The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1904-11-09
Wednesday, Nov. 9, 1904.
The Cigarette Blessing.

1ne cigarette BtessinE.
Our able and interesting contemporary,
the Greenwood News and Views Is always
right in It's news and generally correct In its
views. But last week that newspaper slipped
from It's base or escaped from its moorings.
In the issue ofNov. 4, the following paragraph
appears:
why do not the temperance people, law
and order leagues and all other organizations
which stand for the health and safety of the
people and against indulgences which are
bad, wage war on the poisonous cigarette p
That the cigarette ia charged with the
death OF many boys, We presume, will be ad.
mitted by all, but who shall deny that the
cigarette Is one OF the greatest benefactors OF
the human race. Those who believe that IN
the survival of the ittest the human race is
benefited must recognize the beneficial re-
suits of the cigarette. habit; while 1t is true
that some able todied and strong minded boys
have smoked or do smoke the cigarette for d
time, 1t will be observed that such boys dc
not long continue the habit.
1t Is therefore wrong to charge up ~unlearp-
ed lessons at school to cigarette smoking.
1t is a mistake to charge up cigarette smok-
ing with The early deaths of little weasen-
faced, shallow-minded boys. Cigarettes should
receive credit and not blame.
College statistics which show that cigar
cite smokers recite inferior lessons are no
doubt true; but such statistics prove that the
weaker minds, as a rule, are not as api
scholars as those of the more sturdy build.
The strong minded, and the able bodied boys,
as a rule, do not smoke cigarettes. AS proof
0f this. rpfQrpnpa Ia hod IN tho mooHlIpa
specimens OF humanity that smoke cigar.
cites.
They may be seen on the streets almosta an,
day Of the week.
II cigarettes, therefore, are the "poison"
that the News and Views believes, then thai
paper should acknowledge Its indebtedness
to a poison. which removes the weakllngs
30 that the stock Of such people may die oui
or be reduced.
As the beer drinkers are useful In increas-
ing the mortality when an epidemic breaks
out In a city, 30 the cigarette smoker is use
full in carrying off weaklings before they
reach the age when they would seek to enter
matrimony.
No; our esteemed brother Is all wrong on
the cigarette habit. II serves the human race
d Booo purpose IN carrying Oh the Weakllpgs,
and in furnishing an object lesson to sensl-
BILE and strong boys 1t serves a good pur-
pose.
If South Caroli.,a would bring up a com
mon wealth o fgiants, (morally. mentally and
physically,) then the Legislature should en-
courage the sale of cigarettes, so as to kill of
the weaklings before they arrive at the years
Of matrimony.
The college statistics show that the weak
minded students smoke and cannot keep up
with their class, while the able-bodied and
healthy minded tax all the honors.
Let the good work of the cigarette 60 Oh,
and let the News and Views make all due
and proper amends for its slightly remark
about cigarettes. And then let that paper
make humble and abject apology for appeal.
ing to the Law and Order League to stop
little weak.minded boys from killing them
selves, before sin could blight or sorrow fade"
The Law and Order League has enough sins
OF It's own TO nswer for. without trying to
induce them TO stop the good work of the
cigarette.