Richmond daily register. (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1917-1978, 1921-05-26
TOBACC0'S FOES
LOSING GROUND
Canvass of 7,847 Editors Shows
1888 Communities Against
AboIiShing Weed.
ANTS LOSE THREE STATES.
Utah, Under Mormon Influence, Only
Commonwealth to Adopt Prohibit
ton Measure During Year.

"Is tobacco going to have its scalp
added to the belt of the prohibitiOnist
beside that of the lamented but as
yet not altogether late alcoholic" 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 to abolish tobacco have no general
support. This opinion is based on the
results of the missionaries on the
subject sent out to newspaper editors
of the country by the Press Service
Company of New York City.
The questions asked were:
a. 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 tobacco personal
ly Objectionable to you?
No arguments accompanied the ques-
tons and from their form it was i'm
possible for any editor to determine
the attitude of the Questioners.
Out of 12,518 editors questioned,
1871 replied according to the summary
given. These editors, it is estimated,
represent a combined, circulation of
21,S70046. OF the 1871 editors reply
ing, 1893, or 95 per cent, represent
public sentiment in their communities
as opposed to anta-tobacco legislation.
Only 260 editors, or 8 per cent Of
those replying believed there was any
considerable sentiment favorable to
tobacco prohibition. There were ia,
or per cent. in doubt, while 20 failed
TO record their judgment.
Editors Judgment Unbiased
at is of special interest to note
that $50 editors in answering the first
question, personally favored such
legislation, although only 260 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 own personal
opinions" the article continues.
"Thp highest percentage of replies
reporting public opinion favorable to
prohibition of tobacco came from Utah,
where ~ 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
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
50 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 SO per cent of its
editors believed the public against
anti-tobacco legislation. The legisla-
ture of Arkansas has also passed a
bill repeating its anti-cigarette law In
this state "a per cent of the editors
reported against tobacco prohibition.
Arizona's Practical Joke