The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1897-04-03
WILL SEEK A REPEAL.
TOBACCo GROWERS OF TENN.
CLAIM HARDSHIP IN THE
NTl-ClOARETTE LAW.
They VIII Ask Certain Notifications
from the Legislators,

fNre passed an lrSn-Dounu oli PiohiulthiS
the sale Of cigarettes in the state.
The tobacco growers of the state are or
ganizing for the purpose of seeking repeal
of the measure, They will advocate the
enactment of rigid restrictive features in the
sale of cigaretts, preventing the sale to
minors, and so protecting it as to make it
penal oFense to sell any adulterated goods.
Tennessee, as a tobacco growing state,
ranks fourth, and adjoins on the north and
east, the two leading tobacco growing states
of the union.
By the census, Tennessee ranked fourth
in acreage, fifth in production, sixth in
value of product, and fourth in number Of
planters engaged in the industry.
The tobacco industry increased in Ten
nessee from 1879 to 1889, 1873 per cent, and
from 1889 to 1895 the gain has been more
than O. per cent In 1850 the number of
pounds produced was 36,39S,3 99, and its
value $r,S4I,464, In 1895 the valne of the
caop had increased to $3,o25, 400.
Every county in Tennessee raises tobacco,
but there are twenty-three counties that
make leading crop of it. The belt of
counties lying along the Kentucky line,
west of Nashville seventeen of them) be-
long to the great Kentucky tobacco zone.
Clarksvlle, Tenn, the tobacco mart of
that tier of counties, Is one of the leading
tobacco markets of the world. The increase
in tobacco production in Tennessee has
been steady and it is already the fourth in
value of the leading farm products. The
tobacco crop for 1895 was almost exactly
equal in value with the wheat crop OF
Tennessee.
Montgomery county leadt in acreage and
productions Robertson in value of tee crop;
Cooke in valve per pound, and Green in
value per acre. The last two are in east
Tennessee in the northeast corner, That
block of six counties produces very val
liable light tobacco that is in great demand
for cigarette use.
At GAINESVILLE, buyers from all over the
world attend steadily upon the sales con-
Quoted by the exchange. 1t IS great and
growing industry in Tennessee, and it is
questionable whether the planters and
dealers, who number up in the thousands
will approve measure that SO injuriously
effects their interests as the prohibitory
cigarett bill does. Much muttering is
heard that the the legislature was carried off
its feet by sentiment that is founded in
exaggerated rumors of the great ravages
cigarettes are making among the youth of
the land.
<-Siose who oppose the measure enacted
by the last session claims that Tennessee's
great tobacco interests ought not to be
dealt such a blow unloss there is better
reason for it.
As the tobacco people say, the. damage re
sulting either from misuse of pure cigaretts
or the use of impure cigarettes, and it is
urged strenuously that the Legislature, in
stead of delivering such a stab at Tennessee's
great and growing tobacco interests, should
have passed law providing for the in
spection of cigaretts and thus shut out of the
market those that are impure and injurious.
1t is claimed, furthermore, that this pro-
hibitory law, even if it escapes constitution
al scrutiny, will not in the least lessen the
use of cigarettses Tell a. free born Ameri-
can citizen that he shall not do thing, and
that is the very thing he will do or die.
Cigaretts will be brought into the state by
the box, and every man Or boy who wishes
can buy them over the state line, and
having thus to buNthem by the quantity,
they have more of themsat hand and will
use them more freely.
It's claimed that the damaged one by
cigarettes arises largely from misuse of an
innocent article Gnhaling) and an excess
i've use. The tobacco men claim that
water is axually dangerous and hurtful if
.rson should persist in deluging his lungs
with it.
1t is held that this cigarette prohibitory
law is a much more serious and damaging
mistake than most people imagine, hurtful
to one of Tennessee's greatest industries;
that fother states follow suit, it will re-
suit in incalucuable damage TO the tobacco
industry, and Tennessee being the fourth
state and right along beside the two great
tobacco states, Kentucky and North Caro-
lima, will feel it sensibly. Besides that, the
privilege taxes that the state was collecting
will now be cut of, and the treasury suffer
direct loss.
The most harmless thing caneq made
hurtful by misuse, md the remedy should
be, it is claimed by those who favor a re-
peal of the meashure, not in prohibiting
the use, but in insuring the purity of the
article by a system of inspection. They
hold that the tobacco interests of Tennessee
could be fostered and handsome revenue
provided by regulating the sale of pure
cigarettes, whereas, as the matter will now
be under this new law, the prohibitation
will not prohibit, the the revenue decreases
and planters, manufacturers and dealers in
the great staple will suffer gaeat losses
| EN-