The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1913-12-22
Gets Big Income
From Monopoly
On All Tobacco
NET REVENUE TO FRANCE FROM
THIS INDUSTRY WAS $l05,-
II 5ft h 000,000.V
THIS VAST PROFIT MADE OUT
of A CAPITAL OF ABOUT
$30,0O0,O00.

mentS tobacco monopoly Drought
net income to the state last year Of
sos, 900 900. or the largest return
since the foundation Of the monopoly
one hundred and two years ago. This
vast profit was made out of capital
OF about $50, 100000, or1about one
third the capitalization of the lately
dissolved American Tobacco Co.
Visitors to France are inclined to
criticize the quality of tobacco sup
piled them, principally because they
are unable to find their favorite
brands, such as are on sale at home.
But as Frenchmen have no knowl-
edge of tobacco in any form, except
such as is supplied them by the gov
Grnment. they are quite content with
the qualities of tobacco, although
they may grumble at the prices.
Much of the tobacco smoked in
France is grown in the. country it,
self. The government keeps a sharp
eye on all raisers of the leaf, and the
whole of the crop must be sold to
The state at faira ppraisement.
Twenty great factories work up
the whoIe OF the tobacco manuGactur-
cd in France, and the right 10 retail
is jealousy guarded by the state.
Permits to open tobacco shops are
usually granted to widows of Off
GERS Of the army and navy, or OF
other employees Of the government.
The widows usually lease their per-
mits to other persons in cOnsidera-
ion OF fixed annual payments. The
price Of cigar of a given quality is
he same all over France, and the
anne If one cigar or thousand are
purchased. The hotels and restau-
rants buy their cigars at the same
Irices as they are sold to the gener-
al public, but they add from so t0l
100 per cent, as their own profit.
There are 47,250 authorized tobac-
co planters in France who grow
about 40 million pounds of tobacco,
IN $4,000 acres. The monopoly, be-,
sides buying all the tobacco grown
in France, purchases SIS million
pounds OF foreign grown tobacco,
most of 1t being American leaf.
To Fly Across Desert,
A French aerial squadron VIII
shortly attempt to fly across the Sa-
hara desert, and the National Aerial
League has published the following
itinery:
The airmen will start from Grau
and follow the railway lines as far
as Figuig; afterwards they will
cross the line of GASES as far as Aou-
;cf. Between Aoulef and Timbuctool
the line of flight will lie across u |
desert waste completely lacking mi
landmarks for the squadrons guild
ance. General Bailloud believes theI
flight to be an exceedingly danger
Gus one, and has suggested sending
caravan to erect stone pyramids att
verious points for the guidance OF
he airmen.
King Alfonso OF Spain during hisl
eCent visit to Paris, amazed the
French officials vino attended him
Turing the hunt at Ramboullet byI
he number OF cigarettes lie smoked.
He appeared to use fresh box OF
wenty every hour. and yet he did
not give the least indication OF thel
fleets OF excessive smoking. Alton
10 is known to be the greatest Gig
arctic smoker among all crowned
reads. His mother almost always
has a cigarette between her lips, en-
ept when asleep, jand she lays down
he principle that smoking is great
lid to thought. Among other royal
yomen smokers are the Dowager En-
press of Russia, and the reigning
russian Empress.
To Send Son to Elton.
According to information recelN-
ID here from England the King OF
;pRin has decided, in due time, to
send his son and heir to Elton 10 re-
ceiyc the groundwork of his educa-
ton. That this news will be denied
goes without saying, but the English
source is confident OF its correctness
The King was doubtless influence
ed as much by the healthy life tae
boys lead at Elton and the encourage
ment of sport there, as he was by the
schooling his son will receive. His
decision will, nevertheless, meet with
a lot of opposition in Spain, where
the grandees already think there IS
TOO much English influence at court
Because he was pious enough to
sim TO cross himself before shooting
his victim a Russian peasont who
murdered an English mine MANAGER
has been brought to justice. The
story has been made public by an
American mining engineer who has
lust returned from six months tour
OF the mining regions OF Western ST.
IBERIA.
The murderer had resented a re-
buEe from the mine manager for
whom he was working, and had {
sworn vengeance. That evening
shepherd saw the peasant mount the s
of the mine managers quar- |
Catarrh Cannot Be Cures: