Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1909-06-02
TIE DEADLY CIGARETTE.
1t Works Evil Both to Health and
Morals,

I Z.
Westminster, May 81. - Editor
Courier: Some time ago your hum
BILE correspondent gave his views on
cigarettes and the cigarette habit.
In writing on this subject we want
every boy and young man to stop,
Onsider, think for just moment.
We are not trying to dictate code
or morals for anybody; we would
not do SO even If the privilege were
given us.
What we want to do is to get the
boys and young men of our country
to see the deadly effects of cigarettes
and cigarette leaves. The following
clipping from the New Century is
timely and to the point. We quote
1t in full
The Deadly Cigarette.
eff all the boys could be made to
know" writes Hudson Maxim, the
great explosive expert, that with
every breath of cigarette smoke they
inhale imbecility and exhale man
hood; that they are topping their
arteries az surely and letting their
life's blood out as truly as though
their veins and arteries were sever.
ed; and that the cigarette Is maker
of fnvalids, criminals and fools-not
men-ft ought to deter them some.
The yellow finger stain is an emblem
OF deeper degradation and enslave-
ment than the ball and chain" Our
boys, we trust, will never touch the
deadly thing.
The thirtytwo merchants Of West
minister who signed an agreement
some weeks ago to not sell cigarettes
Or cigarette leaves or to give or to
allow to be given away through
them, will, we hope, note the above
clipping and use it as argument to
break our boys from this deadly
habit
The law prohibiting the sale Of to-
bacco, cigarettes and cigarette leaves
to minors is clear. 1t Will be noted
specially that any one who reports
person who violates this law will re-
ceive half the fine and the county
half, provided, of course, that per-
son Is convicted.
The following is the law on this
question::
Section $40 Criminal Code of
South Carolina). 1t shall not be law
full for any person or persons, either
by himsel or themselves, to sell,
furnish, give or provide any minor
under age Of eighteen years, with
cigarettes, tobacco or cigarette paper
or any substitute. Any person vio-
lating the provision Of the preceding
section, either in person. by agent
or In any other way, shall be held
and deemed guilty of misdemeanor,
and upon indictment and conviction
therefor shall be punished by fine
Of not exceeding one hundred dollars
nor less than twenty-five dollars, or
by Imprisonment for term of not
more than one year, nor less than
two months, or both, in the discre-
ton Of the court; one-half the fine
to be paid to the informer Of the
offense and the other half to be paid
to the treasurer of the county in
which such convictions shall be had.
Our county and State officers al
ways arrest and try to have con-
victed yiolators Of the liquor laws.
Why can't we have some convictions
for the daily violations Of this law
in every town and community in the
State?
The House of Commons, London,
has recently passed a law by which
tobacconists may be heavily fined
for selling tobacco in any form to a
child apparently under sixteen years
of age.
Every person who has any infiu-
ence should certainly bestir himself
to do all in his power to discourage
this soul-destroying habit.
M. e. Brockman.