The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1900-11-21
W. G. T. u. DEPARTMENT.
Conducted by the ladies of the w. G.
Il. u. of Anderson. S. e.
AN APPEAL FOR TIE BOYS.
By G. s. BURNETT.

| 40 Iutc. hdt ID " Uc TIC CHARACTER
0f 0uT oitiz oiisiiip III the uow oeutuTj
We arc SO soon to enter? However
great our interest in politics, in tariff
or silver or labor, We realize there is Q
still greater qucstion-one which
indeed, is the end Of all politics AID
govcrnmcnt-Phc Child.
Building character is the great work
of our 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 our boys to
be
"Truly equipped for lifc's mystic bat
tie,
Helmet fastened and sword in hand.'
We must fight the great battles Of
the world through the children. The
secret which decides the fate Of any
battle is found in the preparation
which goes before. 1t IS true of bat
ties for reform.
The eye Of this generation should
be fixed upon the young There is an
army marching forward, in which
every man may be hero, made strong
IN mighty conflict. Put your ear to
the ground and you may hear them,
HTramp. 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
habits they are forming during child
hood and youth.
Within recent years an insidious
vice has sprung up all over our land,
and our brightest boys are falling vic
Tins to it's prey.
This vice is the narcotic habit in all
its forms, and especially in It's worst
form-thc cigarette This cvi! has
grown to such mighty proportions that
State Legislatures and school boards
have listened to the appeals Of the
bravo band Of white ribbon women,
and have given legislation and secured
the enforcement Of the laws in many
places.
Parents, will you 60 your part?
Will you aid in the educational work?
Will you aid In the enforcement Of
law? You can get evidence needed
for conviction if you try. ask you
to look in the faces Of so many Of our
boys who have formed this habit and
see how the better nature is being
crushed out by this vice. and know
that no boy is safe so long as our laws
are violated with impunity. Your boy
may be tempted and may fall. Just
as good boys have fallen. Place the
barriers Of enforced law about them.
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; yet
you are raising no voice, lifting no
hand to protect them. Why? 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
report that they are all injurious to
youth, and Congress passed the law
that the women petitioned for. A
petition for this law was signed by the
teachers and ministers Of the District
of Columbia, and two hundred and
fifty-seven physicians.
The president OF the Ada, Ohio,
Normal school: where are over two
thousand young people fitting them
selves for teachers: says: "Several
boys from here died last year from use
of cigarettes. Two boys were sent to
the insane asylum from Hiram Col
legc from their use in one year. The
school boards Of New York, San Fran
cisco, st. Louis aud many smaller
cities are pushing vigorous campaigns
against the habit. Why should not
all schools take hold of this work?
Why spend money so freely and per.
NIT conditions that make it of none
avail?
-Four girls are now graduating from
our high schools to one boy, and wo-
mon arc capturing all p' les of honor
and profit because her brain is free
from nicotine poison. Unless there
is an Improvement in the personal
habits of our young men in the near
future, the bright young women going
forth from our schools and colleges