New-York tribune., 1908-01-21
LITTLE TINS PROTEST.
Raps Women Smokers Before Al
dermen-A Fe7U Opponents.

Little Tim Sullivan. got it all sides yester-
day at the public hearing his latest pet ordI-
nance for the protection of New 4orks Inora4s-
Stripped Of it's legal verbage. the ordinance. "lch
at its present stage is not really ordinance but
a resolution, says that females must not smoke
in public places Outside public places Little TlIT
being liberal. would not try to control them
I'm not one" he began his speech yesterday ITO
forbid any shmokin'. if she so DESIRES in
the privacy of her private room"
Thes opponents of the resolution took various
grounds.
''What'is law for the goose should be law for the
gander." was the way Alderman DoulI summed up
his feeling long. thin Irishman. with an i'm
passioned temperament. who said his name was
John Henry Smith. appeared to express the sense
of the opposition most adequately.
Tell q woman not do a thing and she's
bound to do it, he warned his hearers IF the
newspapers came out and told the women Of New
York that they hadn't ought to read certain book,
iv'ry woman in this city would be payin a mes
senger boy dollar TO climb down the chimney
and get it
Everybody applauded except the women and the
author of the resolution.
'Ts the gentleman married." asked Chairman
Redmond. pointedly.
'Oi am" said John Henry Smith.
Alderman Sullivan. when he rose to launch his
resolution. announced that he represented the Bow
cry. and was proud of it, It's The most moral part
OF this city" he said. But as regards 10 this
resolution he went on cit was introduced in good
faith. Some people says different parts Of the city
should be treated different I'm one that be
lieves that way"
TINS HEAVY MAIL.
Little Tim" declared that he being
whelmed with letters from women who favored the
ordinance. Good women don't want to see other
women smoking in public II may be European
custou-I don't know I've never been there" said
Little Tim but don't believe the people wants
1t here 1 know of stronger effort 70 make 10
do public good than for the Board OF Aldermen 70
go record against women smoking IN public
Why. when the police raiding disorderIy
houses the strongest affidavit they could make was
that they found women in them smoking. And If
that's bad in one part of the city, why not else
Where-why not on Fifth avenue. with all its fine
houses?"
Then Little Tim" said he wanted everybody 10
take note that his ordinance was not directed
against women, but against the men who owned or
ran places OF entertainment Most of these men
would be glad of this ordinance" he said 1T
would save them in such embarrassing positions as
When' not long ago, a woman who had been to
Europe lighted q cigarette in a New York restau-
rant, and some other wornen-good American wora-
en-told the proprietor they objected"
Then the speaker wound up with what was going
to be grand climax. but unfortunately ne got his
words a bit mixed.
Pass this ordinance" he ended ..aud all that
proprietors of places of amusement will have to do
VIII be to say: Smoking here is not prohibited ty
law!
Then a man with a vandyke beard arose
Pease. he introduced himself '.Dr Charles r.
Pease. l concur in the resolution and 7 5os,o -.
offer an amendment. / would insert after the word
female the words or any person or persons II is
an outrage that women should have TO sit IN srnok
polluted places. having nicotine puffed in their
faces by'men-and with chance TO retaliate It
is an outrage! the doctor cried stepping out into
To fHA
country"
He sat down amid loud applause
Alderman Brown said he believed the proposed
ordinance was unconstitutional. and cited prece-
dents to prove it Also. l believe in wornanhood
re said. No woman viii smoke in public
But It is within the Jurisdiction of this board
to tell them that they shall not"
Any desire 10 speak for the opposition?"'
demanded Chairman Redmond.
John Henry Smith," said that Individual. COM
ing forward It's plain name. and I've few
plain things 10 say. Up to the fifth century men
believed that women had no souls. Then they got
little better. and allowed they had souls. maybe.
Tn sorry 10 see mOnny sthrings of supersti-
ton hanging round the neck of the aldermen.
There's more important points Of morality to be
regulated than women shmokin in public. I can
take Alderman Sullivan to houses in this city
where there's and wife and children-and
boarders. too-livtng and sleeping in one room.
''One law for and women. I say. II you
stop women shmokin' why not stop the hundreds
OF boys that's killing themselves with cigarettes?'
Would you like your daughter to smOke?'' de-
mauded a Sullivan supporter
NO nor my son, nayther" snapped John Henry.
Alderman Doul arose TO say that you couldn't
make people good by legislation.
when old Peter Stuyvesant Governor Of
New Amsterdam he said. "he proposed to have
law passed compelling women to wear deep founces
on the bottoms Of their petticOats. Some deter
mined women waited on him and told him that II
he attempted TO rule them in that way they would
appear in the streets with petticoats at all
The law shelved-
1T am surprised at the audacity OF Alderman
Sullivan, 1t almost makes me drop into poetry and
say:
backward o backward time turns IN his flight.
Suiiivan's old Peter Stuyvesant tonight"
Though a number OF women attended the hear
ing only one 10 the great disappointment OF the
curious got up and spoke. She futtered in with
a bevy of girls in fluffy wells. and whispered her
name to the chairman
Miss Bobby Roberts, he announced
.Robby Roberts?" the aldermen repeated. look
ing at one another.
..Representina- a Chicago theatrical company.
eucidated the chairman
Mics Fobbv Roberts said in brief that the pro-
posed ordinance was tommy rot IhouBh we
don,t want to smoke" she hastened to explain. I'VE
Chicago girls think an anti jump ordinance is more
needed. We're getting St. Vitus's dance jumping
or+ Of the way of automobiles. Pass ordinance
regulating the speed of automobiles.
u title Tim seemed Erieved at the merriment MS
roo1,,tfon seemed at times TO excite Il wish the
board would take this as serious as l do. he
complained,