The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1899-09-13
A Noble Defense of the Toby.

We always like to see man who has
the courage of his convictions and who
will stand up and defend a principle in
the face of terrible opposition. Now
there's Bro. Smith of the Punxy Spirit is
just such an one, and because this time it
happens to be the despised toby which
is involved, he no less comes to the res-
cue with noble defense. After all it is
the little, apparently trifling, things
which really test a mans greatness in
such matters. It's no great shakes to
stand up for big, able-bodied truth or
principle that everybody recognizes and
respects, but the smaller weaklings are
the ones which try mems souls, and it is
for this reason we recognize and copy
the following $50 as to give it general cir
culationl from the pen of Col. Smith =
The New York Sun, in recent learned
editorial on stogies. defines this import
ant article of commerce as "a robust ma
tive cigar, the smoking of which tends to
cultivate frugality. Not recommended
to persons of queasy stomach"
The Sun then goes on in Il merry vein
to talk of stogies and their effects. 1t says:
"ro begin with, you must have good
constitution, 1t is not for weaklings to
tamper with stogies. at least, with the dry
Pittsburg stogy of New York. In the
second place, do not expect flavor. Do
many cigars have flavor? The stogy will
burn. Be grateful for that, and think
how much money you are saving by
smoking a stogy instead of luxurious
cigar. In the third place close the win
dows of your house, for the neighbors
are coughing ominously. Let them
cough; think of what you are saving. In
the fourth place, on the whole, you had
better go into the street or the park. You
will he driven out of your house. Such is
the prejudice against thrift. But perse-
we're. The stogy is really branch of a
savings bank"
For the Sun, or anyone else living out
side the Great American Tobey Belt, to
assume to euter the magic circle and
speak familiarity of things forbidden to
any but the initiated, is piece of pre-
sumption. In the first place the word
"stogy" is obsolete. Adopts all use the
word "toby," and any man living with
in a radius of $50 miles of Pittsburg who
would not pre- fer the rankest kind of a
toby to the finest Havana cigar, would
not be regarded as good citizen. He is
not only "stuck up" but he has execra-
BILE taste.
There are hundred varieties of tobies,
OF all lengths, thicknesses and qualities.
The worst toby on the market is better
than the average cheap cigar, and real
ly good toby, such as are never seen
outside of circles in which they are ap.
preciated, is better than anything sold by
Delmonico or at the Waldorf Astoria.
We have frequently hunted in vain al
oyer New York City for toby that wa
even tolerable. They arc not seen there
The toby, like anything else, seeks tn,
best market. 1t will not go where it j
not appreciated. 1t cannot bear to hea
the excruciating jokes and wearisom
comments of the uncultured and proiane
Hence only such tobies as are unmark
etable within the Toby Belt ever pene
trate to New York, unless carried ther
by some fastidious gentleman from th
sacred precincts of the genuine toby.
And the SUMS intimation that tob
smoking is resorted to as measure {
economy is an insult. The toby smoke
has money, as well as tobies, 10 burr
Offer him a thick cigar, of the variety th'
produces cancer of the throat and kalsC
mines the stomach and liver with nicotin
and his good breeding may induce him
accept it, but lie will secretly cherish til
profoundest contempt for the doner
taste and judgment. The wealthiest iro
magnates of Pittsburg will toss ava
with contempt the finest cigar that none
can procure and resort with serene satii
faction to his favorite toby. If he ac
differently when away from home, it
because he is a contemplate trimme
who has not the courage and manhood
stand up for his own tastes and convi
tions, as well as the great Fraternity (
American Toby Smokers.