The record-union., 1895-02-06
WAR ON The CIGARETTE.
Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand Boys
Pledged Against 1t.
Grand Results Have Come From the
ORGANIZATION of an Ant1-C1gar-
cite League.


this country, and a strong fight is now
being made against it. This fight, ac-
cordiug to those who are leading it, has
been so successful that the number of
schoolboys who smoke cigarettes has
been visibly diminished. An Anti
Cigarette League was formed in New
York City, little over year ago, by
School Commissioner Charles Bulkley.
1t now consists of $4,000 members-all
schoolboys. The Board of Education and
every Principal in the city have now given
their hearty approval to the scheme.
Branches are established in all the ninety
five grammar schools and in many of the
primary and parochial schools of that
city. The New York World says:
A boy has enthusiasms which are easily
aroused if the right methods are en-
ployed. By judicious handling he can
probably be made to despise cigarettes as
strongly as he has hitherto yearned for
them. 1t is hoped that the time is not
distant when the cigarette-smoking boy
will be thrashed out of his habit by his
indignant school fellows.
Membership in the league offers boy
many chances of heroic enterprise. AS
we shall always have the poor with us,
30 it is to be feared we shall always have
boy. The cigarette fighter can keep himself
busy licking the smoker. He will grow
stronger by leaving cigarettes alone, and
will therefore be the better able to fight.
In this way he should find an amusement
which will more than compensate for that
which he now obtains by defying his par
ents, his teachers and the pu bic author
ity, and incidentally destroying his con-
stitution.
The cigarette it is argued by the fight
ers, is the badge of the most degraded
classes OF humanity. 1t Is shame that
it should also be commonly seen in the
mouths OF those who are only entering
life. The fact that some decent people
smoke cigarettes does not make them
decent. Among the men addicted to the
cigarette are to be found those who detest
it most. They are in the clutches of the
vile thing and cannot shake themselves
free.
The league is an association of boys who
voluntarily undertake TO renounce the
cigarette. They wear badge of men,
bership, and the breaking of the rules is
punished by the removal OF the badge.
That is terrible disgrace.
There is a law in this State forbidding
the sale OF cigarettes to children under 10
and the smoking of them by such chill
dren, but it is totally Ineffective. The only
way to bring about reform is by appeal
ing to the sense of decency OF the chill
uTou. luSy De lDdt III
order to grow up strong, wholesome, in
telligent and able to earn their living,
they must avoid cigarettes.
In England it Is customary for school
masters to thrash boys who are seen
smoking cigarettes. That way is effective
with the submissive English schoolboy,
who has been taught to obey his masters
and pastors, and to be hum BILE in various
other respects. With the precocious,
iberty-loving American youth, who
knows the Declaration of Independence
by heart, 1t is useless and Is not at
tempted.
1t is an aggravation of this evil that the
cheapest ana worst cigarettes are usually
bought by boys. The schoolboy pays for
his cigarettes at the rate of three for a
cent. If he had to pay more he would
probably abstain. One seldom hears of
boy lavishing his money on cigars.
Many large cigarette making concerns
derive a considerable part of their profits
from the destruction of the health of
children.
THE CIGARETTE DESTROYS MIND AND
BODY.
Before joining the Anti-Cigarette Cru
sade School Commissioner Hubbell was
convinced of the greatness of the evil by
conversations with some of the best
known physicians in New York. They
assured him that the boy who became a
confirmed cigarette-smoker at the age of
say, 10, was reasonably sure TO have bad
health and a shortened life.
The cigarette-smoking boy uses the in
strument of destruction in the deadliest
possible manner. He takes quick. hard
puffs, inhaling the smoke till it reaches
his lungs. There it leaves deposit of
nicotine, volatile oil OF tobacco and oil of
paper.
The deposit, after doing injury to the
lungs, ls taken up by the circulation and
n Str ffNI1fa Il r,svl, 81
inevitably befouls the blood, weakens
the circulation, impairs the digestion,
stunts the growth and brings on a condi-
ton of general ill-health. The mind is
injured as greatly as the body in this
process.
The school teacher observes that the
cigarette-smoking boy is not only in ILL.,
health, but is unable to do his lessons
he is lstless and inattentive, and really
incapable of mental exertion. He be-
comes truant and ne'er-do-well and
leaves school prematurely, oftentimes, to
become a member of gang or disrepu-
table character, instead OF useful mem
ber of society.
The death of number of schoolbovs in
this city has been traced by doctors
directly TO cigarette-smoking. The chief
medical examiner of an important insur-
ance company has declared that he would
not accept as risk any applicant who
had been cigarette-smoker between the
ages of S and Is.
THE RULES OF THE LEAGUE.
Here is copy OF the document pos-
sessed by each school, consisting OF the
pledge and constitution:
We, the undersigned pupils of -
school, DO hereby pledge ourselves upon
honor:
First-From this date to abstain from
smoking cigarettes in any form until we
reach the age OF p years
Second-To use all influence that W g
possess to induce all public school BOYS
ana other boys OF our acquaintance TO
give up and abstain from smoking cigar
cites until such boys shall attain the age
OF u years.
Third-By giving the pledge hereby
made, and by signing our names TO the
above, we constitute ourselves mem bers
OF the Antl-Clgarette Smoking League OF
- school OF The City OF -.
CONSTITUTION
Article l. This association shall he
as the Anti-Cigarette League of know
- school No. - OF the City OF -
Article = The object OF the association
shall be the suppression of the habit OF
cigarette-smoking among the public
school boys OF --, by personal exam
PIE and other proper means.
Article 3 The officers OF the associa-
ton shall be a President, Vice Presi,ianr
and Secretary. There shall also ba q
council OF ten members, sll of whom
shall be pupils attending said school.