New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-04-29
LIE SEN1TE IND &c IRMIIEN.

The grave and diglified Senator's ut wash
in gton became involved in something approach
ing controversy the other day about cigar
cites. A bill has been introduced to prohibit
tho selling. giving or furnishing Of cigarettes
or tobacco in any of its forms to minors under
sixteen years of age in the District of Column
bio. Senator Chace presented petition in
favor of the bill from 257 physicians in the
District, who, he said, had been giving TINS
subject. and especially the sale OF cigarettes,
much attention. and had become impressed
with the belief that it was " a very great ana
serious evil Senator Stewart concurred IN
this saying that cigarettes are destroying
more youth than any other one thing that Is az
fecting the prosperity of the country" BeSides
the petition signed by the doctors there was one
signed by SO cIergymen, and another by OH
euneriptendents officers and teachers Of public
schools. The Senators who were most I'M
pressed with the magnitude of the evil wanted
these documents spread out in full in line
Record with at least the names OF the phyS-
clans. but this was combated, though no Sena-
tor came out as the champion Of the cigarette,
and it was finally agreed that the petitions
should be printed as a document.
II must be said in all seriousness, that the
episode is significant of growing attention to
an evil that is certainly not diminishing. There
seems to be no cessation in the rate OF deaths
from cigarette smoking. Every few days the
newspapers report new victim. The other
day case was announced where o boy, OF
Young man, had smoked five packs day for
some little time previous. Extreme indulgence
of this kind is very rare, OF course, but small
proportion of il would be extreme in many
cases. A statement was published some months
ago and never questioned, that according to
the estimates of New York physicians there are
not less than 5000 cases OF impaired health in
this city, traceable to cigarette smoking, con-
siderable proportion being OF boys. 1t is OBJ
yious that the deaths directly resulting from
this habit, as in the instance mentioned above,
do not give even a faint idea OF the damage
done. One of our best-known doctors claims
that this practice checks the growth Of boys,
and lays the foundation for lung and throat dis
eases, dyspepsia. ETC., which do not develop
themselves until later period
The number of cigarettes annually consumed
shows the wide prevalence Of the habit The an
nual manufacture Of 1,2G0, 200, 900 cigarettes
and an importation of 90, OOO 600 more would
]
liant Of the United States. With large share
of these smoked by boys, it is clear that the
average to the individual smoker Is much larger.
And this calculation takes no account of cigar
cites made by the smokers themselves. In
many of our cities cigarettes are sold two for a
cent at small groceries and in the stores where
school supplies are on sale, so that boys arc
tempted to buy them instead Of the traditional
| school-boy daintieS. The result is that many
boys are able to smoke without their parents
knowledge. There never was time, as every
passenger on the elevated roads can certify,
when the sale Of cigarettes was being pushed so
hard by snowy advertisements, pretty gift
cards and the like, as now
The adult can decide for himself the question
Of the wisdom Of this indulgence, but there is
no reason why the boy should not be kept from
it until he is of proper age, just as he is kept
from buying liquor. There seems TO be no
good reason why Congress should not pass the
proposed law for the District Of Columbia,
though the preccdents do not encourage the
belief that il will be easy to enforce il. The
prevalence Of cigarette-smoking not only among
the boys, but among the girls also in the Chi
cago schools led the teachers TO secure the pas
sage Of State law making il an offence pun
ishable with fine Of 80 0 to " sell, buy for, or
furnish any cigar or cigarettes or tobacco in
any Of its forms to any minor under sixteen
years OF age. unless upon the written order OF
parent or guardian Curiously enough, so
many parents. especially In Chicago. threw