The daily times., 1921-05-28
'TOBACCO'S FOES
LOSING GROUND
Canvass of 7,847 Editors Shows
/! 1888 Communities Against
I; AboIishing Weed.
ANTS LOSE THREE STATES.
Utah. Under Mormon Influence, Only
Commonwealth TO Adopt ProhibI-
tlon 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 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 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:
| / ID 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 legislation.
|, (3) Is the use Of toka coo pesseaal-
ly Objectionable to yons
|, No arguments accompanied the qees-
| tions and from their form it was i'm
| possible for any editor to determine
| the attitude of the questioners.
Il Out of 12,51S editors quest toned,
/ 7,S47 replied according to the summary
given. These editors, it is estimated,
| represent q combined circulation Of
[ q, ,S70,046. OF the 7,S47 editors reply
ing, 1893, OF 95 per cent, represent
| public sentiment i'll their communities
as opposed to anti-tobacco leg Station
Only 260 editors, or 3 per cent Of
those replying believed there was any
considerable sentiment favorable to
tobacco prohibition. There were 174,
or per cent. in doubt, while 20 failed
to record their Judgment
Editors Judgment Unbiased
"It is of special interest to note
that $50 editors in answering the first
question, personally favored such
legislation, although only 26O 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 continIes.s
'"The highest percentage of replies
reporting public opinion favorable to
prohibition of tobacco came from Utah,
where AZ per cent OF the editors
thought the public were for such a
movement. Utah is the only state
which has since adopted an anti
cigarette law. TIE result was 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 other state where the use
of tobacco was recently prohibited.
but the governor has signed the bill
just passed, in which the prohibitory
legislation is repealed. In this state
SO per cent of the editors estimate
sentiment in their communities as
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-
tionnaire showed 93 per cent of it's
editors believed the public against
anti-tobaccO legislation. The legisla- |
ture of Arkansas has also passed
bill repeating its anti-cigarette law. In |
this state "a 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- |
tion in public of peanuts. chewing |
gum, tea and coffee and then defeated |
by the senate The QUESTIONABLE |
returns from that state were 92 per I
cent no.
''In Iowa where the nos were 90 |
per cent bill to repeal the anti |
cigarette law has been passed and |
signed by the governor.
"a bill to repeal the antf-cigarette
law in Kansas, with 80 per cent nos
is receiving the attention of its legis-
lature. Last year petition for |
referendum in Oregon to, prohibit the
use of tobacco failed of sufficient :s,c-
natures to bring the question to
vote, and 95 per cent of the editors |
declare their public against legislation. /
In Oklahoma an anti-cigarette bill has /
been reported unfaxorably in the
house. The editors of that state re- 1
ported "a per cent against it's public
support.
"Outside of Utah, where Mormon
influence predominates,' the article
concludes, "the anti-tobacco move Il
ment appears. as in the case of Ten
nessee, Arkansas and Iowa, to be los
ing ground and is not to any consid- H
cradle extent supported by the peo-
ple''
The friends of tobacco feel particu Fl
lariy elated over this showing. mas II
,,,,lcb as 1Qon-o1 syns = Ynaxino,1,,, ,,oor III