need the revenue.

Question: They claim the increased sales would make up for the loss of taxes by reducing it to ten cents.

President: I don't think I will smoke two packs a day instead of one.

There is one interesting thing on the Hill in regard to tobacco taxes I have a good deal of sympathy in -- I have not taken part in any way -- and that is the opposition of people who pay 10 cents to soaking them a six-cent tax, when the fellow who pays twelve or thirteen cents only pays six cents. There is a great deal of merit, but as I understand it, it will never come out of committee.