Arizona republican., 1919-08-04
MONDAY MORNING, AUGUST 4. 1919
The distance is nothing-it is only the first step that costs.
 Mime. du Deffand.
The Assault on Tobacco

Both the Association Opposed to National Prohi- bition and the W. c. T. U and the Anti-saoon League are in error with reference to the assault about to be made Lady Nicotine. It cannot be a criminal conspiracy the Association seems to be- neve calling for intervention by the authorities If the w. C. T. |. and the League are flooding the country with great expense, nstigating childish essays against tobacco and extOatory of the character of Little Robert Reed" who eschewed instead of chewed the dirty weed" let them do It is their own money they spending the of people in sympathy with them It costs the rest of us nothing and does threaten any of us with serious disturbance.
 The w. c. T. U and the Anti Saloon League have done a great service the country and have headed he forces which have great victory in the overthrow of John Barleycorn But in the language Mawrss Perlmutter, tobacco lis something else again."
 is here stay. It has a place in the affections ,f it's something that intoxicating liquors lad. The evil of strong drink was recognized by it's fevotees fully and more clearly than by those ,n the outside The the outward aspect of he devastating effects of it; they the poverty it wrought the murders it inspired. the shattered bodies victims and the wreck made of famil ies and whole communities. They it's power and
 
 break down of the morale of a nation. All that enough. But the drunkard, the who from distance being swept into the whirlpool rnd felt more. He felt the grasp that was being ightened upon him. He was afraid of himself and here is no deadlier fear than that.
 There is nothing of this in tobacco Whether it S harmless is debatable that is. whether in the normal life of it is harmless. It is it not used hy those underrofnp aiming for s+ren uous athletic performances. Neither do such per sons eat hot cakes or many other things that the rest of us do during their periods training. We have it is true the tobacco heart" also find dys- pepsia and other elements resulting indulgence in generally harmless foods.
 General Grant died of cancer popuary sup posed to have resulted from excessive smoking Soon after that Senator Ben Hill of Georgia, non- tobacco user died of a similar cancer of the throat
 Whatever harm may result from the mmoderate use of tobacco does extend beyond the user Ills family is affected poverty stricken and is not disgraced It is not filthy habit often hear it is. though tobacco is often filthiy used So It has been the experience of almost every that he has sat at table with persons of the cleanest morals yet lost his appetite while watching them Listening to them food. No other animal than hog could have turned his stomach.
 As this not intended to be a defense of to- -hacco may omit mention of the supposed bene- fical effects of tobacco which some have claimed it's soothing influence it's dissipation the cob webs of the brain it's aid digestion the stimulus it gives to ones physical powers All this was outside our purpose which merely show that in the cru sade against tobacco the w. c. T. U. and the Anti Saloon League will have to rely upon their own linn tied membership and the ultra moral of the churches who opposed to the very appearance of evil They cannot count any time upon the great force of public opinion without which could never have been overthrown. opinion which was never directed against the immortality the traffic but against the deadly effect of it.
 The for which the temperance forces were mobilized is Rum has been conquered The volunteers the drafted enlisted contingens have demobized themselves. It is proper that the w. c IT. -U and the Anti Saloon League should be main tained regular army enforce prohibition Bu they will make mistake if they begin war on to bacco with expectation that they will be backed by the force which assisted in winning the wa against