31.   Liggett officials have said the company could go bankrupt if it is held to the terms of the national settlement.

32.   Like any smart gambler, Texas chose a sure bet over the increasingly risky odds of a national settlement.

33.   Many lawyers had filed papers opposing the national settlement, saying that it was not fair and offered too little compensation for injuries.

34.   Members of Congress have already asked pointed questions about the potential fees for lawyers who negotiated the national settlement.

35.   Minnesota Attorney General Hubert Humphrey III, a critic of the national settlement, is seeking a large reduction in teen smoking.

36.   Most state attorneys general suing tobacco have come out in support of the national settlement.

37.   Most observers predict that a big win for the state will prod Congress to scrap the proposed national settlement in favor of a deal that is tougher on tobacco.

38.   Minnesota, which opposes the national settlement, is scheduled to begin its trial next Tuesday.

39.   Moreover, the tobacco companies want a national settlement.

40.   Other analysts saw the price increase as a sign of optimism among cigarette companies that a national settlement of tobacco litigation would be approved by Congress.