The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1909-04-01
Diverse Reflections
No man can understand woman
when-the band begins to play.
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uOH-IliO OoAu OCSluS W pay
The cigarette habit seems to
worry those who are not addicted
more than those who are addicted
to the habit. Avoiding the pro
and con the coffin nails are not
craved SO much when thrust at
youth as they are when forbidden.
The latter is the accompanying evil.
We have heard that the cigarette
habit has led many youths to
prison. Such an assertion is
dramatic fallacy. This is my indi-
vidual opinion. | am seeking no
praise nor striving for popularity.
Therefore the truth is the motive
for referring to this subject. The
clergy, university men, prominent
men and women, speak to audi
ences against this habit. Kindly
note-they preach against the
cigarette evil. Laws are enacted
still the evil exists. Why do boys
smoke cigarettes? Chiefly be-
cause they are made aware of the
evil, before even indulging, by
warnings. Let's consider an &C.
tual case. Billy k, a boy
OF ten summers was given box Of
cigarettes. He had been warned
not to smoke. He smoked the box
and continued to use them. The
following summer he was visiting
at an aunt's home. Oae evening
be lay in bed smoking peacefully.
a footstep suddenly alarmed him.
He hastily laid the cigarette be-
hind shoe on q small table and
curled up as though asleep. His
aunt entering the room spied the
lighted end of the cigarette under
the center Of the shoe. She soon
lifted the shoe aside and said:
Here, Billy, quit pretending you're
asleep. Finish your smoke. II /
had known you smoke these things
Ia bought a supply for you." She
smiled and cbatted. Billy finished
his smoke. The halo had been
cast aside. The habit was dropped.
Had he been scolded the chances
are he would have continued the
, habit. Get your boys cigarettes;
let them smoke themselves sick;
teach them acknowledgements
self-control; but never forbid what
is SO alluring or some day you'll
learn how the boy deceived you.
Again, adults are aware Of the evil
tendency of cigarettes. The proper
way to rid a community of the evil
is to get the business men to fore
60 selling the cigarettes-even to
adults. If the city ordinance for
bids the sale of any specific thing
it becomes the duty of every citi-
zen to enforce such laws as are for
the individual good. To quote
teacher:
walking down Nicollet avenue,
[ saw five Central High school
boys, all of them under age, suck
ing cigarettes. have seen twenty
boys before starting out from
school light their cigarettes-in
some part of the building. They
come to us smelling like the back
door of a glue factory and we stand
it." These words are indicative of
persons who watch violations Of
law and lack moral courage to in
sist on enforcement of law. Those
who violate the law, selling cigar.
cites, and the consumers are blamed
for the evil; while prominent per-
sons and officers sworn to enforce
laws become onlookers, preachers,
DISCLAIMERS and the law officers be-
; come amused auditors as their pay
comes regularly.
Does the cigarette habit conduce
to an increase in penal institutes?
The logicalconclusion is no. Those
who use cigarettes to excess are