Connecticut western news., 1921-07-07
TOBACCO'S FOES
 LOSING GROUND
Canvass of 7,847 Editors Shows 7,393 Communities Against
 AboIiShing Weed.
ANTIS LOSE THREE STATES.
Utah, Under Mormon Influence, Only Comm monwealth to Adopt Prohibl-
 tion Measure During Year.

added to the belt of the prohibitionist beside that of the lamented but as yet not altogether late alcohol?" is the question asked by Garret Smith in an article in the current issue of Leslie's Magazine"
 The writer reaches the conclusion that whle 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 to abolish tobacco have no general support This opinion is based on the results of the questionnaires on the subject sent out to newspaper editors of the country by the Press Service Company of New York City.
 The questions asked were:
 CD Do you favor the enactment of laws prohibiting the personal use of tobacco by adults?
 (2) In your judgment does the gen eral sentiment of your community favor such legislationf
 (3) Is the use of tobacco personal ly objectionable to you?
 No arguments accompanied the ques- tions and from their form 1t was im- possible for any editor to determine the attitude of the questioners. I Out of 12,51S editors questioned, 7,S47 replied according to the summary given. These editors, it is estimated, l 1,4I ,f l q, ,ST0,046. Of the 7,S47 editors reply ing, 7,393, or 95 per cent represent public sentiment in their communities as opposed to anti-tobncco Legislation. Only 260 editors, or 8 per cent of those replying believed there was any considerable sentiment favorable to tobacco prohibition. There were l74, or 2 per cent, in doubt, while % failed to record their judgment. Y
 Editors Judgment Unbiased
 Ut Is of special interest to note that 56o editors in answering the first question, personally favored such legislation, although only POO of them reported that public opinion also fa- vored the prohibition of tobacco--an indication of the conscientious effort made by the editors to distinguish pub- lie opinion from their own personal opinions" the article continues. , "The highest percentage of replies reporting public opinion favorable to prohibition of tobacco came from Utah, where 42 per cent of the editors thought the public were for such movement Utah Is the only state which has since adopted an anti cigarette law. The result was. fore B cast by several of the editors who g stated that, the influence of the Mor- mon Church was against tobacco. The Mormon Church Is also strong in Idaho, which is the other state where the use of tobacco was recently prohibited, but the governor has signed the bill just passed, in which the prohlbltory , legislation is repealed In thls state 80 per cent of the editors estimate sentiment in their communities as , against tobacco prohibition, which, nevertheless, Is 6 per cent below the average reported opposition.
 ' "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- tionnaire showed 03 per cent of it's editors believed the public against anti-tobacco legislation, The legisla- ture of Arkansas has also passed n bin repeating it's antl-cigarette law. In this state o4 per cent of the editors reported against tobacco prohibition.
 Arlzona'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 eonsump. tlon in public of peanuts, chewing gum, tea and coffee and then defeated hy the senate. The questionnaire returns from that state were 92 per cent no
 "In Iowa where the nos were 05 per cent bin to repeal the anti cigarette law has been passed and signed by the governor.
 "A bill to repeal the anti-cigarette law in Kansas, with So per cent nos, is receiving the attention of its legis lature Last year petition for q referendum fin Oregon to prohibit the use of tobacco failed of sufficient sig natures to bring the question to a vote, and o5 per cent of the editors declare their public against legislation Tn Oklahoma an anti-cigarette bill has been reported unfavorably in the house The editors of that state re ported o4 per cent against its public support.
 "OutsIde of Utah, where Mormon ' influence predominates," the article concludes, "the nnti-tohncco move
 ment appears, as fin the case of Ten nessee, Arkansas and Iowa. to be los ing ground and is not to my consld erable extent supported by the peo pie"
 The friends of tobacco feel partlcu