New Iberia enterprise and independent observer. (New Iberia, La.) 1902-1944, 1921-06-04
many INDUSTRIES
. TIED TO TOBACCO
Prohibition of Weed Would Mean
Big Financial Loss to
Allied Trades.
WHO USES THE MATCH7
The Smoker Mainly-AIso Responsible
for Spending Hundreds Of Millions
, Annually for LIeorIee, Sugar,
! Coal, Cigar Boxes, Tin
, Foil, Etc.
BY GARRETT SMITH

,SAOA uSAcu III tHcS0 OuIIcU StatcS
How many more times is the question
unnecessary because most pockets ar.
kept well supplied with the useful
little article? Anyhow, inasmuch as II
Is estimated that there are 3O,0OO,OOC
tobacco users In the country, we would
guess that the answer to that question
would run into the hundreds of mil.
lions.
For IL 1t 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 if national pro-
hibitiOn Of tobacco were to go into
effect as some Of our reformers would
have 1t. The annual sales Of tobacco
products, based on retail prices, is es-
timated at s1,937,OOO,OOO 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, 100000 Year for Boxes
For example, the tobacco trade con-
sumes each year 100000 pounds Of
licorice, 100000 pounds of sugar,
both used in flavoring tobacco, and
$4,000 tons Of coal. It is estimated
that the value Of wooden cigar boxes
used is $25,O0O,O0O 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, 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
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.
And let realty men note there are
325,OO0 tobacco farms
in the country, with total estimated
Of $16O, GOO, 600. OF further in
terest to real estate men is the fact
that there are 100000 retail establish
ments selling tobacco, involving q total
rental and up-keep impossible to esti-
mate. besides the large amount Of Of
ice 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 $7,O00. 900
In premiums in the United States. i
And there are the railroads who reap
revenue from 100000 tons Of tobacco
products every year.
As for the advertising business,
here again 1t is impossible to form |
my estimate Of the enormous annual !
outlay.
The prohibition Of tobacco would also |
mock good-sized hole in the receipts
# the United States government.
The internal revenue receipts from
obacco for the fiscal year 1920 amount.
ID to $295. 800, 1854. Customs duties
an additional $25, O00, 900 In
'ound figures. making the total revenue
'eturn to the government 1920, 0O0, 900.
influence on Popular Sentiment
1t IL this interlocking Of the tobacco
'uslness with 80 many other interests
md the vast amount Of financial loss
hat would be involved in the abolition
Il tobacco that II one of the most &c :.
'ious aspects Of the proposal to pro-
libit the sale Of tobacco, q proposal,
However. which has little support BIZ
'ublic sentiment II the Newspaper edi.
ors OF the country are correct in their
'stimate of that sentiment.
In poll Of the editors made recently
y the Tobacco Merchants Association
I the United States, through the Press
'ervice Company Of New York City.
5 per cent Of the 7,847 editors who II
eplied expressed the opinion that the
eopIe Of their commun ties were on.
osed to any law against tobacco. Az
hese editors represent some 50, 600 600
eaders the results form q pretty gem
raj test Of national opinion.
In their remarks accompanying their
eplies many Of the editors expressed
as their opinion that the oppos ton
their communities to the abolition
I tobacco was based to some extent at
last on the damage such a change
vculd do to the business interests Of
10 community. This was particularly
ne in the tobacco growing states and |
enters where there were large tobacco
Iants
But when the extent Of the business
Ivolved in the allied interests OF the
'bacco trade II considered. a. above
defIt outlined, II il clear that there
hardly section Of the country that
ould not b affe.'ted directly g 4. Z
Eectly By abolishing tobacco. IA