Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1867-08-02
The Smoking Car.

design and utility. And first the
smoking car" is designed to provide
a sort of temporary bar-room for
those travellers whose habits make
them offensive to others. Nature has
provided no place where the disgust
ing process of chewing, smoking or
smiling could be performed systemat
ically, and with appropriate accom-
paniments. Hence, when such con-
sumers are at home, they are obliged
to resort to some village saloon, and
when they travel they 60 to the "smok-
ing car" that they may indulge in this
unnatural habit without molestation
or censure.
Tobacco is unfit for the parlor, TOR
that is the resort of ladies, and should |
therefore, be free from filthy saliva,
or purified odors. 1t is not BETTING
the dining-room or kitchen, where its
efluvia may be mingled with the
yiands and beverage. 1t should be
kept out of the stable, for that is the
residence of "neat cattle" And even
the occupants of the pig stye would re-
sent it, should one more lost to de-
cency than themselves, come there to
betume, or bespatter, or besnnff them.
SO it is on the public conveyance, there
is no place, unless especially provid-
ed, where the consumer Of tobacco is
not a nuisance. He pollutes the very
air he breathes, n d renders it
unfit to be breathed by others. He
leaves traces of his vileness under
every seat, and upon every floor where
he makes his frequent deposits
Hence, the utility of the smoking car"
1t is never occupied by ladies, but
always by the diSsipated and reckless,
and also by those gentlemen who use
tobacco, and yet have a proper self
respect and regard for the rights of
others. They know that their presence
is offensive to the ladies, and not to
them only, but to all the more decent
men who ride in the cars. And this
section Of the train which has been
labelled smoking car" affords them
a place Of safe retreat from public in
dignation.
The smoking car" is very suggest
i've to the rejecting mind. Itreminds
us that man is slave to appetite
He is subject to bondage more OPP.
pressive and degrading than ever
Southern slavery was. He serves a
despot that knows no mercy, and Of
feres no reprieve. And the most ag-
grayating feature of his condition is,
he has chosen this degrading, brutal
zing servitude, instead of freedom,
which he might have enjoyed. His
habits are created, not natural. 1t
costs desperate effort to overcome
the aversion of nature to this vile
weed.
When taken into the mouth. or
drawn up, waterspOut fashion into the
nose, every muscle and membrane
and gland struggles with earnestness
to wash away the impurity. Every
organ, maxillary, lingual, labial, ma
sal, and even the lachrymal pour out
their fluids to sweep away the nui-
sance. Yet habit overcomes and man
makes himself vile slave.
The smoking car" reminds us of
the evils of using tobacco. | have
spoken of the fIthiness of the habit
Look once more-the tobacc0-user
must be common enemy of decency
and good taste. His mouth and teeth
which should be the cleanest, are
made the foulest part Of him. When
you see a plug of coarse, nasty tobac
co, you pity the mouth which it is de8
tined TO enter, but when you see the
mouth, pity the tobacco. Tobacco i;
a rank poison, and cannot be useC
without injury to the health. To thi:
well-established fact, there is no op
posing testimony.
The use Of tobacco tends to poverty
Let the four hundred thousand acres
of land now planted with Tobacco,
within the United States be planted
to corn and wheat, and how mucl
richer the nation would be. Let tn
average expense to each consume
during his lie be saved, and it woul
purchase for him good farm, o
library, or build a commodious house
And yet, he puffs and splits this valu
all away, and in doing it, commit
suicide besides.
The use of tobacco tends to Great
q taste for intoxicating drinks, an
encourages every other species o
vice. Not every tobacco user is a pre-
fame tippler, but where will you fin
swearing, drinking wretch who doe
not use tobacco? Vices cluster; V
pers of this sort are Matched in til
same nest, and nestled in the san
coil. The moral and Christian toba
co user cannot avoid the necessity q
having such companions. If he wi
go 10 the smoking car he must me
there those who are addicted to ii
same habit. And if his associates al
more mature in dissipation than hir
self he must not complain, birds {
a feather flock together" But wou
it not be better if all the virtuous al
religious in community would combil
to crush this monster evil ? 1t is
useless, filthy, injurious, wasteful al
sinful habit, and ought to be, at ono
abandoned by every friend Of h
race.
Canada used to have II Minister
the Dominion has 27, which some a
disposed to consider a waste of t
raw material.