The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-03-14
Anti-Tobacco Crusades.

The latest development in Mrs Nations
meteoric 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
it comes to trying to talk a man out of
the tobacco habit, the most persuasive
feminine eloquence is app to fail and the
smoker calmly replies in the words of
Kipling:
"A woman IS only woman. but good cigar
is 4 Smoke
There is good sound logic at the bot
tom Of this. The enjoyment of cigar or
meerschaum is one of those purely person.
al habits which affect nobody seriously,
and interference with which is an unwar-
rantable check on personal liberty. 1t
goes without saying that no gentleman
will smoke in the presence of lady if
the lady does not like the smell Of to-
bacco. any more than he will offend her
prejudices in any other direction unless
it is necessary. Courtesy demands that
no one shall knowingly cause discomfort
~ AAipSf WIN NllpAlA NJ dSSbt4dN+Sg Ibr lle
sake Of his own personal pleasure But
when it comes to forbidding the smoker
TO enjoy his cigar al all, that is another
matter. and what is. in the first instance
small sacrifice gladly made for the
sake Of the comfort of others. becomes
bondage TO 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
mandng such concessions. The we'll
bred person will be careful TO respect the
prejudices of others. and also wise in
not having too many himself. lie will be
tolerant and yielding, not too self-asser-
live and not too exacting.
All these principles Of good breeding
and ordinary common sense are disre-
garded by the fanatical anti-tobacco
crusader. Mrs. Nation and her like nos
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
for a good many generations to come.
perhaps never. What is more, IL wouId
De a very bad thing If these people could
get law passed against tobacco, or any
other harmless and enjoyable article
since such legislation, or such dom
ination by public sentiment, Of a
mans personal habits, is generally mis-
ohievous. II makes an iron-clad law Of
what should be natural development: Il |
weakens respect for law, since any man |
can see that the legislation is unnecss- |
Eary, and ii thus tends TO make law
breakers. No sumptuary legislation OF |
any kind ever failed to result. sooner or |
later, in riotous living. II is the instiac- |
tive protest Of human nature against be- |
ing compelled 10 conform to the dictates |
of certain temperament not It's own. If |
there IS one thing which this country |
needs more than anything else in the |
world, just at this time in 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, IT is the right kind of pub
lie sentiment to make the unwritten law
a public sentiment: tolerant. yet not lax: |
righteous, not Pharisaical; eager for pro-