Evening Republican, Volume 14, Number 105, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 May 1910 — Costly Smoking In Russia. [ARTICLE]

Costly Smoking In Russia.

The average cigar costing 10 cents in the United States sells for 60 cents In Russia, and the more expensive brands come higher in comparison, the imported products ranging in price from 10 cents to *l, a United States consul reports. Domestic cigars run from 1 to 15 cents, but, being of an inferior quality, they are unacceptable except to the poorer classes. Tobacco sells from 12 cents to *5.50 per pound, according to Its origin, the Havana and Sumatra brands used for wrappers in the manufacture of cigars being especially expensive. Domestic tobacco ls utilized principally for fillers, but is not called for by connoisseurs. The use of cigarettes is general, each class indulging in its favorite brand with equal satisfaction, whether the tobacco is incased la the most expensive perfumed rice paper or rolled roughly in brown paper, a method employed by the poor. In a recent speech at Moscow the Minister of Finance compared Russia’s budget with the huge deficits of other leading countries in Europe, remarking that the increased tax on the wrappers for cigarettes had guaranteed the government against any lack of funds to meet the necessary expenses. This shows the immense profits obtained from the use of tobacco through State taxation.