The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1875-09-03

be mental or material, and as all people are
not capable OF the mental effort requisite TO
evolve that kind of stimulant, some, and by
far the greater number, must have recourse TO
the material It is a thoroughly established
fact that the moderate use of tobacco has con-
ferred immense good upon sailors, soldiers,
and persons leading lives exposed to the ele-
ments, and it is no less true that to be deprived
Of It, under such circumstances, has been the
cause of much real distress. The immoderate
use of anything renders men disgusting; but it
does not necessarily follow that the moderate
use of it must have that effect, or that thing
should be disused and prescribed because some
men are excessive and disgusting in their use
OF it, There are some things, if we may so
term them, which a person can not do at all
without being disgusting, such as profanity,
| lying, blasphemy, discourtesy and the like
| but they are not material substances, and,
| therefore, do not enter into the category OF the
things alluded to when we said that God never
made, nor allowed to be made, anything that
| il is not proper to use with moderation. The
editress of the NEW NORTHWEST is herself a
| prominent example of the fact that everybody
| needs, and must have, some kind of stimulant.
She takes hers in publishing vigorous and
entertaining journal, and although she may
/ abominate those who smoke or drink, even in
moderation, she finds her solace in giving
them the benefit of her reproaches in good, set
terms. Editing a newspaper is not, however,
the only thing in which our fair opponent dis
covers her stimulant, as witness her own ac-
knowledgment:
| "Four years ago the proprietor of this jour
nal, beset with financial difficulties, worn with
years of toll in Kitchen dairy, nursery, school,
room, and millinery shop. ventured TO launch
out into a new and untried field and eSpouSing
| the then unpopular-becauSe dimly under
stood-cause OF human rights, gave the NEW
NORTHWEST to the breeze"
| The sensitive organization of a woman en-
dowed with such a large amount of mental
stimulant may not need the aid of tobacco or
| wine, but because we do not all possess her
faculty, she should not visit afflicted meaner
mortals with so much intolerance. Thousands
of the most intellectual men who have shed
| luster upon the pages of history were consumers
of tobacco, and all, without a single exception,
| so far as we have been able to ascertain, were
more or less addicted TO stimulants OF some
kind. We rather like TO shiver a lance with
| the NEW NORTHWEST, because it is evidently
in earnest, however much it may be in error.
The great error that our brother has
fallen into is a very common one with
the stronger sex. He reasons upon eff
fects wholly, instead of from cause to
effect. Did the fact never strike him
that the reason why so many men "aIe
not capable of the mental effort requis-
ite to evolve necessary stimulantn is
because their natural resources, which he
confesses are abundant in as, are unduly
stimulated and consequently dwarfed
through the use of tobacco and whisky Z?
Take person who has long been ad-
dicted to these things soldier or sailor,
for instance-and cut off his supply.
He will of course experience "much
real distress" But in no case where
the habit has not been previously
formed does any man suffer from the
want of these things any more than
does woman. We have never yet met a
moderate" user of tobacco.
Our friend is altogether mistaken
when he imagines that we "abominate"
men who smoke or chew. We simply
abominate the habit, and would fain
reform the men who are slaves to it
even in moderation, if there be such a
thing, which we doubt.
His allusion to the "thousands of in
tellectual men," etc., etc., reminds US of
an old gentleman who once sang out in
reply to an anti-tobacco lecturer, who
was portraying the poisonous effects OF
the drug upon the system. Tobacco
may be a poison" said he, "but it is a
very slow poison. Father used it for
eighty years before he died"
The speaker gazed at him with a
merry twinkle in his eye and answered,
"Yes, and if it hadn't been for tobacco
he might have lived for ever"
So, if it had not been for the "stimu-
liant" of tobacco, those great men might
have shed far more cluster upon the
pages of history" than was possible
with their brains in an abnormal condi-
ton with its use.
If weak woman can, without the
use of stimulants or narcotics of any
, kind, accomplish more mental and
physical labor than can any man with
their aid, land ours is not an isolated
case, by any means), does it not follow
that strong men might astonish the
world with their prowess were theil
systems once cleansed from these abom,
nations that make them unduly ex.
cited at times, and again render them
prostrate through natural reaction?
We assert that God never made the
tobacco and whisky of commerce any
more than profanity, lying, blasphemy
discourtesy and the like" Tobacco il
its natural state is by no means plen
tiful weed, and, like skunk cabbage
r would trouble nobody if let alone. AL
: coholic drinks Of all forms are man
made. In the natural or God-madt
state they are fruits, grains, vegetables
: etc., that build up and sustain. In thI
3 manufactured state they stimulate anC
t ultimately destroy. ...
5 1--WE rather like to shiver a lance
, with the Herald, because it's so easily
e done.
I During our pleasant sojourn at Asto
- oa,,o,oI Iokko-, - A.