Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1921-06-24
MANY INDUSTRIES
TIED. TO TOBACCO
Prohibition Of Weed Would Mean
Big Financial Loss to
Allied Trades.
WHO USES THE MATcH7
The Smoker Malniy-AIso Responsible
for Spending Hundreds Of Millions
Annually for Lleorles, Sugar.
Coal, Cigar Boxes, Tin
Foil, Ito.
BY GARRETT sMlTH


How many more times 10 the question
because most pockets are
kept well supplied with the useful
little articlef Anyhow, inasmuch az II
Is estimated that there are S0.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 II It weren't for the smokers In
these days of electric lights how many
matches would be usedf A pretty
small proportion Of the number Of
these "sticks Of blaxes" produced IN
the country every year. Abolish to
bacco and the match business would be
shot to pieces.
But the match business - 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 our reformers would
have It. The annual sales Of tobacco
products, based on retail prices, IL es-
timated at $1,0S7 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 the raw tobacco and labor Of
making 1t up.
$25, 900, 900 Year for Boxes
For example, the tobacco trade con-
sumes each year 100000 pounds Of
licorice, 6O.0O0.OO0 pounds Of sugar.
both used in flavoring tobacco, and
65O,OOO tons Of coal. It IL estimated
that the value Of wooden cigar boxes
used 10 $25.Oo0O0 q year, quite an
item to the lumber business and TO
manufacturers Of the boxes.
In making these boxes $4,000
pounds of nails are employed. Other
large items used in making and pre-
pairing tobacco for sale are tin and
lead foil, paper for bags and cigarette
wrappers, cloth for tobacco bags, ID
bells, coupons. ETC., involving the print
ing trade extensively. i.
Then building contractors and manu-
facturers Of machinery are largely IN
terested. Investments In plants and
machinery employed in manufactur-
ing tobacco are estimated at 800. OOO,-
600. Replacement up-keep and inter-
est ON the Investment make no small
sum annually.
And let realty men note there are
approximately $4,000 tobacco farms
in the country, with total estimated
| valuation of $1oO, 600. 900. OF further In
terest to real estate mon h the fact
that there are 700, 900 retail establish
ments selling tobacco. involving total
rental and up-keep impossible to esti'
mate, besides the large amount OF OF.
nee space occupied by administrative
branches Of the general business.
The insurance men. too. have theil
share Of the pickings. The tobacct
business pays cut annually $7.0O0.O(
in premiums in the United States.
| And there are the railroads who real
revenue from 2,210000 tons Of tobacc'
products every year.
As for the advertising business
here again 1t 10 impossible to form
any estimate Of the enormous annua
outlay.
The prohibition of tobacco would ais
knock q good-sized hole In the receipt
of the United States government
The internal revenue receipts fron
tobacco for the fiscal year 1920 amount
cd to $295, SOC, 1854. Customs dutie
provided an additional $25,00O,000 Il
round figures, making the total revenu
return to the government 1920, 1000, 00(
n influence on Popular Sentiment
It IL this interlocking Of the Tobacco
business with 30 many other interest
and the vast amount Of financial los
that would be involved In the abolitio
Of tobacco that IL one Of the most st
rious aspects Of the proposal to pro
hibit the sale Of tobacco, propose
however, which has little support
public sentiment If the newspaper ed
! tors of the country are correct In thel
estimate Of that sentiment.
| In poll Of the editors made recent
by the Tobacco Merchants Associate
Of the United States, through the Pres
Service Company Of New York Cit.
05 per cent Of the 7,847 editors VIII
replied expressed the opinion that tn
people Of their communities were o.
posed to any law against tobacco. A
these editors represent some $4,000 (
readers the results form pretty gel
eral test of national opinion.
In their remarks accompanying the
replies many Of the editors expresse
It as their opinion that the oppos. tic
of their communities to the abolitio
Of tobacco was based to some extent ,
least on the damage such q chang
would do to the business interests
the community. This was particular
true In the tobacco growing states ar
centers where there were large tobact
plants.
But when the extent Of the busine
involved In the allied interests Of Il
tobacco trade IL considered, as abo1
briefly outlined, It Ii clear that the
10 hardly a section Of the country tn
would not be affected directly or I
directly By abolishing tobacco.
Il