New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-03-03
Communicated
A PROTEST AGAINST TOBACCO.
RY 4. u.

IL.
benefits arising from the one, and OF the OPP
posite effects resulting from the other, are
promoters of greater good than mere the
orizing on either.
All of this may be and possibly is true;
but if people will insist on walking straight
through the highway Of life with eyes and
ears wide open, yet apparently hearing and
seeing nothing, it does seem necessary to
revive occasionally Eackneyed arguments
on such subjects, even though they be but
the old and disregarded truths in new
garb.
Hope, therefore, may be pardoned for
reintroducing the -well-worn subject. l
insist that the use + tobacco is an entirely
useless, filthy ar: inexcusable habit; de-
teriorating to mental, moral and physical
advancement; rendering a man repugnant
and disagreeabe to those "a bout him, and
claiming himself down to a vile weed. For
the use of tobacco is a habit which, once
acquired, proves in great majority OF cases
lifelong in its duration.
One striking proof that the plant was
never designed for mans consumption is
the extreme difficulty with which he acus-
toms himself to its use. Nature summons all
her forces to fight against its introduction;
but all in vain. After making her voice as
rs audible and as sensbly felt az III her
power to do. she gradually ceases the use
less struggle, and the victim (he surely may
be re garded in that light rejoices at his
triumph.
Truly, his perseverance deserved better
cause, but he is satisfied, yea, more than
satisfied at his success; rolls the delicious
morsel under his tongue, and, I suppose,
really makes himself believe he is in a state
of bliss
Is it, therefore, to be supposed that an
object attained under so many difficulties is
going to be laid aside for any tritiing
reasOnf By 10 means So the boy OF SIX
teen goes through life chewing and splitting
and smo king and putting until he is com
PEELED to lay down pipe, cigar, and tobacco
box, when it comes his turn to be called
the way of all living.
Isometimes wonder, and I say it with all
due reverence, if some men will be perfect
ly happy in he other world when deprived
Of the sweet luxury, as they surely will be,
for we are told that order is heavens first
law, and the presence of tObacco-nsers
would be in direct and violent opposition
to this. However We will leave things Of
the future alone, for surely sufficient to
the day is the evil thereof"
As an example Of what we, of the petit
coat order, have to submit to, notice that
lady with immaculate skirts, a perfect pink
Of eatness from the tip of the pretty spring
bonnet to the faulllessly fitting little boot,
which peeps SO cOquettishly from beneath
her skirts. She is just entering street
car W hich obtains number of passengers,
but plenty of sitting room. She looks from
one vacant place to another. seat
to be sure, she may have, but right where
her pet ticoats mast come is a puddle OF
tobacco juice. ST. glances from that place
to another, ditto still; still another, ditto
STILL so there being no other alternative,
with a sigh she eDsconses herself IN the
vacant place with feelings of disgust and
nneasin ess at the filth beneath her. Such
occurre noes take place hundreds OF times
in a day, and frequently still more aggre-
waited ones than the above, where lady Is
compelled to sit opposite or beside some
one who is making himself obnoxious as
possible by chewin & and splitting and spit
ting nd chewing, befouling the air as well
as the car. The use of tobacco in any form
in street car should be prohibited.
Smoking has been, and chewing should be
without delay.
Street cars are by no means the only
place where tobacco is made an extreme
annoyance. 1t is hardly possible to walk
square, on a crowded street, without being
choked and stifed by cigar smoke, or other
wise made uncomfortable by the contact Of
skirts with sundry puddles, which furnish
striking proof of the expectorating pro-
pensities of the young man of the period.
BY the reports of distinguished medical
men it has been proved that the incessant
use Of tobacco, in large number OF cases,
produces the most injurious effects upon
the brain, resulting sometimes in an incura-
BILE malady. A distinguished writer has
made use of the following strong expression,
which, though somewhat exaggerated, per
haps, contains a good lesson: tobacco
and DR. ink are twin demons, for though the
evil fleets of the former are more subtitle
and imperceptible than those Of the latter,
vet, W hen carried to excess, the results are
much the same"
Moreover, the mere expense considered
apart from more weighty reasons, is enor
NOUS Millions of dollars are expended an
nually upon it. Did l not, unfortunately
possess a natural adherence for statistics
might bring unmistakable figures to cor
rOborate this statement. But they are not
needed. Look at the large number of to-
bacco establishments to be found every
where, from the most pretentious wholesale
firms to the smallest retail shops. where I" a
speciality is made Of choice chewing brands
and the finest Havanas," and l venture to
declare that there is not commodity in
market that is more literally patronized,
except, perhaps, whisky. Recent reports
show that the demand is increasing instead
of diminishing, which is undoubtedly the
case for nowadays, as soon as a boy be-
comes old enough to take notice of the ex-
ample of those about him, he Immediately
is of the opinion that he will have attained
long step toward manhood by forming the
habit of using tobacco in as many different
ways as possible, which he accordingly
does.
Oh how much l wish that some one
with the fiery eloquence of Demosthenes,
would gather all the boys in Chlistendom
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