St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1890-03-29
Bows and Tobacco.

Nervous, worthless wrecks by the hum
dred are growing up among us-the natu-
raj. inevitable result of smoking by boys.
The boldness with which the boys who
smoke do it, shows that they regard it as
very manly thing, and the swagger
which they. often, assume when putting the
| tweed" is an expression of the superior =
ity which they feel in having attained such
| an eminence among their mates. 1t is not
alone the newsboys and bootblacks that
| are undermining both physical and moral
health by this practice in youth. The sons
| of our best people are, many of them,
going the same way. These youths are
| usually little more shy about it at first,
but the habit acquired, they come out
| boldly with the same plea for it's continu-
| ance that their fathers offer, that "now
| they have become accustomed to it, they
| cannot leave off" And, with bad grace,
| the fathers usually submit to the demand
for supplies.
The worst thing about it is, that the
boys commence the habit while yet so
young, when anything in food or drink of
an exciting or highly stimulating nature
should not be given hem. much less any
thing purely stimulant like tobacco.
If the practice were deferred until the
period of manhood were attained, until the
life powers had, in a natural and unob-
structed way, we'll established the physi-
cal health, the evil, afterwards, would be
less than it is when mere boys smoke. The
result in the latter case is lamentable in
every respect. We have seen boys, many
of them, at ten, twelve and fourteen, with
faces pale, cheeks sunken, and hands
trembling from the use of tobacco. The
writer is In position to observe the effect
of smoking upon the mental and moral
faculties of boys. 1t is distressing in the
extreme. Their minds and intellects
clouded, they are absent minded, and their
sense of wrong becomes dimmed as the
appetite for the stimulant grows more
craving. 1t is extremely difficult to make
much progress either in intellectual or
moral attai. ments with a boy who feeds
his brain and tissues with the fumes of
tobacco.
We deem it a great moral wrong for
dealers to sell tobacco in any form to mi
nors. They buy it at that period in life
when they do not know what is best for
them-at period when restraint in many
things is necessary for their good. They
need to be helped over this period, and by
watchfulness and constant encouragement
kept from contracting bad habits.
Our reformers work too exclusively
against intoxicating liquors. : They should
attack tobacco as well. If our youth can
be prevented from it's use until years of
Judgment and discretion have come, very
few will contract the habit then, for it is
very rare to find an adult person of sound
reason who does not condemn the practice
of using tobacco, even if he has, himself,
become its slave.
Boys begin to chew and smoke tobacco,
not because they like it, but because it
seems to them a smart thing to do. Men
that loaf about, seemingly with nothing to
do but to enjoy themselves, are, for the
greater part, smokers. Smoking seems to
be the passport into the company that ap-
pears to the boys the most desirable; hence
they become smokers. So, little by little,
the natural disgust which they have for
the vile weed wears away, and soon they
become perfect slaves to craving for 1t.
Every possible influence which can be
brought to bear to prevent boys from the
use Of tobacco should be employed. The
effect upon the health should be put ii
the strongest light, showing them if they
ever begin to use it, they should wait until
they are men. The expense of it should
be shown them. The vileness of it should
be held to scorn. And if pleadings and
reasonings will not prevent them from this
elf-destruction, then authority should
step in with firm hand.-Selected