The Chesterfield advertiser. [volume] (Chesterfield C.H., S.C.) 1884-1978, 1921-06-16
Prohibition of Weed Would Mean
Big Financial Loss to
Allied Trades.
WHO USES THE MATcH7

BY oARRET SMITH

unnecessary because most pockets are
kept well supplied with the useful
little articleI Anyhow, inasmuch as 1t
is estimated that there are 30,0OOO 900
tobacco users In the country, We would
guess that the answer to that question
would run into the hundreds Of mil
lions
For II 1t weren't for the smokers In
these days Of electric lights how many
matches would be used7 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 tho tobacco trade and
wonld suffer heavily If national pro-
hibition Of tobacco were to 60 into
effect as some Of our reformers would
have 1t. The annual sales Of tobacco
products, based on retail prices, Is es-
timated at 1887 100000 or 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 ,000,o 900 a Year for Boxss -
For example, the tobacco trade con-
sumes each year 45,OOO,OOO pounds Of
licOrice, 5O.OOO,OOO pounds Of sugar,
both used in fiavoring tobacco, and
650,OOO tons Of coal. 1t Is estimated
that the value of wooden cigar boxes
used is 325,OOO,OOO a year, quite an
item to the lumber business and to
manufacturers Of the boxes.
J 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, la
bells, coupons. ETC.. Involving the print
Ing trade extensively.
Then building contractors and manu-
facturers Of machinery are largely In
terested. Investments In plants and
machinery employed in manufacture
ing tobacco are estimated at $1O2 OOO,-
600. Replacement, up-keep and inter-
est on the investment make no small
sum annually.
approximately $4,000 tobacco farms
In the country, with total estimated
valuation Of $1eO. 900. 900. or further in
terest to real estate mon is the fact
that there are 100000 retail establish
ments selling tobacco, involving a total
rental sEd .p Keep impossible to ssti-
mate, besides the large amount Of Of
fice space occupied by administrative
branches Of the general business.
The insurance men, too, have their
share Of the pickings.- The tobacco
bus ness pays out annually $1,000, 900
IN premiums In the United States.
And there are the railroads who reap
revenue from 2,21O,0O0 tons Of tobacco
products every year.
AZ FOR the advertising business.
here again 1t Is impossible to form
any estimate Of the enormous annual
outlay.
The prohibition Of tobacco would also
knock good-sized hole in the receipts
OF the United States government.
The Internal revenue receipts from
tobacco for the fiscal year 1920 amount
ed to $295.SO9. 1854. Customs duties
provided an additional $4,000, 600 in
round figures. making the total revenue
return to the government $500. 600 OOO
Influence on Popular Sentiment
1t Is this interiocking Of the tobacco
ous ness with 30 many other interests
and the vast amount Of financial los.
that would be involved in the abolition
OF toDacco that Is one Of the most &C.
rious aspects of the proposal to pro.
hiDit the sale OF tobacco, a proposal
however, which has little support nv
pubic sentiment IL the newspaper edi.
Tors OF the country are correct in their
estimate Of that sentiment.
. In poll Of the editors made rscent,x
by the Tobacco Merchants Assoc,at,on
of the United States through the pras.
service Company Of New York CITY.
'o per cent OF the 7,847 editors who
replied expressed the opinion that IN.
people OF their commun ties were on.
posed TO any law against tobacco A.
these editors represent some 80 OOO OOO
readers The results form "a pretty eon.
eral test OF national opinion.
III their remarks accompanying tbe,r
replies many of the editors Expressed
as their opinion that the oppos tion
vi tIeir communities to the abolition
Oh toDacco was based to some extent at
least on the damage such a cbnnga
would do to the business interests .,
the community. This was particularly
true In the tobacco growing states and
centers where there were large tobacco
plants.
But when the extent Of the business
involved In the allied interests Of tho
tobacco trade Is considered. as above
briefly outlined, It is clear that thers
10 haTily section OF the country tbat
would not be affected directly r in.
directly BY abollshing tobac eco.