The Sale of Tobacco.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 140, 17 June 1904, Page 4

The Sale of Tobacco.

"Save the Bands and Get a Gold watch" —that, or something like it, says an American paper, is the daz-, zling legend that must have obtruded itself upon the consciousness of eve* the most unobservant and thereby hangs a little legislative tale. There is—as cigar-dealers know —some of them to their sorrow—a Tobacco Trust. The Trust gives all sorts of prizes and premiums for bands and labels. There are also a numbpr of manufacturers outside the Trust who call themselves the "Independents." They do not—or rather did not—gi-e all sorts of prizes and premiums for bands and labels. On tho contrary, they hold—or, rather held—it to lie demoralising, deplorable, disreputable—yes, disastrous to the morals of smokers and chawers —to give prizes and premiums in return for cigar bands and laliels. In Borne mysterious fashion these views, highly creditable to the gentlemen concerned, were communicated last year to a congressman. The congressman introduced a Mil to prohibit the giving of prizes and premiums for bands and labels, thereby corrupting the minds of the young The bill went through the Ways and Means committee like the traditional greased lightning. It was reported •rL. th ° Hous « "'"'ost unanimously l*e House, recognising how vast'lv ?\? , W0Ul " WeiKh f " «>« interest's of Morahty-and the Independentspassed it promptly with only seventeen di.ssem.ing vot es. But the Senate did not reach the bill on the calendar last session. This year the sama bill was introduced. 'Did it again get unanimously reported from the committee ? By no means ; it has Ween struggling nea rly five months to get out ; party lines have broken on tho question ; friction has developed where last year all was harmony. Mr Payne now says that there will *« no more meetings of the Ways and Means Committee, and that the tail will not be reported this session "Why ?" asks Little Peterkin, and wo arc constrained in honesty to reply though in u whisper : Because the In-dependents-their one-time virtuous indignation forgotten, their moral hrdour cooled-are going into the pnze-and-premiuni business themselves ! Thus we see how work the wires which jiggle congressmen aibout ?. ice little boys i„ blue jackets, with their faces all clean, learn all aC,t rZ, ,? 0D B ress operates from their Cml Government, written by Pro- (™ ? ea3COtl ' ° f U " mti!la tnivw «-