New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-06-22
BABY CIGARETTE SMOKERS.
AN EVIL THAT OUGHT TO BE STOPPED.
WHAT THE ToBACCoNIsTs, SMALL BOY AND
OTHERS HAVE TO SAY ABOUT IT.

WHAT THE ToBACCONIsTS, SMALL BOY AND
OTHERS HAVE TO SAY ABOUT IT.
Among the bills unsigned by Governor Cleve-
land was one against which there seems so htte 10 ~
said that TRIBUNE reporter who investigated 'no SUI
tect with which II deals found that everybody had p-
tcallv the same oupion about IT. This measure aimed 10
check the growing habits of smoking among s""'iH
boys BY its provisions tohacconists were orpmuen "
sell tobacco in any 90 children under the age ol 'o
teen years. TRIBUNE reporter yesterday visited seven
tobacconists shops down town lnal thcsc SHOPS p"'
one during the few minutes while the reporter was
present, boys Of ages ranging apparently io"s
came in and bought cigarettes.
"Giye me tree Cappcrals, boss said one urehh "n"S'
head hardly above the counter ana nc rttIeu '
cents from his grimy hand on The glass cover OF III.
case. From heap OF loose cigarettes on "oou'n U'S
the sherman counted out three to the boy VINO gaho'"
them and shot out only stopping long enough " s'
at the jet Of gas near the door
WHAT TIE SMALL BoY THINKS OF IT.
How Old are YOU johnnie asked the reporter who
had followed him.
"What yer want ter know ferf'
just out of curiosity, that's an
"Y'ant OF them sciety fellows are ye.' wiz"
rapid suspicion.
no. I'm not one of them Society IcucIr' III y 'f>
Vow how old arc youl'
well gucss I'm bout ten. That's what de Ola woman
sez"
Doesn't smoking make you sickl
Wv me an de boys smoke all de meat least long we We
m an ioar.t.ca When ve's broke We wait till one OF
de feers hooks cent an then lie gets cigarette an We
smokes 1t in turn and the urclun ran oil
WHAT THE roBACCONIsrs SAY
"Yes" saii the keeper of q small SHOP WIN " "'""'
Indian guarding The door. VIC sell lots OF clGa''S !"
small boys It's good paying business ana I'm siad 'le
Governor did not sign the bill forbiddng IT, Not '' "
would make much difference, for the boys wou'd MANAGE
o ret hold of the cigarettes anyhow fou see thcy can
buy q cigarette for q cent. package holds twenty ana u
sold al from ten to fifteen cents according 10 inc " VI q
mans business Well, by selling them loose VIC E''
twenty cents package. anl there is no waste Tor We
sell three or four packages day easy aud sometimes SIX
or seven IN this way. Does it do them haTnf why I'll
conrsc II does stunts tncm and takes their appetite
aUav That's Why some the poorer ones smoke be-
ueyc poor little beccars! rncy fancy II ILLS theIr
somach- The majority OF the young cigarette p'y''7'
however are the children OF reSpc'l''"' P''
cuts Their fathers and mothers give them 1"
few pennies to buy candies with and the
voung rsscals stop in here their way to AM IRON
school and buy cigarettes with tine money Candy IL bAl
enough nut guess tobacco sees 1t and goes one peei.
However IT. good trade and man must 1--we AZ wen
as his ncghDors If diInt sell to children some o'
else would"
This was the gst Of the argument or defence sci mp ny
a MA ority Of the small tobacconists visited
EXTENT OF THE EVIL
Az IA the number of cigarettes sold To children IT Il d
cult TO reach any definite conclusion The Internal l"N
cnuc report last year gives the number % c'eare''
manufactured in this country as 39H7'2'3'' "' "hch
Nav YORK alone made .O92 eG7 divided among 81
different brands York city there arr about LOU
retail toaccouis'l Assuming that onehaf OF these "hy
sell cigarettes to children and that their daily sales aver
age only one package there then over 7Ooo0oo
cites annually sold to children in New-fork CITY alone
Colonel Emmous Clark. secretary Of the Board OF
Health said: The Board was not responsible for the
bill TO prevent the sale ~ cigarettes to boys b Is sur
pri-ing that the Governor should refuse to sign such a
measure Every day see little boys smoking cigarettes
IN the streets aud there is no question about tue marin
done by the practice. Surely 1t would he WIG 10 H'c
law to rcstra u such gro wing evll'
Sanitary SuD?rinnn tent Day said: The practice Of
smoking cigarettes Will dwarf the rising Eenerdion III
this elf miles, some action is taken 10 stop IT, acc
crcot n,4ny voung children pulling cigarettes i Is
serious evil