Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1921-06-09
TObACCO'S FOES
LOSING GROUND
Canvass Of 7,847 Editors Shows
1893 Communities Against
Abolishlng Weed.
ANTS LOSE THREE STATES.
Utah, Under Mormon influence, Only
Commonwealth to Adopt Prohlbl.
tion Measure During Year.

yet not altogether late alcohOl?' Is
the question asked by Carrot Smith
In an article In the current issue Of
Leslie's Magazine"
The writer reaches the conclusion
that while there has been increased
agitation and legislative activity on
the subject Of tobacco following the
success Of the drive for prohibition
of liquor the efforts Of reformers seek.
Ing 10 abolish tobacco have no general
support. This opinion is based on the
results of the Qucstionnnires on the
subject Sent out TO newspaper editors
of the country by the Press Service
Company of New York City.
The questions asked were:
C) Do You fnvor the enactment OF
laws prohibiting the personal use OF
tobacco by adults2
(2) In your judgment does the gen.
eral sentiment Of your community
favor such legislation?
(S) Is the use Of tobacco personal
" Objectionable TO you?
No arguments accompanied the ques-
tions and from their form 1t was i'm
possible for any editor to determine
the attitude of the Questioncrs.
Out of 1858 editors questioned,
7,S47 replied according to the summary
given. These editors, 1t Is estimated.
represent a combined circulation OF
2l,STO.Oi6. OF the 7,s47 editors reply
ing, 1893, or 05 per cent, represent
public sentiment in their communities
as opposed to antl-tobacco legislation.
Only go editors, or 3 per cent OF
those replying believed there was any
considerable sentiment favorable to
tobacco prohibition. There were ia,
| or 2 per cent, in doubt, while 20 failed
TO record their Judgment.
Editors Judgment Unbiased
ut is of special interest to note
that $50 editors in answering the first
question, personally favored such
legislation. although only 2GO of them
reported that public opinion also ia
vored the prohibition Of .tobacco-an
indication of the conscientious effort
made by the editors to distinguish pub
lie opinion from their Owl personal
opinions" the article continues.
"The highest percentage of replies
reporting public opinion favorable to
prohibition of tobacco cnme from Utah,
where IL per cent Of the editors
thought the public We're for such n
movement. Utah Is the only state
which has since adopted an anti
cigarette Inv. The result wns fore
| cast by several Of the editors who
stated that the influence Of the Nor
| mon Church was against tobacco. The
Mormon Church Is also strong In Idaho,
which is the ether state where the use
, of tobacco was recently prohibited,
| but the governor has signed the bill
| Just passed, in which the prOhibltOry
| legislation Is repealed. In this state
| 50 per cent Of the editors estimate
| sentiment in their communities MS
| against tobacco prohibition, which,
nevertheless, Is @ per cent below the
| average reported opposition.
1.-THE legislature Of Tennessee some
weeks ago passed and the governor
has signed a bill repeating the anti
cigarette law Of that state. The ques-
tionnalre showed 03 per cent of its
editors believed the public against
a]nti-tobUcco legislation. The legisla-
ture Of Arkansas hns also passed n
! bill repeating its anti-cigarctte law. In
this state o. per cent Of the editors
reported against tobacco prohibition.
Arizona's Practical Joke
"A bill, introduced in the current
session OF the legislature Of Arizona
to prohibit smoking in public dining
rooms and other public places, was
first amended to prohibit the consump-
| ton in public of peanuts, chewing
| gum, tea and coffee and then defeated
| by the senate. The QUESTIONABLE
| returns from that state were 92 per
! cent no.
'In Iowa where the nos were 95
/ per cent Il bill to repeal the anti
! cigarette law has been passed and
\ signed by the governor.
"a bill to repeal the anti -clgarette
law In Kansas, with 80 per cent nos
IL receiving the attention of Its legis-
lature. Last year n petition for n
| referendum !n Oregon to prohibit the
| use Of tobacco failed Of sufficient Sig
natures to bring the question to a
vote, md 05 per cent Of the editors
declare their public against legislation.
In Oklahoma nm ti-cigarette bill has
been reported ~unfavOrably In the
house. The editors Of that state re-
ported "a per cent against its public
support.
"Outsidc Of Utah, where Mormon
| influence predominates," the article
concludes, tho a%ntl-tobacco move
ment appears, as in the case Of Ten
nessee, Arkansas and Iowa, to be los
! ing ground and Is not to any cOnsid-
cradle extent supported by the peo-
| pie"
The friends Of tobacco feel partlcu-
| larry elated over this showing, mas
much as 1O2O-21 was n maximum year
in Legislative circles with AZ state leg
latures in session and the tobacco sub.
ject received an unusual amount OF
consideration.
|
4.