Iron County register., 1898-11-24
SPANISH SMOKERS.
They Are Numerous But as Compared
with other Nations They Use
Very Little Tobacco.

tt is a saying familiar to every trav-
eler south of the Pyrenees that every
one smokes in Spain, men and women.
old and young, rich and poor" That
this is the case all travellers agree, and
it might reasonably be supposed, too.
that, as a result of what is national
habit, there would be an enormous con-
sumption of tobacco in Spain, more es-
pecially in view of the fact that prior to
the breaking out of the revolution the
average tobacco crop of Cuba was 600,-
900 bales of more than 100 pounds each,
and that Puerto Rico and the Philippine
islands have also exported large guam
titles of tobacco, there being sent from
Manila in an ordinary year, when peace
able conditions prevail, 100000, 900
cigars, exclusive of 400,O00,O00 cigar
cites and 2,500 tons of cut tobacco.
Smoking being general habit in Spain,
the Spanish colonies Tor former colo
nies) being notable for their tobacco
exports and the policy of the Spanish
government having been distinctly IA
vorable to smoking, it might naturally
seem as if Spain, in this particular, at
least, should take high rank among the
countries of Europe. Such, however,
does not appear to be the case, for, leav-
ing out Scandinavia, there is only one
country in Europe that uses less to-
bacco in year than Spain does and that
country is Italy.
When the consumption per inhabit-
ant is taken as basis of comparison,
the position of Spain is seen to be an in
significant one, for there is actually less
tobacco used per inhabitant in Spain
than in Scotland, where cigar smoking
Is rare and cigarette smoking almost
unknown. The figures per inhabitant
IN ounces, taking the average of several
years, are as follows in the countries
named: Holland, IS; Switzerland, 50;
Turkey, 70; Belgium, 65; Germany, so;
AustriaHungary, ~; Scandinavia, 40;
France, 35; England, 33; Spain, 30. In
all public places, social resorts, restau-
rants, cafes, railroad stations, clubs,
hotel corridors and theater 1obbies in
Spain, the atmosphere is surcharged
with tobacco smoke-so much so as to
constitute a very Objectionable feature
in the view of American tourists. But
notwithstanding this large supply of
S1HOhc, 1T "Ouiu ScClu dS II VIC
tion of tobacco did not keep pace with
it. The explanation of the matter is
probably found in this, that Spaniards
as a rule smoke cigarettes in which to-
.bacco is an important but not exclusive
ingredient, and that pipe smoking is
very little known in that country. The
Hollanders, on the other hand, who
stand at the head of the list in the con-
sumption of tobacco. do not as rule
smoke cigars and seldom cigarettes.
They smoke pipes, and the consump-
tion of tobacco in pipes would seem to
be relatively larger than in cigars.
Moreover, Spain is dry country: Hol.
land is moist country. The consumpl
ton of tobacco is usually found to be
larger in damp than in dry countries,
and perhaps-though there is no scien-
tific authority for this-tobaccc used in
dry countries emits more smoke than
tobacco used in damp countries. But
the fact remains that the Spaniards con-
sumo very little tobacco for nation of
smokers.-N. Y. Sun.