The Duluth rip-saw. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1917-19??, 1919-04-26


! greatly worried lest the women
Bryan and the M. E. church take
from them their materials for smok-
ing, chewing and expectorating.
Like the shot that was fired at Lex
ington, the American tobacco habit
has made it's way around the world.
Today, it is more prevalent and uni
versal than the itch or even scrofula.
The first white settlers, especially
those gentlemen adventures and
jail birds who settled dear old Vir-
ginny, traded the white mans liquor
habit to the Indians for their abor-
iginal tobacco habit.
When the Pilgrim Fathers landed
on Plymouth Rock, they first fell on
their knees and then upon the abor-
igines, as one facetious historian ex-
presses it. The untutored but canny
red men soon got even by taking
the Puritan boys out behind the rude
barns and small hay stacks and
teaching them to smoke and chew
"the weed" as some bon vivants
call it.
''Using the weed" requires either
chewing, smoking or dipping,
coupled with splitting more or less
copiously, unless the local ordi-
nances, as in Denver, forbid splitting,
when it becomes imperative to
"swaller."
Copious expectoration, as prac-
ticed by Noah A. Young, superin-
tendent of county schools, is looked
upon by cultured folk as a filthy,
unsanitary habit. Despite that, many
a prominent American, other than
Supt. Young, has practiced smoking,
chewing and. expectoration, ad Hbi-
tum, as the musicians and doctors
term it. Even United States sena-
tors have been famous for their
prowess in chewing and splitting.
Artists of all kinds have received
inspiration from the putting Of
pills" In the late world war, de-
mocracy was made safe only by lib
eral use of the soporific cigarette.
A doughboy who did not hang a
"coffin nair' on his lower lip never
really became hero. Many good
Christian woman, even members of
the w. c. T. u, wept and worked
to secure cigarettes for the dear
sojer boys in the trenches Of sunny
France.
theoretically, at least, the Metho-
dists are especially "pizen" against
the use of tobacco. In practice,
however, many popular and efficient
divines of that denomination have
enjoyed long and notorious liaison
with mistress Nicotine.
The late Rev. DR.. Robert Forbes
was a peerless preacher and served
his Master extremely well. At the
same time, he was firmly addicted
to his "plug" and his 25-cent COL
orado maduro cigar. It was a real
treat to see him blow smoke wreaths
or to spit over the bunch Of spinach
that he was wont to wear on his
chin.
Had that straight and narrow M.
e. book of discipline been read and
applied to the beloved Doctor, he
would have given up his smokin' and
chewin' or Mother Church. He man.
aged to stick to both. 1t has been
whispered, however, that the presid-
ing elder and then the bishop played
blind in one eye.
Since Old John Barleycorn was
given his decree of Punishment from
this great land of the American
Eagle, the personal liberty chaps
have shivered, as they laid awake
nights, through fear of crusade
against the "evil weed" as the good
folk call it.
It frequently rains in Duluth and
often pours. Now comes a veritable
double Northeaster in the form OF
a crusade by the stern but Clearly
members Of the W.. G. T. u, de-
manding the Punishment of mistress
Nicotine from Duluth at the identi-
cal time as that of Old John Barley
corn. These good women declare
that the tobacco nuisance must 60
and at once, for long skirts may
come back into fashion at any time.
The women Of today are too much
enlightened and particular to sweep
I'D spittle and tobacco leavings with
their silken trails. Already, litera-
ture is being circulated, propaganda
pushed and prayers offered to make
Duluth a smokeless, cudless and
even snussless city.
Jimmy" Bachelor, the chappie
who teaches the kidlets how to play
innocuous games suitable for young
childhood, has taken captaincy in
the campaign and, before the "evil
weed finally is rooted out, he hopes
to become general, although he
likes to puff pill on the sly.
Rev. DR.. Ryan, shepherd OF st.
Paul's Protestant Episcopal parish,
thinks this movement is inopportune
and illy-advised. The good doctor
must be haunted by recollections of
the way the late chief McKercher
was wont to burn up tobacco, there
fore he looks on this crusade as too
heavy a stunt for mere mortal man
to tackle.
Rev. John G.. Schaibly, however,
shows neither fear nor doubt. AS
usual, he is cock-sure and willing to
talk about it, most loudly. He
stands for the Punishment of mis-
tress Nicotine as firmly as the boy
stood on the burning deck. He
states that all Methodist ministers
are in duty bound to abstain, there
fore the laity should do both as the