The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1907-08-21
SHOCK FOR COWBOYS,
Pure Food Laws Revolutionary
Work on Texas Ranches.
EYES OF SMOKERS OPENED.

Turned Out to Be Largely Alfalfa, Sc
the Government Says-Some Trying
to Stop Smoking.
DR.. Harvey w. Wiley and the United
States pure food law have played hav-
&C with tobacco smoking in this part of
Texas, writes the Uvalde correspond
.ent of the New York Sun. The habits
of the cowboys have been revolution
lied by an innocent looking little PAM
Ephlet issued recently by the govern
1 ment It contains the analysis of vari-
GUS products in general use and among
them a popular brand of smoking to-
bacco which is much used throughout
the southwest
| When Jim Bedford came in from his
ranch to get his mail the other day he
found copy of the pamphlet in his
box. It had been sent to him by his
old friend Major Nose Harris of San
Antonio, deputy United States internal
revenue collector for the Uvalde dis
trict. Major Harris had written upon
the front leaf of the pamphlet:
"This will tell you what kind of stuff
we have been smoking"
Mr.. Belford took the pamphlet over
to the store and glanced through it
while his order for ranch supplies was
being filed. The composition of the
brand of tobacco smoked by almost
every man in Texas was given as fol-
lows: Tobacco, 81 per cent; alfalfa, 63
per cent; arsenic, per cent; opium, 1
per cent; fluid, per cent.
Could it be true that he had been
smoking alfalfa? And to think that
what he supposed was pure toba 20
also contained arsenic and opium! He
read the analysis over seccnl time.
Then he arose and walked o,er to the
counter where the storekee. ser was fix
ing up the goods he had bought.
"Bill, put me up about three pounds
Of alfalfa, mixed with arsenic and
opium and little tobacco thrown in,"
he said.
Bill Jennings stared at Belford in
amazement.
whats the matter of you, Jim? You
know l don't keep any of them things
ON sale except tobacco" he said. 81
did have a few bales of alfalfa hay
last summer, but it didn't pay to carry
it, so quit"
"Oh, yes, you do sell all of them, and
you have got them in stock right now"
Belford replied. Il want, you to read
this document" sr7rsas1r
Jennings read the tobacco analysis
and announced forthwith that he did
not believe a word of it, 1t took Bel
ford some little time to convince him
that the analysis had been officially
made and must be correct
What am | going to do with all the
stuff l have on hand?" Jennings in
quired
Judging from the amount of alfalfa
in it, it ought to make good cattle
feed" Belford suggested you'll be in
luck if you amt mobbed by some of
the cowboys when they hear that
you've been selling them alfalfa and
arsenic and other things in the guise Of
tobacco
The first thing that attracted Bel
ford's. attention that evening when he
rode up to his ranch corral was a
bunch of his cowboys sitting upon the
board gate, each with a rolled ciga-
rette in his mouth and the strings of
tobacco sack hanging out of his hip
pocket. They were the very picture OF
contentment as they poured wreaths Of
smoke from their mouths.
Belford rode up in front of them and
silently looked them over for a min
ute. Should he break the news to
them? Would it not be best to let
them continue in ignorance of the kind
of stuff they were smoking? Then he
thought of the arsenic and opium and
decided to tell them about it.
You are nice set of hay burners, .
he said by way of beginning.
The cowboys looked at him in sur
prise.
ITS wonder every one of you and
me along with you have not been
locoed from using arsenic and opium =
he continued.
The cowboys were aroused by this
time. They demanded to know what
he meant by his insults.
II mean that that tobacco which
we've all been smoking is mostly al
falfa, arsenic and opium, and I've got
the document here to prove it,
Mr.. Bedford then read the ANALYSIS
Of the tobacco from his seat in the sad
die. When he had finished the cow
j bows SOlemnly threw away thoir ci0a
rettes and emptied their sacks Of to-
bacco upon the ground.
Il guess the cattle will eat the stuff, !"
one of them said.
II have always heard that alfalfa Is
one OF the most fattening things there
ii said another. eft IL no wonder