Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1916-03-15
MAKE WAR ON YI0[ATORS
CIGARETTE VENDORS AND USE
RS TO BE PROSECUTED
District Attorney Smith Will Also
Go After Gaming Devices in a
Clean-Up Campaign
VIRoQUA, Wis, March Is. 1916.
" HON. 1T MAY fnNrEpN.

Olean-O Campaign
VIRoQUA. Wis March 10. 1916.
| To WHOM 1T MAY CONCERN:
Recent occurrences nave thoroughly
convinced me that it is high time for
some movement to be inaugurated and
carried out that will TO some degree, at
least, protect the morals of the boys
and girls growing up in our midst. I
nave decided 10 make war on at least
two forms of law viola ion that IS pre-.
valent in our midst. affecting minors. |
refer to certain forms II gam iilg and
The sale and u.s. of cigarettes BY minors.
Section 4908f r S Wis 1915. Sub
section ! reads as fotlhws:
ANY person who shall by himself his servant
or agent or as the servant or agent Of any other
person directly indirectly, or upon any pre-
tense, or b1 any device sell give away or other
wise dispose Of to any minor. any cigarettes. ci-
garette paper. or cigarette wrappers or any sub
stitute thereof OF any paper made or prepared
for the purpose q making cigarettes, or any sub
stitute therefor or for the purpose Of b ing filed
with tobacco Tor smo king shall be guilty Of mis-
demeanor ard upon conviction therefor shall be
punished IN the manner herein provided"
sub section o. the same section provides a
punishment for the violation of the above section
II n fine OF not more than Si00 less than SOS
for the hrst ofiense. and by fine of not more
than 500 nor tess nan s25 FOR the second or any
subsequent 1ifense, BY imprisonment in the
counts JAIL rot 90 exceed sixty daSs. BY both
such fiae OF imprisonment. This Eub-st ctiuu fur
thcr provides that second conviction Tor a vio-
lation of this section shalt terminate the license
Of the convicted party and he shall not be EMIT.
led TO another license a period Of five years.
10 -ss iun oi TN. sam section
g ads:
An minor being in possession If any cigar
cites cigarette psp'r or cigarette VIA pers. and
being asked by any sheriG deputy sheriff police
officer. marshal truant officer probation eftcer or
teacher in any school 20 tell where or from " hom
such cigarettes cigarette paper. or cigarette
wrappers were obtained, who shall use to fur
niah such 10 ormati1n, shall be guilty Of a misde-
fneanor, and up0n conviction therefor shall be
punished ~ tne Of not more than five dollars"
From his ume uu | stand ready to
use al the poNtf | have a. a citiz n,
and al the Authority as distriSt atrcr-
ney 81 this county 10 enforce he ABOVE
provisions to tn very letter, and shall
prosecute every offender brought to nv
notice against whom sufficie,t evidence
can he procured. upun Complaint being
made 80 provided by law and the evi-
dence furnished.
Doctors, scient tic men and ducatiOn-
al men Of every kind agree that the
smoking of cigarettes, by minors, is
detrimental to the health of the user.
| ply sically. morally, mentally and spir-
/ itually. The legislature of this state
has seen fl to pass these wholesome
/ laws for the protection OF the young
and We believe they should be enforced.
! Section 1857 r. S reads ~ follows:
! Amy person who shall sell or offer 10 sell any
thing whatever by the representation or pretense
/ that sum Of money something of value which
4 may be found with. or named upon the thing sold
or that will be siyen TO the pun haser in addition
| 10 the thing 80 O. or by any representation pre-
tense or DEVICE By which the d rehaser is inform
ed or induced TO believe that money or something
! Of value may be drRwn by chance by rea-
son OF such sale shall be punished by imprison-
ment the County mil not m fiian tassrty days
or by fine not exceeding fifty Gallars''
! am also convinced mat these small
punch boards, slot machines aud other
devices which come under the above
| provision and which are run and oper-
at TO- .ie purpose of enticing chill
dren to f,amble thereon shnuid he stop
ped, and from this time on ! stand ready
70 prosecute every viOiator Of this law
80 far as minors are permitted to play
az. with or upon any such device
What is known as gambling proper,
by the operation of slot machines play
cd for money and other forms of gamb-
ling devices ! am ready 10 prosecute
every offender regardless If the age Of
the person permitted 10 play.
There are manv otherg0oo and " hole
come laws intended to protect the rights
Of all our citizens, and especially the
ynurR, that are not enforced, | am
ready as q citizen and prosecuting Of
ficer to aid In the enforcement of these
laws also. and am declaring war on vio-
lators oi those mentioned above as a
starter only
/ can not enforce these laws alone,
but | will use all nov power as a citizen
and prosecuting officer to bring all Of
Tenders To Justice / ask the co opera
tion of all police officers and others
mentioned in these provisions outlined
above. as welt as every good loyal citi-
zen, man or woman, who believes that
We as citizens owe a duty TO every boy
and girl as we'll as 10 the state and ma
ton, in shaping the lives of our future
citizenship. The boys and girls of to-
day will be the men and women of to-
morrow.
! Now, what / ask of every good citi-
zen who is willing 70 help, is to notify
me of the date he, or she, may see any
minor with any cigarette, cigarette pa
per, or cigarette wrappers in his pos
session, and IL possible where he pro-
cured the same and of any date of any
violation Of the gambling lB~s ask
every police officer ard osher persons
named 10 subsection ;.bove to find
out where any such mir.or purchased
the same and if the minor refuses "a
tell, then that they report the case to
me. If any person furnishing the in
formation asked FOR above is unwilling
10 hsve his name made known just write
me making the request that your name
be withheld and | will withhold the
same. but sign all communications sent
to me.
Are sou willing to help?
G. j. SMITH,
District Attorney for Vernon County.
Or Chase, dentist. Office in Nat
9aal Rsnk building. Phone 80