Connecticut western news., 1902-02-27
TO OBLIGE OUR FRIENDS.

No one who has not been in the news paper business knows how many clip pings from the press of the country are turned in by this and that person to a newspaper office to publish if there is room" These articles have been given to the public before, but nevertheless the country local paper as rule obliges in most cases. Every now and then some lady from somewhere or other sends in a piece on the evils of tobacco using. We publish many of these clippings as they are harmless and sel dom have any effect on the tobacco trade. Our attention has been lately called to two considerably different ar ticles on tobacco which by way of con- trast we publish.
 THE TOBACCO HABIT.
 The Medical Brief" magazine which claims to have the lagest circula- ton of any Medical Journal in the world, in an editorial article in it's July issue, 1901, said:
 Tbe effect of the excessive use of tobacco in weakening the heart, enfeeb- ling digestion, and depressing the nerve centers is illustrated on every hand, more especially among the adolescent of the male sex
 The toxic agency in tobacco seems to spend itself on the nerve centers. weak ening their control, and absorbing the energies of the individual It does not appear to alter the constitution of pro- toplasm as does alcohol: but it deprives the system of tone, of reserve force, diminishes 8 mans stamina, keeps him chronically run down and susceptible to the unfriendly influences of environ ment>
 Like all habits, the use of tobacco tends to grow upon all but men of the strongest will power. Few can quit even when it is made plain to them how much harm it is doing.
 While the following is in no sense an answer to the above it is a relief from the usual extravagant rant against cigarettes.
 CIGARETTES.
 The other day in a neighboring city 8 minister took occasion in his sermon to denounoe the sale of cigarettes to boys. Whereupon, a newspaper in the same city says, complainingly. "The clergy and teachers inveigh against the use of llquor, even including sweet cider, but seldom is denouncement made from the pulpit against the use of cigarettes -a m enace quite as serious to the growing youth as the use of liquor"
 The complaint, we are glad to say, is just, and the fact Is credit to the clergy The fact is that the denuncia- ton of cigarettes, which has been so popular and general, is itself a fraud. The best medical authorities have in vestigated the subject over and over again, and are unanimous in declaring that there is no form of tobacco smok- ing so nearly harmless as cigarette smoking. We do not believe in the use of tobacco, especially for boys. It certainly is injurious to children, and we think grown men as rule would be better of without it; but to single out cigarettes as the objects of denunciation is nonsense. and the boys are bright enough to understand that fact. Fur thermore, the ultimate effect upon the minds of these same boys is to discredit any other admonition from the same source. They hear people whose opin- ions they would otherwise respect ex- travagantly dencuncing cigarettes They read such danunciations in news papers. They know that the things that are said about cigarettes are not true. and it is very easy for them to conclude that other things said by the same people are not true either. It is quite as great a mistake to denounce that which is innocent as it is to fail in denouncing that which is really hurtful, and we believe the crusade against cig- arettes has reacted to such an extent that it has done great deal more harm than good, if, indeed, it has ever done any good at all.-Poughkeepsie Eagle.