The times., 1901-03-14
Anti-Tobacco Crusades.

The latest development in Mrs. Nation s
Ineteoric career is her announcement that
she will now go on a crusade against
tobacco II is not certain whether she
viii arm herself with brickbats, hatchets,
or mere words in attacking cigars and
pipes. and the sensation which her cru
sade stirs up will depend somewhat
upon the settlement Of this point. When
il comes TO trying TO talk man out Of
the tobacco habit, the most persuasive
feminine eloquence is apt to fail, and the
smoker calmly replies in the words Of
Kipling:
A woman IS only woman bat good cigar
is d smoke.
There is good sound logic at the bot
tom Of this The enjoyment Of cigar or
rneerschaum is one of those purely person
al habits which affect nobody seriously,
and Interference with which is an unwar-
rautable check on personal liberty. It
goes without saying that no gentleman
viii smoke in the presence Of lady if
the lady does not like the smell Of to-
5acco, any more than he viii offend her
prejudices in any other direction unless
Il is necessary. Courtesy demands that
no one shall knowingly cause discomfort
sake of his own personal pleasure But
when it comes TO forbidding the smoker
TO enjoy his cigar at all, that is another
matter. and what is, in the first instance.
q small sacrifice gladly made for the
sake of the comfort OF others. becomes
bondage 10 petty tyranny in the second.
The very essence of good breeding is, on
the one hand willingness TO make certain
small concessions to the wishes Of others.
and. on the other hand, carefulness in de-
manding such concessions. The we'll
bred person viii Doe careful 10 respect the
prejudices Of others. and also wise in
not having too many himself lie viii be
tolerant and yielding not too self-asser-
live and not zoo exacting.
All these principles Of good breeding
and ordinary common sense are disra-
rarlcd by the fauatical anti-tobacco
crusader. 8Irs Nation and her like not
only request, but demand, that all the
world shall think as they do This is not
only impolite but silly, because all the
world is not going 10 think as they do or
as any other one person or sect does,
Tor "a good many generations 10 CONE
perhaps never. What is more il would
lc q very bad thing II these people could
get law passed against tobacco, or any
other harmless and enjoyable article.
since such legislation or such dom
iuati91 by public sentiment, OF a
mans personal habits. is generally mis-
oLievous. II makes an irou-cIad Jaw OF
what should be natural Development: it
wcakeus respect for law, since amy man
can see that the legislation is unneces-
Eary. and IL thus tends 10 make law
breakers 10 sumptaar3 legislation of
amy kind ever failed to result sooner o..
later in riatous living. il is the iustiac-
tiye protest Of human nature against be-
ing compelled 10 conform To the dictates
Of "a certain temperament not it's own II
there IS one thing which this country
needs more than anything else in the
world just at this time la its history, fl
is thorough respect for iaw-the law
which stands on the statute books II
there is any other one thing which Is next
In Importance, il is the right kind Of pub
lie sentiment to make the unwTitten law
q public sentiment: tolerant. yet not lax;
righteous. not Pharisaical; eager for pro-