THE GROWING CIGARET EVIL.
CIGARETS to the number of 3,041,573,668 were smoked in the United States during the last fiscal year, according to the report of the commissioner of internal revenue. That was an increase of 389,954,871, over 1902, and almost 800,000,000 over 1901. Due probably to anticigaret crusades, the number fell off 400,000,000 in 1901, as compared with 1900. Since 1901, however, there has been an increase of nearly 400,000,000 a year. The consumption of cigars in this country also runs into large figures. The number smoked last year was 7,426,890,403. In 1902 the number was 6,863,499,635, and in 1901 it was 6,455,438,419. The quantity of other manufactured tobacco produced in the country last year was, in pounds: Plug and twist tobacco, 185,736,781; fine-cut chewing tobacco, 12,065,617; smoking tobacco, 131,130,733; snuff, 18,682,341. That those barreled messages are still being sent to Africa in great profusion is also shown by the report. The exports of rum to the dark continent last year are shown to have been 594,485 gallons. No such deluge of rum was sent to any other country.—Selected.