Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-02-09
MAJ. Moore Says the Police VIII Rigid
Enforce the New Law.

MAJ. Moore Says the Police VIII RigtdIy
Enforce the New Law.
The President has signed the anti-cigarstte
bill, and il is now against the law TO sell. give
or furnish any cigar, cigarette or tobacco in
any Of its forms TO any minor under sixteen
years of age. The penalty for a violation Of
the Law is from 81 TO $40 or imprisonment for
from fvo TO twenty days. While the enforce
ment Of the law will prevent cigarette smoking
by boys to some extent the police do not have
any idea that it will wholly stop such practices.
WHAT MAI. MOORE SAYS.
Maj. Moore, speaking 20 q STAR reporter to-
day, said that he thought the law a good one
So far as the police were concerned, he said,
the law will be rigidly enforced the same ~ "
done IN regard to the law against the sale Of
liquors TO minors.
II believe, said the major, that some cbecA
should be put against the use of tobacco nv
minors, especially so far cigarettes are con-
cerned. The fact that they are dangerous l.
shown by the reports in newspapers every now
and then that some boy is either permanently
| injured or MORALLY diseased by smoking
cigarettes"
DEALERS NOT FAVORABLE TO cIGkRErrEs-
There are similar laws in other states tut
some Of them go even further than tins lsu.
Some tobacco dealers say they would be sstas-
fed with law that would prohibit the sale of
cigarettes 20 any one, because the profit on
them is small and their sale Injuries the sale of
cigars. Some favor a higher tax on the bus1-
ness so that il will force the cigarettes out OF
the market almost entirely, by the sale cf
cigars in their stead they will be able they say
to more than make up for the loss Of the SIDES
| of cigarettes.
BOYS WILL NOT TELL.
One difficulty in the way of enforcing the
Law will be the refusal Of the youthful smokers
| TO tell where they obtained their cigarettes,
and the penalty provided is such a small ous
| that dealer with many youthful customers
can afford TO take chances Of getting caught
The police have no idea that any of the urchins
who smoke cigarettes win divulge the name Of
the person who sells or gives them. cigarettes.
DEALERS VIEW or IT.
'The anti-smal boy and cigarette bill that
see has become law will not affect us q cents
worth a week" So said prominent avenue
cigar dealer TO STAR reporter this morning
"Why? Simply because We never have sold
and never would sell cigarettes or cigars or
any other form Of tobacco TO small
boys unless We knew. perfectly vel
that they were buying them fox
some older persons and were not going TO
smoke themselves. Its pretty small business
anyhow 10 do what is wrong as that would be
just for the sake of the insignificant profits
that would result from it, Honestly do not
of the better class in Washington who would sell
cigarettes to small boys no matter what the law
| on the subject might or might not be- Ii IL
only the small stores and the dealers of rather
dubious character who indulge in that SORT of
business and they the only ones who would
be affected by the law. 1 for one would not
object to seeing the whole thing put stop 10.
How far the small dealers will be affected
will depend. / think, entirely on how well the
law is enforced In other cities where similar
laws are in effect cigarettes cannot be bought
by small boys. Oh. no: but little paper sticks'
are plentiful enough at two for q cent
"A travelling man for one of the big cigarette
firms was in here recently and in the course of
the conversation he told me that he did not
think the quantity Of cigarettes sold In this.oaty
would be materially affected. OF ooure he
may have been wrong in this, but we viii -
all in good time"
I OTHERS OF THE SANE VIEW.
The same story was told by other dealers ovsr
town. The better class of stores o. . rule
deny that they have had or have de~irsd
Juvenile trade in this line Of goods and aid
that in their opinion. il was only the hssie
shops that would be affected in any way.
As far Is they were concerned themselves
they did not object 10 the new Law and would
rather like TO see il well enforced.