Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1920-06-02
TOBACCO

Hutchinson of the Barton Congrega-
ltional church on Sunday evening
April 18th, 1920.
/ make no apology for bringing this
question to your attention for it is one
of the coming subjects which the pub
lie will be called upon to settle in the
near future. Is tobacco going the
way of liquor, and why shall we see
in few years prohibitory law?
| The revenue from tobacco for a
year would buy fourteen first-class
battleships. 1t would pay the Presi-
dents salary for a thousand years, or
would buy 80 liners like the Titanic.
1t is estimated that four years ago
there were 31,718,449 cigars used
every "a hours in the U. S. A, which
is 1902 every minute. There were
81, 1856, 100 cigarettes consumed every
day, which would be about 275 a sec
ond. The paper thus used would cost
over sixty million dollars. The weight
of the tobacco consumed in the United
States in one year is equal to the
weight of the population of nine
states.
Because of this big demand, I'M
scrupulous dealers and manufacturers
have adulterated with impurities and
drugs, until even users must rise in
in condemnation. If people take poi
son, they want to know what it is and
how much. Tobacco is poison of it
self. A few drops of the oil of to-
bacco or nicotine, placed upon the
tongue of a cat will convince you that
the cat has only one life. A physi-
ologist says the average users life is
shortened ten years. A physician
says the average smoker is never in
perfect health, and his children are
weakened by the poison in their blood
and the smoke in their lungs. 81 am
not much of mathematician" said
cigarette" but / can add to a mans
nervous troubles; I can subtract from
his energy; / can multiply his aches
and pains; / can divide his mental
powers; | can take interest from his
work and discount his chance of sue
cess" The best you can say of it is
a filthy and expensive habit. Over
$500, O0O, 900 year goes up in smoke,
or out in juice. This is more than
ten times the cost of all the churches.
Many who spend their money in this
way ought to buy bread instead.
to degenerate into the place where he
10 titC iIlOSI SCiiicl CfCdtuIc CIGdlCu.
While he is, or thinks he is, ENJOYING
his smoke he forgets, or disregards
the rights of others. Has a person
the right to smoke in public? This
question is forced upon us by the ac-
ton of corporation as well as by the
seffishness of users. In Kansas City
number of years ago the street rail-
way company instituted "No Smok-
ing" ordinance and it became law.
Other cities did the same thing.
Steam trains have their smoking
compartment where men are suppos-
ed to smoke, but often the smoker
Journeys into the coach to visit with
friend or to see that his coat and
grips are holding his seat, thus the
coach becomes saturated with the
smoke he should have left in the
smoker. Many times we have seen
him light up before he lit out at the
station, selfishly forgetting that 9th
ers had to breath his smoke. And
stations have signs, which are not
worth the wood they are printed on.
Custom has permitted men to smoke
in public until they feel that it is
their right wherever they please, ex-
cept in church land we are persuaded
that some do not attend church be-
cause they are slaves to tobacco and
cannot do without it long enough for
an ordinary service) and few other
places. Usage does not settle this |
1t will be a public question in the
near future Non-smokers do not OBJ
Ject to smoking so long as they are
not compelled to swallow the smoke. |
That is what the public smoker COM
peis others to do. There is scarcely |
a lodge or club where the rights of |
the public are respected. We have a |
right to fresh air and pure air. No
man has right to polute it. There |
Is law for smoke consuming factor
les, but the human smoke factory is |
the worst kind. We have laws for Of
tending the eyes, removing glaring
blllboards; laws for offending ears. |
forblddlng unusual and unnecessary
noise; but this law for the protection |
OF the nose and lungs, even though |
through them goes the life giving air. |
is not on the statute book yet, but If |
will be in the near future.
To many people tobacco is exceed
lngly offensive, probably we shall dis |
cover that 1t is also harmful Has |
= any person the right to indulge in a |
haplt winch affords him unnecessary
pleasure at the expense of the Meas,
ure and comfort of others? If the |
use was necessary others might en-
oure. Non-smokers are in the minor
ity. HAS this minority the right to |
offend, Interfere with comfort, posi-
bly, injure the health of the majority? |
Have you ever been enjoying beauti-
ful scenery when a smoker crowded |
to the front, pulled smoke in your |
face and ended the enjoyment? Were |
you ever enjoying the races at the |
fall fair when smoker, disregarding |
the sign on the post, stood at the i
front of the stand, polluted your fresh |
air and clouded your view? If not,
you have been places just like that.
Smoking in public is a selfish dis
regard for the rights of the public, |