The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-06-11

which eats anG sleeps, and the thinking be-
ing, which does, or should, appreciate and
control the blind movements of the Other.
Ihere IS a constant struggle between the
conscious being and the sensual being
which Is always going astray, and it is to
p~aralyze the voice of conscience that man
polsons and stupefies himself with mar
cotlcs, and not because of any natural in
cllnation nor for the pleasure that he i'm
mediately derives from the habit.
This is often true in civilized communi-
ties, but the reasoning is not ample enough
to cover the entire subject. OF the 800. OOO,-
UO or more human beings who indulge in
narcotics-that is more than half the entire
population of the globe-what proportion
can be said to be sufficiently moral or on
not in the habit of crediting the mass of
the Chinese or the hordes of India
with the possession of thai useful
monitor, certainly not the savage tribes of
South America and Central Africa, espe-
ciaily when the questions to be decided so
commandments The savage conscience,
II 1t can be so called, usually recognizes no
law but brute force, and whatever morality
there may be in the savage character is gen-
orally the result OF this sentiment.
Iolstoi nevertheless brings special argu-
ments or instances in support Of his theoty,
among others the exploits of the old man
or the mountain and his servitors. When
TINS strange parsonage wished any one muir
deied he made the assassin who was to
make way with the intended victim drunk
with haaheesh, in order. as the writer al
leges to quiet his conscience. This is prob
ably the first time that q con ,cience was
ever attributed to these fanatics who,
whether in their sober moments or drunk
with hasheesh. believed that their whole
duty consisted in obeying implicitly the
commands of their master. The object of the
narcotic was to give them n fictitious cour-
AGE that insured the accomplishment of the
DEED, regardless of tell and danger. Other
instances given are more pertinent, and
bear directly on the general question of
morality. In one of them a Partisan cook,
intending to murder his mistress, had al
ready entered the chamber where she was
sleeplng, when he felt his courage fail him.
lie went into the dining room and drank
two glasses OF brandy that he had previously
prepared, after which he cut the throat of
ms victim. Bnt his moral faculties had not
been sufficiently stnpetied. When he saw
the blood flow and heard her cries he found
nc still had not the nerve to finish. He fled
70 the parlor, took a seat, and having further
brutallzed himself with the fumes of n
cigarette, found himself able to 90 bnclk
and complete his bloody task without com.
FUNCTION. These details were related by
the murderer on his trial. The part
that liquor played in this instance is
by no means new. but there is
Il certain novelty IN making the cigarette
I'm auxiliary to crime. that criminals in
general and women who lead absolute lives,
are much given to liquor, often rs n means
OF weakening the conscience or deadeninp
remorse, is a fact generally acknowledged.
1t Is IolstoIs theo:y that when Il person
desires to do a thing he should not do, or
or doSs not feel inclined to do something
ne ought to do he takes a cigar or cigarette,
ana SO sturetieS his conscience that the
wrong action becomes easy and natural,
Ihe use OF tobacco presents CO tain adyant-
ages over ether nal cotics. The taking of
opium and hnsheesh is neither convenient
nor altogether clearly. Tobacco il easily
carried. easily kept and not Offensive TO
others when kept within certain ~restric- |
tons. The more widespread, therefore,, are |
ats evil effects. Why asks the Russian
"are gamblers invariably inveter-
ate smokers? Why is tho use OF
the cigarette 50 rare among women Of II
reproachablo livesp Why do women
who lead bad lives and those whose nervous
nre Frustrated smoke incesaantlyY'
and ho replies that in all these instances
habit no doubt goes for something, but in
most cases the motive ia the sitting Of that
disagreenble monitor, the conscience.
The faults, the ~seltishness, the Illusions
OF the slaves of tobacco, Gro thrown into
relief. The habitual moker in his %infatua-
tion forgets the proprieties of time and
The weil-bred man IN not ALWAYS "A
smoker. IL in a railroad oar or n
room no asks those present il they object to
moking every II knows no expects an
f1rmitive answer, md there il either n
Liniia assent or an ominous silence. The
most elementary politeness would seem to
10 suggest that Buch u question should