Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1901-02-21
FIGHT AGAINST CIGARETTES.
House Concurs in the Senate Prohibitor
Measure. l.

Measure.
Dover, Feb. 10. The House, yester-
day, by vote of 20 to -, ooncurred iu
the Senate bill prohibiting the manu-
faoture and sale of cigarettes, cigarette
paper and cigarette tobacco in this
State. In order that he might move
for reconsideration, Representative
Kitchen changed his vote from the
negative to the affirmative. nf
Representative H8lcomb said the bill
was unconstitutional. There are two
paper mills in the State; and If they
ever undertook to manufacture cigarette
paper, the bill would prohibit the
| industry. If the bill we're PASSED,
smokers could obtain cigarettes from
other States.
Representative Hope replied that he
had been informed by lawyers that the
bill was not unconstitutional.
Representative Hardesty pictured the
evil of boys smoking cigarettes, and
said the bill was good one,
| Representative Clark read letter he
had received from a hoy at Delaware
City, as follows lin reference to
Senator Brasrre's bill, will you kindly
use your best efforts to have such a
bill passed. l have yet to find a
| cigarette smoker who does not hope
the bill will PASS, especially of the
| tiend class. Cigar tie smokers, aa a
rule, would be gla, to stop smoking
cigarettes, but they cannot: they would
welcome anything that tends to stop
them. Senator Brasure's bill is the
oaly thing that can stop them. The
bill that limits the sale to persons over
II years of age does no good. as any
boy can find some man with DO principle
to buy cigarettes for him. / do not
know of any habit easier to contract
and that ruins man or boy quicker
than cigarette smoking, and many
firms will not employ a person who
smokes cigarettes. have never met a
tobacco dealer who said he sold
cigarettes as an accommodation, or
there was any profit in them. Tho
manufacturer, however, has q very large
profit. ] cannot see how anyone could
vote against bill of this kind, unless
he was Interested in the manufacture
of cigarettes or had grudge against
the youth of our State / have smoked
cigarettes for eight years, and am
posted on the benefits { y TO be derived
from the cigarette habit"
Representative Holcomb suggested
that Representative Clark present the
writer of the letter to the attorney
general. The old law has not been
carried out, Representative I1olcomb
added, and substitute bill, limiting
the age to q years, instead of IL, has
been introduced.
Representative Kitchen said it would
be outrageous to shut out paper mills
that desired to manufacture cigarette
paper. The bill would also shut out
of the market all smoking tobacco. as
all of such tobacco is olassed as
cigarette tobacco.
Representative IIardesty declared that
, Representative Kitchen Hook narrow
view OF the matter. II the mills could
not manufacture cigarette paper or
cigarette tobacco. let them manufacture
something else. The health of thou.
sands Of boys was at stake.
Representative Hope remarked that
it was not dollars and cents to him,
: but principle. The substitute bill
, would not be effective.
Representative Holcomb said cigar.
cites would be gotten by mail oil
express.
Representative Hope disagreed with
Q him.
Representative Kitchen said there il
8 in Wilmington cigarette factory thai
3 employs $50 persons. II the bill vert
5 passed, the operators of the factory
would be compelled to leave that city
Ii boys could not obtain geuuin,
9 cigarettes, they would manufacture
: them themselves by utilizing smoking
! tobacco and toilet paper.
9 Representative Finn thought ,
i cigarette with the ingredients suggested
8 by Representative Kitchen and made il
8 a toiletroom would not be worse thar
: the genuine brand
! Representative Moore gave cigarette
I statistics Of other States. He believed
t in fostering industries; persons VIII,
, indulge in cigarette smoking foste
: cotfinmaking. He was not disposed /,
hamper manufacturers who wanted t,
u do business in a legitimate manner
|, After explaining that he intended tt
vote for the bill. he moved that it b.
recommitted. He made the motion s.
that the question under discussion
!, might be better understood.
: Representative Baynard urged tina
I, the bill be recommitted. He did no
@ want to get on the wrong eide of
question affecting the manhood of tn
l. State. The use of cigarettes is al
!, abomination. Put the offence on th
i boy who smokes them, and make hin
n pay fine.
Representative Moore's motion t.
y recommit was defeated. as was also
b motion made by Representative Robert
son to make the bill the special orde
9 for 2.30 O'Clock next Thursday after
II noon.
The bill was concurred in by the fol
lowing vote;
neutrality-suspicious. Aron, Chan
n dler,, CLARK, Clendaniel, Finn, Gooden
/ Hardesty, Healy, Kitchen, Hodgson
!. Hope, Long, Moore, Pilling, Ralph
Z Shallcross, Vineyard, West and Whit
"a and Speaker McComlpons.
d Noes Representatives Baynard
,r Dayett, Ewing. Hearn, Holcomh
" Hutchinson, Monaghan, Pepper; Pretty
Il man, Robertson, Short, Scotch an
u Wright.
f. Refrained from acknowledgements
If tives Layton and Warren.
SENT TO SENATE GRAVEYARD.