Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-06-03

Pure Food Law Works Revo'
luton on Cattle Ranches
of Texas.
EYES OF SMOKERS OPENED
Supposed Tobacco Smoked in Ciearct
Turned Out to Be Largely Al
falfa Leaves.

DIR. Harvey w. Wiley and the United
States pure food law have played hay
oC with tobacco smoking i'll 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,
phlet issued recently by the govern
ment. 1t contains the analysis of vari-
Gus products in general use and among
them popular brand of smoking to-
bacco which is much used throughout
the southwest
When Jim Bedford came III from his
ranch to get his mail the other day lie
found i copy of the pamphlet i'll his
box. 1t had been sent to him by his
old friend Major Nose Harris of San
Antonio, deputy United States intcrnai
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.. Bedford 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
ever man in Texas was given as fol
lows: Tobacco, - per cent; alfalfa, 63
per cent; arsenic. 6 per cent; opium, l
per cent; fluid. 3 per cent.
Could it he true that he had been
smoking alfalfa? And to think that
what he supposed was pure tobacco
also contained arsenic and opium. He
read the analysis over a second time.
Then he arose and walked over to the
counter where the storekeeper 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 III"
he said.
Bill Jennings stared at Bedford in
amaZemcnt.
WHAT'S the matter of you, Jim? You
know l don't keep any Of them things
on sale except tobacco" he said. Il
did have Il few bales of alfalfa hay
last summer. but it didn't pay to carry
it, so l quit"
"Oh, yes, you do sell all of them, and
you have got them in stock right now -
Bedford replied. Il want you TO read
this document"
Jennings read the tobacco analysis
and announced forthwith that he did
not believe n word of il. 1t took Bel
ford some little time to con. jncc him
that the analysis had been officially
made and must be correct.
what am | going to do with all the
stuff | have on handE" jennings III
| quired.
Judging from the amount of dlfalf;
In it, it ought to make good cattl;
| feed" Bedford suggested. You'll he il
| luck If you amt mobbed by some o.
the cowboys when they hear tina
you've been selling them alfalfa amC
arsenic and other things in the guise O
| tobacco"
| Picture of COutcntmcnt.
| The first thing that attracted Be-
| ford's attention that evening when h.
| rode up to his ranch corral was
| bunch of his cowboys sitting upon tn
| board gate. each with rolled ciga
rette in his mouth and the strings of ;
tobacco sack hanging out of his hiI
pocket. They We're the very picture o
| contentment as they poured wreaths o
| smoke from their mouths.
Bedford rode up in front of them an,
silently looked them over for min
ute. Should he break the news t,
| them? Would it not be best to lie
them continue in ignorance of the kin,
of stuff they were smoking? Then h.
thought of the arsenic and oDium an,