The review. [volume] (High Point, N.C.) 1908-19??, 1921-08-11
MANY INDUSTRIES
TIED TO TOBACCO
Prohibition of Weed Would Mean
Big Financial Loss to
Allied Trades.
WHO USES THE MATCH7
The Smoker MaInIy-AIso Responsible
for Spending Hundreds OF Millions
Annually for Licorice, Sugar.
Coal, Cigar Boxes, Tin
Foil, Etc. :
BY GARRETT SMITH

"Got a match2"
How many times a day is that queS-
ton asked in these United StatesT
How many more times is the question
unnecessary because most pockets are
kept well supplied with the useful
little article? Anyhow, inasmuch as 1t
is estimated that there are 3O,OOO,OOO
tobacco users in the country, we would
guess that the answer to that question
would run into the hundreds of mil
lions
For If it weren't for the smokers In
these days Of electric lights how many
matches would be used? A pretty
small proportion Of the number OF
these "sticks of blazes" produced in
the country every year. Abolish to-
bacco and the match business would be
shot to pieces.
But the match business is only one
of a dozen or more allied industries
which derive large revenues directly or
Indirectly from the tobacco trade and
would suffer heavily II national pro
hibition of tobacco were to go into
effect as some of cur reformerS would
have It. The annual sales of tobacco
timated at 81, 937, 100000. OF the cost
of producing and selling this quantity
of cigars, cigarettes and other forms
of the weed, some hundreds Of million
dollars are paid out for other things
than tha raw tobacco and labor or
making it up.
S25 zoo, 900 a Year for Boxes
For example, the tobacco trade con-
sumes each year 100000 pounds Of
ncorice, 100000 pounds of sugar.
both used iT fqOoring tobacco ano
65O,OOO tons of coal. 1t is estimated
that the value Of wooden cigar boxes
used is $25,OOO,OOO a year, quite an
item to the lumber business and to
| manufact urers Of the boxes.
In making these boxes 55OOOO
pounds of nails are employed. other
large items USED in making and pre-
naring tobacco for sale are tin an0
lead foil, paper for bags and cigarette
wrappers, cloth for tobacco bags, Ia
bells, coupons, ETC., involving the print
ing trade extensively.
Then building contractors and manu-
facturers Of machinery are largely In
terested. Investments in plants ano
machinery employed in manufactur-
ing tobacco are estimated at $1O2 ,OOO,-
600. Replacement, up-keep ana inter
est on the investment make no small
sum annually.
And let realty men note there are
approximately 325,OOO tobacco farms
in the country, with a total estimated
valuation Of $16O, 900 900. OF further in
+erest TO real estate men Is the fact
that there are 100000 retail establish
ments selling tobacco, involving tota'
rental and up-keep impossible to est
mate, besides the large amount OF OF
fee space occupied by administrative
branches of the general business.
The insurance men, too, have thes1
share of the pickings. The tobacco
bus ness pays out annually $1,OOO'OO'
in premiums in the United States.
And there are the railroads who real
revenue from 2,21O,OOO tons Of Tobacco
products every year.
AS for the advertising business
here again 1t is impossible to forT
anv estimate Of the enormous annna
outlay.
The prohibition of tobacco would ais
knock a good-sized hole ia the receipt
Of the United States government
The internal revenue receipts froT
tobacco for the fiscal year 1920 amount
ed TO 1926, 800, 1854. Customs dutie
pf6vided an additional $25,0OO,OOO j
round figures, making the total revenu
return to the government 1920. OOO.OO
, Stamey's Jewel.y Store sells all IN
standard makes of watches and for lea