Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1911-11-13
Council Bluffs
WAGE WAR ON CIGARETTES
School Authorities Want None Sold
or Given Minors.
PROSECUTORS GETTING BUSY
Evidence Presented 20 Them VIII
He Uscd-CiEar Men Discuss
Removal OF Slot Machines
from stores,

Sale Of tobacco in any OF its forms 90
boys under 10 years OF age Is very likely
to DO prohibited I'm Council Bluffs, and
Il may be that the aid OF the grand jury
win be summoned 20 enforce the order
1t is said that never In the history Of
the town have there been as many Inn
mature boys addicted to tho tobacco
habit as at the present time, and that
nearly 50 por cent Of the boys attending
the public school. with the greatest aver
age among the High school youths, arc
habitusl users OF the weed. The states
anti-cigarette law IS TO be rlgldly en-.
forced,
Inquiry yesterday among local cigar
dealers disclosed tho fact that there IL
only pretense toward observing the let
ter OF tho Rnti-cigarette law ana none
whatever about the other provisions that
prohibit any person either to sell. give
or In any manner convey TO the posses
sion OF children under i6 years OF age
tobacco I'm any form. It Is not an un-
common thing to see boys s years old
putting away at cigars, cigarettes or
pipes, and they appear to have no diff
ficulty In securing an abundant supply
OF any kind OF tobacco they desire and
haze the money to pay FOR.
Fight In schools.
The fight made by Superintendent Bsv-
eridge and his corps OF teachers to BAN
lsh tobacco from the public schools has
been losing one, with an increase
rather than a diminishing OF the habit.
Complaints Of teachers TO parents. par
ents to teachers and both city and
county officials has led County Attorney
Capell seriously TO think OF taking action.
In addition TO being heartily in sympathy
with preventing the use of the weed by
tender children, he has no option in the
matter of vigorously enforcing tho law
whenever evidence of its violation Is
brought to hts attention. There Is an
abundance of evidence, and II is easily
obtained. This. backed with an increas-
ing demand, makes II quite probable that
prosecution will follow illegal sales.
Cigar Man Talks,
"It looks as IL there was an attempt to
bc mado to outlaw tho cigar stores In
the Same way that the attempt is being
made to outlaw the saloons" said a
dealer last night. "rhe soda fountains
and ice cream parlors may come next.
IOliOWou Dy lnb eNoTCot IL bnlS
wave keeps on. There is not. however,
dealer in town who would not like TO
see Il mado impossible for q kid to get
tobacco, but there is scarcely store
where they cannot get It. 1t is not sold
to them direct. 1t is sold to men and
older boys, Say? mister. buy me some
makin's' is a familiar phrase around the
doors Of every cigar store. 1t is not the
dealer, but the friend that is the dis
penser to the urchins. and IL the law will
light on him good and hard It win not
displease the dealer, But don't make the
dealer the victim coming and going"
Dealers yesterday were more willing
to admit the loss Of trade by the exclu-
sion Of the slot machines% Several OF
them said there had been loss OF 25
per cent OF trade. The inquiries devel-
oped q peculiar phase OF human charac-
ter. Some Of the most industrious
patrons Of the card wheels and slot ma
chimes do not use tobacco at all. Three
men were pointed out who have been
known to- Gpend as high as s. in slot ma
chimes ina single evening and distribute
the cigars to whoever happened to be
present. They played the devices purely
for amusement and to TRY their luck