The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1904-12-01
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feels his duty to the community will
not be fulfilled, if he neglects at this
time to affix such penalties as will COM
mend themselves to the public approval
of all fair minded men and at the same
time arrest the attention of law break
.ers and wilful criminals. When a man
in full possession of his faculties, with
gun in hand, holds, up. a person upon
our streets and, steals his property, he
At once commits a crime almost equal
ITO murder. In fact, to accomplish his
purpose he would not hesitate to COM
init the larger crime, Such person
has forfeited his right to free citizen
ship. Henceforth he should become the
absolute ward of the state. Such would
be the rule under. the ipdeterminate SEN
fence plan of dealing with criminals, TN
stil such time as sufficient number OF
years confinement had worked a COM
splete reformation. 1t is profoundly to
be hoped that Our coming legislature
will do itself the credit to pass the i'll
.determinate sentence law.
"But under the law as we find it a
court which will permit such an outlaw
as | have described to go free without
adequate punishment ought to resign.
q "We also have here today the crime
of uttering a forged instrument, COM
united by lad of only IS years of age
whom have concluded, because of his
tender years, to send to the reform
school instead of to the penitentiary.
have studied into this case quite al
length. He comes from good family
in neighboring city. I have talked
with his mother, and am satisfied from
her statement that his first movement ir
the downward course was when, he be,
gan smoking cigarettes. This leads me
Ito say that during my entire judicia
Experience, i do not recall a. single in
stance when sending boys to the reform
school but that the fact was disclosed
they were cigarette smokers. f''*
II noticed a statement in the public
press recently, by City Superintendent
Logic, of the baneful effect the habit j:
having upon the young boys of the pub,
lie schools, and urging parents to use
their influence to prevent the evil
Scarcely a day passes that / do not see
upon the streets boys of the age oi
from 2 to II putting away at the weed
as though they were to the manor
born.
" About one year ago / was compelled
to send a boy of about 9 years of age tc
the reform school to save him from q
worse fate. The testimony showed Gig.
arctic smoking was the sole cause of his
impaired mental condition. Al concensus
of the opinions of eminent physicians
who have given the matter careful study
is that cigarette smoking irritates and
poisons the mucous membrane pervert.
ing its actions affecting digestion, the
brain, heart, lungs and liver; skaters
the nervous system and ruins body ,anc
mind More young men are led to the
opium habit by cigarette smoking thar
by patent and proprietary medicines.
Investigation points out the fact that
not only boys, but girls as well, ars
coming Under the unfortunate irlflu.
e1ces Of this habit, All of which lead.
me to- ask myself and other officers oi
the law, what is our duty in the prem
ises? Strange to say / have never hearc
lof a complaint being made to an officer
in this state BY any parent because. 81
tobacco having been sold to their chill.
idreil am fully persuaded that per.
haps there are some persons in oiil
community who are tlloughtiessly sell
ing tobacco to minors without knowing
that it is against the law. To all such
/ would commend a careful pernsal oi
section 1888 Of our criminal codes, which
reads as follows: 81.
s Any person within this state who
sells or gives to or in any way furnishes
to any person under the age Of ~ years
any cigarettes, cigars or tobacco of anJ
kind, shall be punished BY fine d
not more than $50 or imprisonment If
a county Jail for not more than thirt,
days
This law has been dead letter long
enough. IF we do not want otr young
manhood weakened, debilitated and oft.
len destroyed, action must be had al
once And / now call Upon the state:
attorneys OF my district to FIRST cali ait
teiltion Of all dealers in tobacco within
their respective counties to the law, bs
preparing and sending to them copy
.of the same, after which should viola.
'tlorls occur advise speedy prosecutions
to follow. If the law Is 4 bad one it.
vigorous enforcement will SO indicate
it otherwise salutary results will be,