The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-11-25
ANTI-CIGARErTE LEAGUE.
It's Work Should Find Warmcst
Friends Among Women.

To The st. Paul Globe:
AS any subject relating to the protection
o. chlldhood has special interest to women,
therefore avail myself OF the invitation
winch heads your club column. The present
movement against one of childhood's great
est enemies, the cigarette, finds its most
sympathetic friends among women who are
aiIVe to the questions of the day as relating
10 humanity's uplift. The woman.s clubs.
10" SO numerous and usually so beneacent in
their aims, are doing much to drive women
o. wealth and leisure into avenues OF activ-
Ivy where their influence Is largely felt for
good. Sad, indeed, Is that life which thinks
CITY of self. and OF the sordid things which
perish IN the using. The woman of today.
purposeful and noble in her thought is Ieav-
iEg behind invalidism and s.ckly sentimen tai
ity- For this happy change which has come
TO many woman the club to which she be-
longs should have the credit Is It not a piti-
tul contrast that many a mems club presents
with Its gaming, It's eating and its drinking
as the principal attractions?
In busy hour before leaving beautiful St.
Paul have taken up a bit of space in these
columns to ask tender consideration of the
movement which is started In ST. Paul for the
enforcement Of the anti-cigaratte law While
the manufacture and sale of so fendish a
connection as the cigarette is allowed by the
powers that be, the mothers ard sisters must
help to keep them away from the boys, for
whom they have an ever increasing fascina-
ton. Surely If women made the laws, or
had part in doing so, there would be little
delay in getting them on the markets, and
thus preventing men of ayarice from fattening
their greed of the souls of debauched and
outraged childhood. The nicotinized and al
coholized brains of men, themselves the vic
tins Of gross self-indulgence. are unable or
unwilling to protect the child by this SEN
sible and rational way Of treating the sub
ject.
USE MORAL SUASION.
While working from the legal side Of this
question may | suggest that there is another
the moral suasion side? While trying TO
keep the cigarette away from the boy,
through the anti-cig7rrette league work We
appeal to the noblest that is in the boys and
enlist them in opposing the evil by heir prac-
tice ard their influence. While in st. Paul
and Minneapolis, 1 have called upon the
superintendent of the public schools present.
ing, as bsst l could, the plan for anti-cgar-
cite league organization which has proven
successful IN the schools of New York, Bos-
ton. San Francisco and ether cities and
which, under authority of the Chicago board
Of education. l am engaged in promoting in
the Chicago schools.
AL S|lIe-l L4Ofe1lASu ike LllS should not
be neglected even at the expense of the
neglect of some other branch of educatic,
This can be combined with the instruction.
now mandatory. upon the use OF alcohol and
tobacco In Their physical effects The whole
tide of the school be turned againgt
cigarettes and kindred evils By enthusiastic
teachers who will enlist the boys and girls
Women's clubs and charitable organizations
can do no better than 20 secure from the
board of education the privilege of swinging
into line in anti-cigarette work and we soon
may ho0e to sing a song of victory over the
grave Of this debaucher Of youth But he
public must do its part
Lucy Page Castor.
1119 The Temple, Chicago. IL
Among the clubs OF Minnesota that are re-
markable for push and pluck is the Twentieth
Century club, Of Duluth Organized last Sen
TENDER. 1t is department club. directing its
work along eight distinct lines, viz: Educa-
ton. reform Gneluding material improve
ments), art and music home economies. liter
allure, history, philanthropy. philosophy and
science.
In addition the club possesses unique fea-
ture in its Guild. or Evening Extension.
established for the convenience and pleasure
Of wage earning women. OF this department
Miss Statham, the secretary of the club
says: The guild. though organized but a
month ago. has $50 members, and many more
are eager to join as soon as we procure
headquarters. which We expect to do within
the next four weeks
The promoter Of the club, Miss Mary B.
Statham, is very hopeful OF the results of
this evening extension work. and is a. firm
believer in department work generally The
negotiations for spacious club rooms are well
under way, and other arrangements for the
winters work are complete. In the splendid
lecture course which the members have
planned one name appears which will be of
particular interest to St. Paul people. in view
Of the local controversy over his doctrine OF
child study-thGt of ]. Stanley Hall
1t would seem that the Twentieth Century
club had struck happy mean between the
haphazaTd irresponsible reports of regu-
lar meetings and the spirit-killing isolation of
the 'no-report" clubs. In this case the sec
rotary is authorized to furnish club notes to
the daily papers once a week, and such other
matters as the club wishes to have published
must be signed by the president and two SEQ
retar,es. This insures accuracy and fairness.
and prevents disagreeable exploitation of any
one member.