aside for users of tobacco and this soon overpopulated 

 area acquired the name of "the Smokers' Circle." 



No rules or regulations, beyond one's own capacitx 

 to resist temptation, could curb tlie use of tobacco. Some 

 of the most prominent citizens of the capital were con- 

 spicuous devotees of cigars. Most, perhaps all, were of 

 the temperament of a well-known legislator and philan- 

 thropist, William Sturges. Aware one da\' tliat lie was 

 perhaps smoking too much he laid aside his lit cigar 

 saying, "I will not take another— till I change m\' mind." 



leaf competitor 



Around 1876 cigar manufacturers were introduced to 

 Sumatran wrapper leaf when a sample importation came 

 into New York. This light-colored leaf, remarkably bland 

 in taste, was regarded as the perfect wrapper. Conced- 

 edly, Connecticut Valley wrapper leaf was excellent, 

 but it required five to ten pounds of it to wrap a thou- 

 sand cigars against only two pounds of the fine product 

 of Sumatra. Tliis latter factor alone endeared it to manu- 

 facturers who began to import it as a filler w^liich paid 

 a lower duty than wrapper. Consumer reaction to the 

 color of the new cigar covering was promptly favorable, 

 whereupon increasing orders went to dealers in Sumatra. 



The consequent adverse efi^ect on wrapper production 

 in the Connecticut Valley brought about the formation 

 of the New England Tobacco Growers Association in 

 1883. The duty on imported leaf had been 35 cents per 

 pound. The Association succeeded in forcing through a 

 raise in the impost to 75 cents a pound on tobacco 

 leaves suitable for wrappers. Yet Sumatran wrapper con- 

 tinued to come in, and in larger quantities. Tlie tariff 

 went to $2 in 1890 but at the urging of manufacturers 

 was reduced to $1.50 in 1894. 



30 



