The Madisonian. (Richmond, Ky.) 1913-1914, 1914-05-26
TUESDAY, MAY 26, 1914.
SMOKING

bly, one of the most deteStable
habits to which a man can be-
come enslaved, always excepting
the liquor and drug habits. 1t
grows on one stealthily. At first
he has no trouble in throwing the
habit off, and rejoices in his abil-
ity to do so, but long continued,
it fastens itself so firmly on the
nature of the man, that he finds
it impossible to quit. Nothing
can be said in favor of smoking,
yet much can be said against it.
Tobacco has no food value and
has but little value as a tonic,
and the after effe cts, instead of
being tonic are sedative, and
long continued smoking unqueS-
tionably decreases the mentality
of the user. Besides the unpleas-
ant effects on the health of a
man, it is an expensive habit, and
one that is highly disagreeable
to those thrown in contact with
the smoker. No habitual cigar
puffer is, ever at his best mentally
nor is he ever at his best physi-
cally, for science has demonstra-
ted that it Injuries the health and
lessons the mental vigor.
We speak with a great deal of
sarcasm of Mexico and the ciea-
rette, but Mexico could very just
ly retaliate that the American is
a fiend to his pipe and cigar.
Walk up and down the street, en-
ter any public building or almost
any private home and you will
find men putting at a pipe or
cigar.
Statistics show that more than
a billion dollars every year goes
up in tobacco smoke. This sum
properly expended would cIothe
and educate the poor people with
surplus to spare.
Not only is the public at the
present time smoking itself into
a weakened mentality, but it is
lending every encouragement it
can to the younger generation to
in tobacco even more ex-
tenSiVely than we are doing.
Drop in at most any public place
where tobacco is sold, and you
will find it filled with young men
putting at cigarettes. Later on
they develop the cigar habit, and
occasionally you can find some
youngsters putting cigars that
prize their mouth open.
Public smoking should be pro-
hibited. No man has the right
to infict on an unoffending pub
lie the fumes Of either pipe or
cigars, and certainly no man has
a right to smoke in a public
building where men and women
are obliged to congregate in the
discharge of their commercial
duties.
The barber shops are a haven
for the young cigarette fend as
well as the old cigar fend, and
this should be prohibited. The
barber must work in this vile
atmosphere and he is not able to
prohibit it, although he may very
much desire to do so.
Public profanity is prohibited,
and always has been, and any
man swearing an oath on the
street is subject to a fine of $1.00
for each offense.
Many cities have adopted the
anti-spitting ordinance, which is
done for the purpose of keeping
the sidewalks clean as we'll as
healthful. Surely a mans lungs
are entitled to as much protection
from secondhand tobacco smoke
as are his feet entitled to protec-
ton on the sidewalks. We are
aware that there is a cry always
that the people are too much gov
erned and too much regulated.
We doubt this to some extent.
A man and his wife govern their
household, and if they desire,
they prohibit smoking within the
same, and nothing is thought of
it. except that it is a proper regu-
lation. A city is a large house
hold, and it could and should be
governed and established on as
exalted a plane of purity as is a
mans private home.
We smoke, but we will stop il
If we can.