The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1913-09-04
HUMANITY SMOKES.

II must seem to everyone passing
along the streets that smoking is more
prev alent than ever before in the
community, From what we hear, this
is the condition that prevails gen
orally elsewhere; so we may fairly con-
slider that the increase in smoking is
general among American men, and that
women arc also much given to smok
ing, although the women do not smoke
publicly and in the streets, as do the
men. To such an extent has smoking
become universal that employers are
beginning to bG suspicious that it has
an injurious effect upon their en-
ployees, and the peril Of the discarded
burning Stub" is everywhere recog
nized
The State Of New York has recently
passed very stringent laws relating to
factory employees. this by reason of
the shocking loss OF life in recent fac
tory fires. The State is thoroughly
aroused, and appears determined TO
protect the lives of factory operators.
Among the things that are held to be
offensive in such factories is smoking
Twentyfour factory smokers we're con-
victed in New York City in one day
recently, fifteen Of these getting day
each in JAIL three paying fines, and
FIVE escaping under suspended sen
tences The exhibit of official vigilance
is warmy commended in the newspa-
pers, not only as a favorable symp |
tom Of the rigid enforcement of the |
law, but as an exhibit Of the absolute
necessity Of protecting the lives of |
factory workers, by doing what is
necessary to head Off the causes Of |
so many fires The trouble about |
smokers 70 such factories is that they |
are not careful enough as TO what be-
comes of their stubs. A cigar
Stub is not specially dangerous as a |
rule after thrown away, but the |
cigarette stubs will retain IRE much |
longer, and are in fact peril at all |
times wien they are thrown among
combustible material of any kind.
It is a welcome sign Of efficient en-
forcement of the law to see this vigor-
Gus treatment Of factory smokers,
and it is very likely 10 lead to a rule !
among them similar to the rule which |
is being generally enforced among rail.
road men with respect to drinking. a
rule that VIII probably eliminate the |
smoker altogether from employment in
such factories. The public welfare, in
fact. calls for this elimination. since
the horrors Of factory fires have be.
come terror to the American public,
and a dread 10 the owners Of factories.
So many fires have been traced 10 the |
careless fnging away of stubs -
while tnev are yet alight that a deep
impression has been made on the pub
lie mind as 10 that peril, aud the solici.
tvde cngendcred thereby is compelling
P strenuOusncss In this matter that
would formerly have been supposed TO
be an infringement upon personal lib.
crty. But the public welfare must
take pron." over private preferences,
and every one will commend the vipi.
lance Of the officers Of the law, who |
insist that factory smokers must ston II
their pcrilous smoking. or take the
pcnaltT provided. \ healthy public |
opinion l. necessary 10 sustain action |
Ike this, and il appears that New
\ orh has that healthy opinion 10 sun
Dorts the action OF the authorities
which IS we'll on every account. l