The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-07-25
All Law and No Lhertv

All Law and No Liberty,
Senator HARRIS OF tho SENATE Com mittee
on Epidemic Diseases at Washington re-
ported thu other day their conclusion
that cigarette smoking Is decidedly in
furious to youth: that. in fact tn. use
Of tobacco In any form and by any
body. young OF old. Is Injurious to tie
physical condition Of man." but that Con-
gress has no constitutional power to pro-
hibit the manufacture Or sale Of cigarettes
in the States. as it was ilyoked to do. Tho
report. however. favors tie prohibition of
the importation Of cigarettes from foreign
countries and Of their manufac.re and sale
In the District Of Columbia and n the Ter
ritories. as within the power Of Colyress.
II Congress takes the advice O this
Committee as to the District Of Co.
lumbia and the Territories. it will st
an absurd example OF cranky legislation.
II tobacco In all forms Is injurious to
the physical condition Of man. and ciga-
rettes are only more injurious than tho rest
and to youth especially. why should we not
have legislation against cigars. snuff. and
smoking and chewing tobacco?
1t Is OF the highest Importance to pre-
serve the physical condition OF man from
deterioration. The boys who smoke ciga-
rettes are small part OF the whole number
OF boys, but tho great majority Of men use
tobacco In some form and thus do injury to
their physical condition. in the opinion Of
the committee. II the adult users OF to-
bacco injure their own physical condition.
they impair that Of their posterity. and
hence the necessity Of legislation to pro-
hibit the evil in their case is vastly moro
than for law to prevent boys smoking
cigarettes. Abolish tobacco!
Mrs. PARKER is advocating at Chautauqua
with great earnestness tho reform OF wo-
mems dress. She contends that the present
feminine garments violate both Gsthctical
and physiological principles. They enfecble
and deform women. she says. II tho
mothers OF the race are thus Injured by eX-
listing fashions. why should not Congress
or tho State Legislatures. assembled for
the purpose in special session. for
bid them to clothe themselves thus dcl,.
teriously. and compel them to wear Mrs.
PARKER's reformed and hygicnic garments
instead OF the garments their own taste
selects AS compared with the physical in
by few boys is petty matter.
At this season OF the year green apples
arc blown from tho trees. and many
naughty boys cat them and die in great
pain because OF their folly. Why should
not a law forbid every man who owns an
apple tree from placing temptation OF this
kind in the way OF children. and compel
him to surround his apple trees with fence
insurmountable by boys. or else to pick up
and destroy the green apples as they fall :?
Why should boys be subjected to such q
dreadful danger?
A mother against whose fitness to care
for her children nothing was alleged, was
arrested recently because she permitted
her little daughter to dance on the stage OF
theatre fort few minutes in the evening.
Physicians testified that the child suffered
no physical harm from the exercise. and
there was nothing in her appearance to in
dicate that she was otherwise than an un-
usually happy and healthy child. Yet I'M
der law passed ut the instance OF n
society for managing other peoples
domestic affairs. this little girl was
torn away from IN occupation by
which she earned money. and which
she enjoyed. and her mother was put under
arrest for permitting her to pursue it, Tho
person most interested in tho welfare Of
the child. her own mother and natural
guardian Is not allowed to decide what is
best for her little daughter, though she is
. lady whose tender solicituds for her
children and general competence to have
charge OF them are not questioned Her
mother thinks that dancing for few min
utes In the theatre In the evening Is not
harmful to tho little girl. but rather bene-
dcial. Some other people think differently;
they think it Is bad for the child, and for
that reason the law gives them authority to
stop 1t and arrest the mother.
Many other people think all dancing Is
wrong. morally injurious. and in every way
pernicious. Why not give them the power
to break up balls and dancing parties and
70 cause the arrest OF those who givo them?
Drinking. tempcrately or intemperately
Is terrible evil in the opinion OF many
people. They are so numerous that they
have united In a great national party for
Its prohibition and they will cast hundreds
OF thousands ofvotes at tho next election
perhaps. Why should they not have the
power to arrest every seller and every
drinker OF intoxicating beverages
Senator PALMER thinks that every man
has q right TO remain in the employ,
ment OF another as long as he wishes. and
conversely. OF course, every employer must