Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1882-09-20
Tobicco.

In 1866 an apothecary OF Augsburg,
Germany, received dried tobacco leaves
from France as lew drug. In the
course of the seventeenth century a
number of books on tobacco were pub
llshed in Switzerland and Germany. In
Italy, too, the clergy became protectors
of the sanative herb. Bishop lorna
boni sent the first seel of the plant
from Paris to Florence. To Rome the
seed was first sent by Cardinal de Santa
Croce (of the holy Cross) Papal nuncIo
at Lisbon. and after him the plant was
named the herb of the holy cross. But
at Rome tobacco first met opposition.
Pope Urban VIII, because laymen and
clergymen were snufiing during divine
service, excommunicated snuffers in
1924.
In Spain, at the convent of San Jago
de Compostella, famous for pilgrimages,
five monks were immured alive in 1892
because they had smoked at the choir
in the evening. Yet Pope Benedict
XIII, himself passionate snufer, al
lowed the use of tobacco again in 1924.
Secular governments, too, opposed the
use of tobacco. King James |. of Eng
land wrote lengthy essay in Latin
against 1t in 1903. The University OF
Oxford held public disputation against
the smoking of tobacco in 1905. In
France only druggists were permitted
to sell tobacco if prescribed by physi-
clans. In Sweden, at the time CT Gus
tavus Adolphus, smokers had to do
penance in church. In Russia smokers
were numerically whipped, while THEN
noses were torn open in 1854. About
the same time Sultan Murad ~. went
around in Constantinople during the
night time, accompanied by yexecutioners,
who had TO kill those he discovered
smoking.
In Persia soldiers found smoking
were killed, and, with smashed hands
and feet, thrown before their tents.
Also among the Mohammedans the
clergy were bitterly opposed to the use
of tobacco. In Germany where the
first smoking of tobacco was chronicled
in 1920, the authorities waged wal
against its use, after the thirty years
war, from 1918 to 164S, was over. Th
city council of Berne, Switzerland, OF
dained in 1861, that smoking Of tobacco
should receive the same punishment as
adultery. But all that opposition was o.
no avail. Tobacco remained victor
Thereupon the government commenced
to tax it. The Republic OF Venice frs
did this in 1867. 1t decreed the salt
and manufacture of tobacco to be {
monopoly of the State, leased the sam'
and derived anet income of 46, 900 ducat:
from it during the first five years. Thi
example was at once followed by the papa
government at Rome, and in shor
time by the governments of all the othe
States in Italy. In France, Colbert, th'
prime minister, made a similar arrange
ment in 1914, and the government o
France derived from .he sale and manu-
facture of tobacco a revenue of fiv'
hundred thousand hyres In that year
which rose to $4,000, 900 lrvres during
the year 1887. In England also to
bacco monopoly Of the State was estab
lished, but 1t lasted only about twent.
wears, when it was abolished, giving
way to tax on tobacco. In all civiliz
ed countries of Europe tobacco wa
heavily taxed III the seventeenth am
eighteenth centuries. The Tobacco
plant is now extensively raised IN Eu
rope. too, and manufactured there int
snuff. smoking, and chewing tobacco
all of which is taxed as luxuries. As t
the production Of tobacco, the Garten
laube says: The annual amount OF
raised at present is, in the Unite'
States, 3, 400, COO hundred weights Cub
Clio, COO; Brazil, 100000; India, $50,
COO; Austria, lOO, ,OOO; the Netheflahus
s.. coo; Italy, SO, ,OO0; Russia, 100000
and Germany, 100000.
, OF the several States of the latter com
try Prussia produces, in round numbers
23O, 900 hundred weights; Baden, 2i2,
900; Bavaria. 156, 900; Alsace-Lorraire
100, 900, and Hessia, LOCO. The tc
: bacco raised ON the whole earth amount
/ to about 100000 hundred weight
annually. The present annual col
, sumption of tobacco per head OF the tc
tai population is in Russia, l pound
France and England, each also ! pound
Italy,1I pounds; Cuba, 21-5 pounds
Austria, 1926 pounds; United State
and Germany, each 3 pounds; Belgium
54-5 pounds, and Holland, $50 pound
Tobacco, in the shape of snuff, smokin
and chewing tobacco, although in ltse
: not very attractive thing, has milli"I
al Al