The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1900-08-11

UlFlS as well us boys Are SlaVeS
to the Habit Anti Cigarette
League IS Fighting the Evil
and Founding Branch So
'cieties All Over the Country
Some Statistics as to Gig
arctic Smoking in Washing
ton by Youngsters Of Both
Sexes.
~ WENTY-NINE men riding on
III trailer attached to Pennsyl.
" vania avenue electric car in
Washington. D. c., four smok-
ing cigars. two smoking pipes, nineteen
smoking cigarettes, and only four not
smoking, and this percentage being moth.
ing unusual either in the street car or or
the street; eleven young ladies of Wash
irgton's smart set meeting afternoons i'll
a supposed = o'clock tea and substitu-
ting cigarettes for the tea; seven schoo
boys from eight to. fifteen years OF. age.
buying package of cigarettes in to-
bacco store on prominent business
street, light the cigarettes directly il
front Of the store IN the midst of passcrs
by, and then each one putting away walk
:Eg down the street evidently proud of
the achievement; tWerty-one out of TWEEN
ty-seven boys and six out of ten girls in
; seventh grade II a Washington public
s.-hool admitting that they smoke Gig
a.~ttes; fifteen out OF seventeen boys IN
/ fourth grade Washington public schoo!
acknowledging that they smoke cigarettes;
forty girls in four schools admitting
that the cigarette was no stranger to
tkeir lips; fifty boys in one school stating
that they have seen as many school girls
smoking the 'coffin nall" positive knowl-
! edge of three, young society girls of the
| Capital city under the care Of a promi-
| nent physician eachHin dangerous physi-
| cal and mental condition caused by the
excessive use Of the cigarette; statements
| made by reputable tobacco dealers Of the
sale of certain "favorite" brands made
especially for the ladies, and the large
sale of cigarette holders, so that the tell
tale yellow fingers" may not appear;
Inc appalling admissions of the boys and
| g.rls as to the general use of the Gig
arctic and the further statement of the
| boys that the girls "catch on to inhaling
| II great shape;;' the fact that three boys
| ten years of age, without any question
| on the part Of the seller. purchase Gig
a:ettes, cigarette tobacco, cigars, chew
| Ing plug of eighteen out of. tWenty-ttree
dealers Of tobacco; and lastly, the knowl-
edge Of the death Of boys, yes, of girls,
in hospitals and homes, caused by the
/ cigarette. - f.}#~~
These observations lead NE to make the
| statement that Washington, Of all cities
visited by me West or North, is the wors:
! in it's use Of the cigarette in particular
! and tobacco In general ~ + -. r
Gentlemen will please refrain from US
ing tobacco in this ROOM 1t was in a
church Of Washington, hanging over each
gas chandelier and on the walls of the
| room, that I read the signs containing
! this admonition. A conference of one
! OF our well known denominations was be-
ing held. The preachers and delegates
/ were very gentlemanly, and no smoke
was visible In the room, but on many a
| face Of a worthy exhorter was pictured
this desire, ooh, for place to spit!''
| But the boys and girls. BY unanimous
consent of the broad of trustees of the
| public schools Of the District of Columbia
scholars. OF those who smoke or have
smoked the cigarette the percentage in
fourteen schools runs as follows: Boys
troc.a 7 to 10 years Of age, % per cent; ,
from. 10 to IL years of age, SO l-3 per
cent: from - to IA years Of age, so per
cent; IA to Is, in the seventh and eiSth
Grades, 33 1-3 per cent. In the rooms be-
low the seventh grade or where the
scholars are from e to voorr Of 90,
the boys and girls are about evenly d.
videia but in the two higher grades. as
well as in the high school, there are abou;
20 per cent more girls than boys IN
the high schools fully so per cent of
fac boys smoke, and many ofsthe girls
The statement that giris smoke sounds
,hoc!1ins, and it is because SO little at
tention has been raid to this phase. OF
cigarette smoking that the girls- have
felt secure. 1t IS not hard to imagine that
4 SRI who will take from the young men
cigarette boxes both filled and empty,
decorate them with ribbon, and har~
them upon the walls of her room, NIGH.
be induced to smoke one or more, anu
especially if she had 100 boxes so dec
GRATED and hung and every box was filed
as in the case of one young girl.
OF the boys who have admitted snok-
Inc. fully go per cent, as result of the
anti-cigarette campaign, have taken the
pledge of the Anti-Cigarette league, which
reads: 3.-ass r.
II do hereby pledge myself upon honor
to, abstain from smoking cigarettes or
using tobacco in any form at least until
I reach the age of tw enty-one years, and
to use my influence to induce others to
DO the same
Strange to say few girls will agree to
take the pledge. The younger girls, Of
course. are unanimous in pledging them
selves. but Of the girls of fourteen and
over, not more than copper cent will agree.
to sign the following pledge:
"Abstaining myself from cigarettes or
the use of tobacco in any form, promise
to use my influence to induce others to
do the same. also promise never to adj
nit a liking for the odor: of tobacco or
give presents suggesting its use.'
Washington has now 5000 members Of
the Anti-Cigarette league, and will have
when all schools have been visited, at
the same rate 10000 members. Each
public school has boy and girl
superintendent and these have selected
their city officers for the regular boys.
and girls organization.
The work is being carried on by the
federation of young peoples societies Of
the District Of Columbia, which number
s140. thus utilizing the already organized
forces of the Epworth leagues. Christian
Endeavorers, Baptist union, Brotherhood
Of st. Andrew, Luther league, Young Pee-
pies Christian union, Y. NJ. c. a. anu
others. This gives the movement per
manence and character, and it is owing
TO these auspices that the movement in
Washington has had unparalleled success.
far eclfpsing like movement in any