The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1921-05-11
TOBACCO foes ARE
LOSING GROUND
Canvass of 7,847 Editors Shows 1898
Communities Against
Abolshing Weed.
ANTS LOSE THREE STATES
Utah, Under Mormon Influence, Only
Commonwealth to Adopt Prohibi-
ton Measure During Year.

els tobacco going to have it's scalp
added to the belt Of the prohibitionist
beside tina tof the lamented but as
vet rot altogether late alcohol?" is
the question asked by Garret Smith
in an article in the current issue Of
Lcslic's MagaZinc.'
The writer reaches the conclusion
that while there has been increased
agitation and Legislative activity on
the subject Tobacco following the
success of the drive for prohibition
of liquor the efforts of reformcrS seek
ing to abolish tobacco have no general
support. This opinion is based on the
results of tho Questionnaircs on the
subject sent out to newspaper eiitors
of the country by the Press Service
Company Of New York City
The questions askea were:
U 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
~ Objectionable to you?
No arguments accompanied the qucs
tions and from their form it was i'm
possible for any editor to determine
the attitude of the questioncrs.
Out of 12,5l8 editors questioncd
7,847 replied according to the sum-
mary given. These elitors, it is esti-
tion Of 81 ,870, ,046. Of the 7,S47 editors
replying, 1898, or 95 per cent. repre-
sent public sentiment in their COM
munities as opposed to anti-tobacco
Legislation. Only 2G9 editors, or 3
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
ut 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 IA
vorcd the prohibition of tobacco-an
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 10
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. 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
in, l.: H.
Legislation is repealed. In this state
29 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 bill repeating the anti
cigarette law OF that state. The ques
tionnaire showed 93 per cent of it's
anti-tobacco legislation. The legisla-
ture of Arkansas has also passed a
bill repeating its anti-cigarette law.
In this state Cd per cent of the editors
reported against tobacco prohibition.
ArlZona's Practical Joke
Dill: 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 cor ump
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
cent no
"ln Iowa whore the nos were 95
per cent a bill to repeal the anti
cigarette law has been passed and
signed by the governor
"A bill to repeal the anti-ciparcttc
law IN Kansas, with SO per cent nos
IS receiving the attention Of its lcgis-
latllrc. Last year q petition for a
retcrt Mdum in Oregon to prohibit the
use Of tobacco failed of sufficient sig-
natures to bring the question to a
vote, and % per cent Of the editors
declare. ter public against lcgisla-
ton, Iii Oklahoma an anti-cigarcttc
phi has been reported unfavorably in
thc house. The editors Of that state
reported 81 per cent against its pub
lie support.
""Outsidc Of Utah, where Mormon
influence prcdominatcs." the article
concludes, the anti tobacco move
mcnt appears, as in the case Of Ten
neSScc, Arkansas and lows, to be los
ing ground and is not to any consid-
pie"
The friends Of tobacco feel particr-
larry clatcd over this showing. mas
much as l920-2l was a maximum yea,
IN Legislative circles with 42 state leg
.SlatureS in session and the tobacco
subject received an unusual amount
of consideration