Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-11-24
A CIGARETTE CRUSADE,
The Woman's Christian Temperance Union
Purpose to Stop Boys From Smoking.

A CIGARETTE CRUSADE.
The woman's Christian Temperance Unior
Purpose to Stop Boys From Smoking.
A MEETING LAST NIGHT, AT WHICH MANY FIGURE.
WERE QUoTED-THE INJURY DONE THE BOYS
BILL DRAFTED TO KEEP CIGARETTES FROM
BOYS.
Boys under sixteen years. OF age who
smoke cigarettes or any other form OF
| tobacco on the streets had better break
away from the desire and the habit as
rapidly as possible, for a campaign has
been planned which will make things very in.
teresting and very expensive for the juveniles
who now puff themselves into stunted man.
hood or premature immortality. The Wonan's
Christian Temperance Union OF this city is
going to ask Congress for such legislation as
will protect the health of children and the
members Of that organization don't propose to
do much Of anything else this winter but work
for the bill they will have INTRODUCED at the
earliest possible moment. That's why the boys
had better come to speedy conclusion on the
tobacco question.
| THE MEETING LAST NIGHT
| Garfield Memorial Church was pretty thor
oughiy filled last night with an audience that
was evidently interested in the matter that was
| to be discussed. A few boys and girls were
| present. but the majority Of listeners was COM
posed of scdate fathers and mothers.
PLEASE arise and join me in repeating the
| Lords Prayer" said Mrs. Emma F. shelton
district superintendent Of narcotics" and in
| response there was the rhythmic murmur of a
| thousand voices.
] "Blest be the Tie that Binds was then sung.
] and it was followed by the reading Of Scripture
4 nv ila Rp,,,J AIrG Tnho rol
prayer and asked for all that was requisite to
| make the meeting a success.
| Then Rev. DR.. Power spoke Of the universal
! love for boys and girls and dilated upon the
| number and insidiousness of the evils that be-
set them. The most modern of these evils was
| the cigarette, of which not one person in hun
| dred had heard twenty years ago. He COM
mended the anti-cigarctte campaign and af-
trmed that no department of the W.C.T.U. WINS
| doing more valuable work than the one which
was trying to save the boys
| MRS. HELEN L. BULLOCK.
| DR.. Power introduced Mrs. Helen L. Bullock,
national organizer of the W.C.T.U. and the
/ vision.
| Mrs. Bullock is lady Of little more than
medium height. Her face is a strong but pleas
| ant one, surmountcd by an abundance Of silvery
gray hair Her black dress was devoid of orna-
ment save only the pleasant break Of color
|
commenced at the waist, passed around the neck
and finished where 1t began. Mrs. Bullock took
possession OF her audience without any
oratorical prelude; went right into the
heart Of her subject. The narcotic habit,
she said, was at the root of the drinking
| habit, and then ensued u succinct nd easily
understood description of the effects of mar
cotics, drugs which excite. depress and finally
derangc. Medical authorities were quoted to
show that the majority OF those who were re-
4 l.. Al. 4
| Academy were rejected because Of tobacco
| heart" One case was cited OF Young man of
! this city who stndied very hard to secure q
naval position. He passed frst-class exnmi-
nation in every respect save physically: the
doctor said his th-oat and lungs were covered
| with ulcers-the result of cigarette smoking.
TESTIMONY AGAINST THE CIGARETTE.
! Abstracts from letters written by prominent
educators were read DR.. Darling Of Hamilton
College declared himself to be enthusiastically
| favorable to the anti-tobacco law. Dr. Barnard
of Columbia College said that the free use of
| tobacco, especially in the form of cigarettes
was doing much to undermine the constitu-
| tiOns Of young men: its pernicious influence
| was second only to that of intoxicants. Dr.
Hitchcock OF Amherst College and others also
added their testimony. Doctors and educators
all agreed. said the speaker. that restrictive
| measures were necessary in the case of boys of
tender years, and it had not, in consequence.
been difficult to secure the enactment of proper
| anti-tobaccO legislation in twenty-threc states
COMPETITION FOR PRIZES.
Touching upon the inducements held forth
| to boys who were inclined to smoke cigarettes
Mrs. Bullock denounced the money prizes
| offered those who returned to the manufactures
| the greatest number of vouchers which certain
| firms placed in each box Of cigarettes, but her
Remuneration OF that practice was not half SO
scathing were her criticisms of immoral and
| indecent photographs circulated, she said by
| many cigarette manufacturers. The growth Of
| the business because Of these inducements had
been enormous. In 1887 one firm had put on
the market 2. SIS, 800 cigarettes, and in 1883
the increased consumption of cigarettes was
seventeen times more than that of cigars. The
question, who smoked these cigarettes?' was
answered, "Some men. some women, but as
rule, boys" 1t was to make converts among
the boys that the dealers offered prizes. Mrs
Bullock said that reports received from large
number of teachers in day schools showed that
30 per cent OF the boys smoked cigarettes.
DEMAND FOR LAW.
There was demand for laws ON the subject
The increase in the consumption Of cigarettes
was not SO great last year as in years immedi-
ately preceding; this was believed to be one Of
the results Of the W.C.T.U agitation.
Among the interesting statistics quoted there
was particularly startling showing made by q
New lOrk banker, VINO mad been accustomed to
smoking six cigars day. each costing GlI
cents. For fifty-eight years he had obstained
from smoking and had saved the money. put
| ting il at interest. The result was the accumu-
lation of S96,719.49 and the preservation of
health.
Mrs. Bullock was willing to admit that to-
bacco might, under some circumstances save
life. Cannibals would not eat those who were
addicted to the tobacco habit.
Opium morphine, choral and cocaine were
DISGUISE and their ravages exposed. the spcakerd
closing her address with an appeal for female
conservation to the work now in hand.
A number of young ladies took up a collec-
| ton while Mrs. Power sang LEAD, Kindly
Light"
TIE BILL PREPARED.
! Mrs. Shelton then stated that the W.C.T.U.
was going to make special work Of the anti
| cigarette fight and read bill which had been
drafted and which would be introduced in Con-
| gress next week.
The bill provides that no person in the Dis
| trict shall sell cigars, cigarettes tobacco in
any form to anyone under sixteen years of age.
| II also provides that no person under sixteen
| years Of age shall smoke or in any way use to-
bacco in any form in any public street, avenue.
ally or place in tho District, and it prescribcs
penalties of not less than SIS nor more than S25
for violations Of the provisions.
Mrs. Shelton said it wOqld be necessary to
support the bill by strong petitions, and the
| work would have to be done quickly. She
called for volunteers to circulate petitions.
| Mrs. Bullock wanted new members of the W.