The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1904-12-24
CRIME AND CIGARETTES.

lad convicted OF utterlng forged
instrument at Fargo, Judge Pollock
of the District Court, took occasion
to deliver himself of little homily
upon the causes of crime in young
sters. and in the course of his re-
marks made the interesting state
ment that he never had occasion to
sentence boy to the reform school
who was not a cigarette smoker.
In addition to pointing out the evil
Judge Pollock suggested a remedy
in the prosecution and conviction
of persons who violate the state law
against selling tobacco to minors.
Judge Pollock's remarks are an in
teresting addition to the judicial
literature of the state and are as
follows:-
During my entire Judicial ex-
perience, I do not recall a single
instance when sending boys to the
reform school hut that the fact was
disclosed they were cigarette tiends.
Il noticed statement in the pub
lie press recently by City Superin-
tendent Logic OF the baneful effect
the habit is having upon the young
boys Of the public schools and urg-
ing parents to use their influence
to prevent the evil. Scarcely day
passes that I do not see upon the
streets boys of the age of from seven
to seventeen putting away at the
weed as though they were to the
manor born
about year ago, I, was CON-
PEELED to send a boy of about nine
years of age to the reform school
to save him from worse fate. The
testimony showed cigarette smok-
ing was the sole cause of his i'm
paired mental condition. A con-
census of the opinions of eminent
physicians who have given the mat
ter careful study, is that cigarette
smoking irritates and poisons the
mucus membranes, perverts it's ac-
tion, affecting digestion, the brain,
heart, lungs and liver; skaters the
nervous system and ruins body and
mind; More young men are led to
the opium habit by cigarette smok-
ing than by patent and proprietary
medicines.
Investigation points out the fact
that not only boys but girls also are
coming under the unfortunate infu-
ences of the habit. All of which
leads me to ask myself and other
officers of the law what is our duty
in the premises?' Strange to say,
I have never heard of a complaint
being made to an officer in this state
by any parent because of tobacco
having been sold to their children.
I am fully persuaded that perhaps
there are some persons in our COM
munity who are thoughtlessly SELL
ing tobacco to. minors without know.
ing that it is against the law. 10
all such, I would commend a care
full pertsal of Section 1888 of our
Criminal Code, which reads as fol-
lows:-
"Any person within this state,
who sells or gives to. or in anyway
furnishes to any person under the
age of seventeen years, any cigar
cites, cigars or tobacco of any kind
shall be punished by fine of not
more than $50, or imprisonment in
a county Jail for not more than 30
days
"This law has been a dead letter
long enough. If we do not want
our young manhood weakened, de-
bilitated and often destroyed, action
must be had at once. And l now
cal upon the states attorneys OF
my district to first call attention to
all dealers in tobacco within their
respective counties to the law by
preparing and sending to them a
copyof the same, after which should
violations occur, I advise speedy |
prosecutions to follow, If'the law
is a bad one, its vigorous enforce
'ment will so indicate; if otherwise
salutary results will become mani
fest. Parents, teachers and phil
anthropists ought to and doubtless
will stand shouder.to shoulder with
the states attorneys, sherif's, po-
licemen, magistrates and courts in
fnrtherance of this work. bis
marck Tribune.