The Liberal democrat. [volume] (Liberal, Kan.) 1911-1924, 1916-08-18
TOBACCO

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now and then. He is entirely repre-
hensible and very interesting. The
other day he gave me his views on to-
bacco. which are quite shocking. Il
pass them on to you, that you may
see how dreadful some men can be.
Tobacco, he said, has added much
to the pleasure of human existence.
Perhaps 1t is true. as some say who
profess to know, that 1t has at the
same time shortened it. If so, 1t has
wrought a double blessing. / never
understood why people want to live
so long, anyway.
The desire to keep on living after
decrepitude has set in is little more
than bad habit. And IL we are con-
demned to live along after our fac
ulties have failed, surely our bright
est lamp of consolation is tobacco.
When the joys of the flesh have de-
serted us, and we can no longer eat,
drink and dance, what is left for us
save the calm satisfactions of the
spirit? And tobacco is dissipation
of the mind. 1t is not an animal in
diligence, but purely human. 1t ex-
cites no heats, kindles no lusts, Is
conducive to no manias.
No man comes rolling home and
beats his wife under the influence Of
tobacco. The spirit of the weed is
opposed to violence. 1t is a peace
maker and fertile in meekness, and
hence has title to the claim of being
blessed.
And why is tobacco called a vice?
Surely its influence on the mind is
the very essence of virtue. 1t makes
one mild, gentle and indisposed to
quarrel. Every man lays down his
pipe when he begins to fight; and 1t
is of primitive ritual, even from the
veriest children of Nature, the noble
red men, to compound difficulties and
come to compromise, smoothing out
all the wrinkles of hostility, under
the spell of "the pipe Of peace"
How many a bitterness has gone
up in blessed smoke! And therein
how many an angry thought and
poisonous grudge had vanished like
an exhalation! How many souls
wound has been healed by its balm!
And yet the sin hunters must needs
sharpen their arrows against 30 good
a friend.
1t is said tobacco is bad for the
nerves, the stomach, the heart. Pos
sibly. II one finds it so, let him give
1t up. Some there be who cannot
eat pork or sugar. They have our
sympathy. But shall we close up all
packing houses and salt down all
sugar plantations for their sakes
We should treat the weaker breth'
rem" kindly, but should we let them
rule the house?
Our nice opponents say tobacco
stinks. To them, yes. But to me the
frangipanni and jockey club on the
lady's kerchief is disagreeable, and
so is the smell of mutton on the table.
Tobacco to those who like 1t, is
Just the sort Of thing they like. De
gustibus non disputandum. Let US
go our separate ways in peace. Let
those who like the air in stuffy meet
ing houses attend them. Let those
who dislike the air of the smoking
car 60 to the ladies' coach.
No. Tobacco is the friend of harm
less dreams and quiet mediation, Of
harmony and peace, of forgiveness,
of understanding and of tolerance.
When l repeated this conversation
to Miss Pringle of the Woman's No
tional Purity Association, the veins
in her temple swelled and she ex-
claimed:
THE beast"
But" l returned, you forget.
No beast smokes"
To which she answered, ooh! Oh!
OH"
Than which there was no more to
be said.-Dr. Frank Crane.