Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1907-05-31
SHOCK FOR COWBOYS,
Pure Food Laws Revolutionary
Work on Texas Ranches.
EYES OF SMOKERS OPENED.

Cattle Ropers Supposed They Smoked
Tobacco In Their Cigarettes, but II
Turned Out to Be Largely Alfalfa, So
the Government Says-Soms Trying
to Stop Smoking.
Or. Harvey W. Wiley and the United
States pure food law have played hay.
oc 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.
phlet issued recently 10y the govern.
ment. 1t 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, 1t 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 stun
we have been smoking"
Mr. Belford took the pamphlet over
to the store and glanced through 1t
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, - per cent; alfalfa. 63
per cent; arsenic. g per cent; opium.
per cent; fluid. per cent
Could 1t be 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 ill.,"
he said.
Bill Jennings stared at Bedford In
amaZement.
WHATS the matter Of you. Jim? You
know ! don't keep any Of them things
on sale except tobacco" he said. IL
did have few bales of alfalfa hay
last summer. but 1t didn't pay to carry
1t. 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"
Jennings read the tobacco analysis
and announced forthwith that he did
not believe word Of 1t. 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 | have on handy Jennings In.
CURED.
Judging from the amount of alfalfa
IN It, 1t 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 q
tobacco sack hanging out Of his hin
pocket. They were the very picture o.
contentment rs they poured wreaths o.
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 lie,
them continue In ignorance Of the kind
OF stuff they were smoking? Then be
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.
IT'S q 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
faifa. arsenic and opium, and I've got
the document here to prove it."
MI. Bedford then read the analysis
of the tobacco from his seat in the sad
die. When he had finished the COW.
boys solemnly threw away their ciga
rettes and emptied their sacks OF to
bacco upon the ground.
Il guess the cattle will eat the stun.'
one of them said.
II have always heard that alfalfa h.