The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-02-10

Lots Of fun was had in the senate
yesterday with Senator Evans anti
smoking bill. The consideration of the
measure occupied almost the entire ses-
sion, and it finally failed to pass, the
vote standing nine for to seven against,
three members being absent.
The bill (senate bill No. 81, was taken
up ON third reading. Senator Rideout
offered an amendment to the bill, max
ing the age limit Is years instead of
q, and Senator Chambers amended by
making the age 16 years. But the latter
amendment was lost and Senator Ride
outs amendment carried.
Then the friends and opponents of the
bill began on il. Almost every mem
Der had a word to say about it, and the
debate waXed warm, even to tOrridity,
at times.
Senator Kiesel led the opposition. He
opened out on it right at the start with
a motion to strike out the enacting
clause, which would have killed the bill
then and there, but it failed to receive a
second
Senator Rideout mildly favored the
BILL saying that he thought the tobac-
co habit tended to dull the intelligence
OF the rising generation and render it
less fit for the battle of life. Senator
Tanner thought that the proposed law
would tend to the advancement of good
morals in the same way that the cur
few law tends, and would prove a re-
straint upon young men, for their own
good. Senator Robson made his maid
en- speech of the session in favor Of the
measure, speaking Of it as a highly
proper and almost necessary bill, con-
sidering the rapidity Of the spread of
the habit.
Senator Kiesel was of a different
opinion. 1T savors of blue laws and
puritanical measures" he said. Years
ago the leaders of the dominant church
promulgated such a law in their Word
of WISDOM but, 10 my mind, moral
suasion would accomplish much more
than anything like this bill. Why, we
would not have penal institutions
enough to contain the offenders. These
things ought TO be left to the parents,
and let them punish their children. But
the idea of criminally prosecuting a
child for a thing of this kind is mon
Strous.'' Mr.. Keisel offered a sugges-
ton for a substitute making the par
entS responsible and filming them. in
stead of their children, and in doing so,
said that he presented it just to show
the abSurdity of the whole proposition.
He said he thought that education
would dispose of the matter. any
ed, 1.-THE use of tobacco is often its
own corective-it makes them SICK
In concluding, he suggested that a sys-
tenn of rewards to those who abstained
from the use of the weed might be bet
ter than a law forbidding it.
7 am not a believer in the state
Tnent," said Senator Cannon, that peo-
pie can be dragooned into cleanliness
or legislated into goodness, but l look
on this measure as a means of educat-
ing the people against the use of tobac-
co, and 1 favor it. In old days, people
had to be taught the virtues of SANTA
ton and temperance by wise refOrmers.
This measure win teach them the evils
of nicotine poisoning, and it ought to be
passed.
Senator Shurtliff opposed the bill in
its present form. He said he would like
to see something done tC, prevent the
spread of the pernicious tobacco habit,
but to speak of sending children to
prison for INDUCING, was all wrong.
SOME INCONSISTENCIES.
Senator Howell very ably opposed
the bill. He said that primitive methods
in schools have yielded to the higher
law of teaching the young to govern
themselves. THE peace officer x given
no discretion by the BILL said he, Ito
or reprimand the offender
who at once is made a laW-breaker for
an act in itself no more sinful than
many others which he may commit (
with impunity. He is a witness to daily
by his seniors of this same
and may even be aware
that the peace officer making the ar
rest and the magistrate imposing the
penalty are both addicted to this often
sive habit Of ours, and indulge in it /
without restraint, while he is a Grim |
inaI for the same" Mr.. Howell re-
ferred to the law forbidding the sale of
tobacco to minors under IS, and said
in conclusion, that he was not willing
to believe that the evil could not be |
COPIED with in this way.
Senator Thomas offered an amend |
ment forbidding the use of tobacco by /
between the ages of Il and 20, |
but this was lost.
Senator Bennion favored the law, :
saying that he thought it would have |
z favorable effect on the younger gen.
Grafton.
Senator Alder opposed it an the
ground that it would not accomplish its
purpose. He thought it wrong to place
4 shield around the youth for to say
that he must not do a thing which
would take away from him the neces-
sity of teaching him to resist tempta-
ton. "In these mountain countries"
hey virtually pass from beneath the
restraint of parents at 16. AT is they
are as big ard strong and mentally de-
reloped as men, and to pass such law
against them would arouse ell the old
Adam in them"
Senator Evans, the introducer of the
oil, defended it. He said that to fol-
ow out Senator AIder's suggestion We
should have to repeal the laws against
gambling and larceny and trust TO the
peter natures of our youths to help
hem out of temptation. 1T would
end TO make Utah more refined" he
vent on, ito pass this law l have
heard dozens OF men of ripe years be-
moan the day they began this habit.
We should stamp it out Utterly. Why,
should like 10 see a law passed <o--
,iding The use Of tobacco by all men of
age. The curfew law has
lad its good effects. and so will this
me. We cannot hone to eradicate the
vii, but we can at least alleviate it.
iope the bill will pass"
Senator w. c. Nebelzer asked if the
parents of the offenders would be COM
,elled by the law to pay the fine BE
.ause if that is so L should be much
lgainst the BILL said he. "as il would
,ankru9t some families"
Senator Evans said that the culDrit
himself would have to pay the fine.
Senator Chambers mc-ed to amend
he bill making the maximum s. instead
f 500, saying that the heavy fine
would give officers a chance to get even
90 frequently, The amendment car
led, as did Senator Bennion's amend
nent fixing the maximum length Of i'm
at ten days instead Of three
confhS.