Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1896-08-26
AN APPEAL FOR THE BOYS.

A question in importance overshad-
owing all others faces us today. 1t is
this: What is to be the character of
our citizenship in the new century we
are soon to enter? However great our
interests in politics, in tariff, or silver,
or labor, we realize there is still a
greater question-one which, indeed, is
the end of all politics and government
the Child.
Building character is the great work
of u public schools. We want to
place on this broad domain a people
who shall know their rights, and
knowing, dare maintain"
The putting into the generations that
shall follow us the character that can
be trusted anywhere is the thing to be
aimed at. We want u boys to be
Truly equipped for life 8 mystic battle,
Helmet fastened and sword in hand"
We must fight the great battle of the
world through the children. The Sc.
cret which decides the fate of any bat
tie is found in preparation which goes
before. 1t is true of battles of reform.
The eye of this generation should be
fixed upon the young. There is an army
marching forward, in which every man
may be a hero, made strong in mighty
conflict. Put your ear to the ground
and you may hear them: Tramp,
tramp, tramp, the boys are marching"
Whether they march to victory over
self, victory over foes without as we'll
as foes within, depends upon the hab.
its they are forming during childhood
and youth.
Within recent years an insidious vice
has sprung up all over our land, and
our brightest boys are falling victims
to the vice.
This vice is the narcotic habit in all
It's forms, and especially in its worst
form-the cigarette. The evil has
grown to such mighty proportions that
State Legislatures and school boards
have listened to the appeals of the
brave band of white ribbon women,
and have given legislation and secured
the enforcement of the laws in many
places.
Parents. will you do your part? Will
you aid in the educational work? Will
you aid in the enforcement of law You
can get evidence needed for conviction
II you try. l ask you to look in the
faces OF so many of our boys who have
formed this habit, and see how the bet
ter nature is crushed out by this vice,
and know that no boy is safe so long
as u laws are violated with impunity.
Your boy may be tempted and many
fall. Just as good boys haye fallen.
Place the barriers of enforced law
about him.
The man who would wrong your son
by selling this poisonous drug to him
deserves greater punishment than he
who robs you of your property; vet
you are raising no voice, lifting no
hand to protect them. Whyp Partly
because you do not know the danger
Gus nature of the deadly cigarette. A
committee of United States Senators
appointed to investigate the nature of
cigarettes, when legislation against
their sale was pending, brought in a
report that they were all injurious to
youth, and Congress passed the law
tina the women petitioDed for. A pc.
tition for this law was signed by the
teachers and ministers of the District
OF Columbia and two hundred and fifty
seven physicians.
Professor Hartigan, of the West Vir.
ginia University, says: 1.-THE effect of
continued use of this narcotic is to
paralyze the will so that considerations
that would influence q well man have
little weight with an old devotee of the
pipe and quid."
Professor Mardis says: Fifteen boys
fell out of the tenth grade in one year
from the use Of tobacco" He now has
an Anti Tobacco League in every room
with excellent results.
Professor Morris, of Alliance, Ohio.
says, Tobacco is our greatest enemy
The principal of st. Clairsville, Ohio
schools, says: boys lose interest in
school work, become truant, fail in ex-
animation, and fall out of school soon
after the tobacco habit has been..fxed :"
The president of the Ada, Ohio Nor.
NAL School where are over two thou.
sand young people fitting themselves
for teachers, says: Several boys from
here died last year from the use of CT