Los Angeles herald., 1909-09-08
Municipal Affairs
PETITION TO ABATE
SMOKING NUISANCE
COUNCIL ASKS CITY ATTORNEY
TO DRAFT LAW
Large Number of Citizens Express De-
sire to See Abolition of Use of
Tobacco on Street
Cars

Single-handed and alone, A. j. Wal
lace scored a victory over the city
council yesterday. 1t was not very
large victory and it has yet to be
clinched but against the strongest
opposition that prejudice and mis-
taken respect for personal privilege
can engender he gained several points.
Mr.. Wallace induced the city coun-
ell TO instruct the city attorney TO
present an ordinance TO the council
next week prohibiting smoking on
street cars, except on the rear end
The presentation of the ordinance does
not mean that 1t will pass and yet
there is some likelihood that the coun-
Gil will accept this measure as a COM
promise and make the ordinance
law, that the street car companies
have said they would gladly enIoIGe.
When the city attorney presents the
ordinance next week there are three
votes that can be counted on in FAVOR
of the measure. They are wallace
Blanchard and Pease. At least nVe
votes are necessary to pass 1t ana the
other two are doubtful
The petition asking that an ordinance
be passed prohibiting smoking IN the
street cars was presented by Mrs. Car
rie P. Wheat, president of the w. 9.
T. u. federation, and a large commit
tee of women interested in the move
ment. The petition asked that smok-
ing be abolished entirely, but Mrs.
Wheat suggested that rather than
have nothing done the petitioners
would be willing to accept a compro-
mise and have it abolished on only
portion of the cars. The petition was
a formidable one. 1t was signed by
the officials of organizations identified
with civic improvement and decency
and about 1900 business men and Wom-
en- The petition was all in one Ions
paper and just to show the council how
many people really desired that smok-
ing on the cars be abolished it was
unrolled and stretched from the pres
ident's seat more than half around the
seni-circle where the councilmen sit.
The dramatic quality of the demand
for the abolition of the 'smoke
nuisance" on the cars was spoiled a
little at the morning session of the
council by the premature reading of
a sample copy of the petition. This
copy was signed by A. e. Merrill and
had been given to the clerk by Mrs.
Wheat merely to show what would
be presented at the afternoon meeting.
The clerk did not understand this and
read the petition to the council. With
only one name signed to It, it did not
carry much weight and every coun-
Gilman except Wallace, Blanchard and
Pease expressed themselves as opposed
to any such measure.
Councilmen Wren and Clampitt were
especially emphatic in their denuncia-
ton of the ordinance asked by the Pc
tition and it was referred to the com
mittee of the whole. A reference to
this committee is equivalent to throw
ing a measure in the waste basket.
Mrs. Wheat and her committee were
much chagrined over the premature
announcement of their plans but they
retrieved the error in the afternoon
and it was probably their presence, as
much as the arguments of Councilman
Wallace. that induced the council 70 in
struct the city attorney to bring down
the ordinance next Tuesday, when it
will be thoroughly discussed during the
afternoon session.
Although the council seems opposed
to the ordinance prohibiting smoking
on the cars, 1t would be difficult to pick
out nine men who smoke less. Blanch-
ard, Healy, Lyon. Wallace and Pease|
never touch tobacco in any form.
Neither does Dromgold, although he
was absent yesterday and had no part
in the discussion. Clampitt and Wren
smoke semi-occasionally, but neither
can be said to be confirmed smokers.
Some of Yonkins friends have said
they have seen him with a cigar, but
If this is so it is so seldom as not to
be noticeable. In fact, the entire coun-
ell can be said to be non-smokers.
It would seem this was an ideal
body to consider such an ordinance,
from the standpoint of the petitioners.
but nearly every one considers that
1t would be an infringement of per-
sonal liberty. Even Wren, who isl
usually the foremost in reform meas
ures, said yesterday:
''T suppose the council has a right
to pass law prohibiting smoking on
the cars, but do not think it has any
more moral right to say I shall not
smoke on the cars, If I feel like it,
than to say I have no right to smoke
in my home"
Supporters of the proposed measure
declare dozens of cities. among them
some of the most progressive in the
world, have adopted like ordinances.