Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1895-06-11
TOBACCO FOR MINORS.
Editor Wil1raar Tribune:

Editor Wil1nlar Tribune:
The current number of Kan
diyohi Co. Teacher makes refer
ence to a legislative enactment
making criminal giving, selling,
or in any way'furnishing tobacco
or it's products to minors attend
ing the public schools, and at
taching a penalty consequent up
on the infringement of said act.
The Teacher further remarks,
that the law is good and should
be enforced. With those re-
marks 1 concur. It is good in SO
far as it goes. But it is, to my
mind, too circumscribed in it's
scope.
Certainly it is for the good of
society, and the individual com
ponents of society for whose pro-
lection the law is enacted, that
the youth of our public schools
should be shielded from the
baneful effects that are sure to
follow the use of such pernicious
enervating poisons as is tobacco?
But why limit the protecting
arm of the law to those minors
who are so fortunate as to be in
attendance upon the public
schools, and deny it to those less
fortunate ones, who are, early in
life, by limited circumstances or
lack of suitable tastes or env::::
ronments induced or,
MADE to tread the mills of toll
Up and down in ceaseless moil?'
All of the text books used in the
public schools, with which I am
acquainted, teach the deleterious
effects of tobacco and other nor
cotics upon the human system.
Therefore the pupils of such
school receive, in such instruc
ton, measurable protection
leading them to refuse the tend
er of such Objectionable articles
which the youth out of school do
not obtain; thus the latter stands
in far greater need of the guard
offered by the law.
The only plausible objection to
this proposition of which can
conceiveis that the use of nor
cotic stimulants has a more
marked and certain injurious ef-
feet upon the student then upon
him who is not: Such is, doubt
less. the case; but this conces-
sion by no means initiates
against the proposition from the
undeniable fact that while tObac-
co is more marked in affect upon
the student than upon the non
student, it is positively and po-
tentially evil Don the latter class
who are much more liable to be-
come addicted to it's use for the
reasons above stated.
But suppose that we grant
what seems to. have been the
mind of Minnesota Solons, that
the poor boys who cannot or dc
not attend school, need not the
protecting arm of the law; an.
other difficulty arises. 1t is this
Why did our legislature, in it's
infinity of wisdom, conceive the
idea and enact it into law that II
is criminal act to give, sell to,
or furnish with tobacco a minor
Of the public school supported by
the public fund and at the same
time be legitimate to perform
such an act toward one who is q
member of a private or a paroch
ial school? What an illfounded
ridiculous, not to say ubiquitous
distinction! Do our lawmakers
deem all minors save those Of
the public school outside the
pale Of civilization and therefore
outside the province of it's pro
lection? It would seems so
Hereafter, in Minnesota, the
vendors of tobacco, cigars, cigar
! cites, etc. will ask the minor, be
fore giving, selling or furnish
ing in any way the said article
a quotation something like this
Lets see; are you a member q
a public SCHOOL," Boy-''Nt
Sir. I am attending such anG
such a school," Vender-s:I rs
that school supported in the leas1
by taxation or public funds?'
Boy-'I think not. D. Vender-
"Wel, you must be very certain
about it. You see the suprem.
, power of our state has decreet
that it is very wicked and Grim
/ inal for you to use tobacco in any
j; form if you are a member of tn
= States school and Of course i
you are amember ofsuch school,
school I cannot let you have it
But they have also decreed by
5 inference that if you are a mem
her: of q private or a church
5 school that there. is no evil mo-
! wickedness attached to. its use
and if such is the: case i can le
you have it. If you are not
& member of a public school i
\ lit won't hurt you in the least, il
i, fact tits quite the thing for, 9 DO.
!. Of your age if not a member @
the public schools. - = ss@ q. - .z..