The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1897-04-01
WILL SEEK A REPEAL.
Tobacco Growers of Tennessee
Claim Hardship in the Anti
Cigarette Law.
They VIII Ask Certain Notifications From
the Legislature.

|
the Legislature.
The last session Of the Tennessee legislature
passed an iron-bound bill prohibiting the sale
of cigarettes in the state
! The tobacco growers of the state are organiz-
ing for the purpose Of seeking a repeal of the
measure, They witt advocate the enactmento of
rigid restrictive features in the sale of cigar
cites preventing the sale to minors and so
protecting it as to make it penal offense to
sell any adulterateu 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 en-
gagged in the industry.
The tobacco industry increased in Tennessee
from 1879 to 1899 49, per cent, and from 1889 to
1898 the gain has been more than "a per cent. In
1889 the number of pounds produced was 80, ,368,-
1893 and its value 81 SI1 464 In 1895 the value of
the crop had increased to S3,025 4OJ
Every county in Tennessee raises tobacco but
there are twenty-three counties that make a
leading crop Of it. The belt of counties lying
along the Kentucky line, west of Nashville
seventeen Of them) belong to the great Ken
lucky tobacco zone. Clarksville, Tenn, the
tobacco market of that tier of couutes, 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 ofthe leading farm products The tobacco
crop fer 1898 was almost exactly equal in value
| wi the Uhaat cron Of UNannnCsaa
Montgomery county leads in acreage and pro-
duction Robertson in value of the CROP Cooke
in value per pound, and Green in value per
acre The last two are in East Tennessee in
the northeast corner, That block of six coun-
ties produces very valuable light tobacco that
is in great demand Of cigarette use,
At Clarksyille buyers from all over the world
attend steadily upon the sales conducted 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 in
juriously affects their interests as the prohibi-
tory cigarette bill does, Much mutterng is
heard that the legislature was carried of its
feet by a sentiment that is founded in exagger-
ated rumors of the great ravages cigarettes are
making among the youth of the land
Those who oppose the measure enacted by
the last session claims that Tennessees great
tobacco interests ought not to be dealt such
blow unless there is better reason for it. The
assertion that the use Of cigarettes is deleter-
ious to health is true only a modified sense as
the tobacco people say, the damage resulting
either from misuse Of pure cigarettes or the
use of impure cigarettes, and it is urged Strenu-
ously that the legislature instead of delivering
such stab at TenneSsee's great and growing
tobacco interests, should have passed a law
providing for the inspection of cigarettes and
thus shut out of the market those that are i'm
pure and injurious.
1t is claimed Furthermore, that this prohibi-
tory law, even if it escapes constitutional
scrutiny, will not in the least lessen the use of
cigarettes Tell a free born American citizen
that he shall not do thing, and that is the
very thing he will do or die. Cigarettes 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 buy them by the
quantity they have more of them at hand and
will use them more freely.
1t is claimed that the damage done by cigar
ettcs arises largely from misuse of an innocuous
article (nhaling) and an excessive use. The
tobacco men claim that water is equally as
dangerous ana hurtful if person should per-
, sist in deluging his lungs withit,
I 1t is held that this cigarette prohibtory law
is much more serious and damaging mistake
than most people imagine, hurtful to one of
Tennessee's greatest industries, that if other
states follow suit, it will result in incalculable
damage to the tobacco industry. and Tennessee
being the fourth state and right along beside
the two great tobacco states, Kentucky and
North Carolina, will feel sensibly, Besides
that the privilege taxes that the state was col
lecting will now be cut off, and the treasury
suffer directloss,
The most harmless thing can be made hurt
full by misuse, and the remedy should be, it is
3 claimed by those who favor repeal Of the
measure. not in prohibiting the use but in in
suring the purity Of the article bya system Of
inspections. They hold that the tobacco in.
terests 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 prohibition
: will not prohibit, the revenue decreases ant
planters, manufacturers and dealers in tht
g great staple will suffer great losses.