The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1922-01-28
TOBACCO'S FOES
LOSING GROUND
Canvass of 7,847 Editors Shows
1898 Communities Against
Abolishing Weed.
ANTS LOSE THREE STATES.
Utah, Under Mormon Influence, Only
Commonwealth to Adopt Prohibit
ton Measure During Year.

beside that OF the lamented but as
yet not altogether late a1cohOr! 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 questionnaires on the
subject sent out to newspaper editors
Of the country by the Press Service
Company Of New York City.
The questions asked we're: IL
N Do you favor the enactment, of
laws prohibiting the personal use of.
tobacco by adults? XIII
(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,
! 7,847 replied according to the summary
given. These editors, it is estimated,
represent combined circulation Of y
| 21,87O,046. OF the 7,847 editors reply
ing, 1898, or 95 per cent, represent,
public sentiment in their communities;
as opposed to anti-tobacco legislation.
Only 26O editors, or per cent Of
those replying believed there was any
, considerable sentiment favorable to
! tobacco prohibition. There were 174,'
, or 2 per cent, in doubt, while 20 failed.
! to record their judgment. =
| Edltors' Judgment Unbiased
! 1T 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,
vored the prohibition of tobacco-an
i 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 AZ per cent Of the editors.
i 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
+; 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 bill repeating the anti
cigarette law Of that state. The ques-
tionnaire showed SO 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 81 per cent Of the ediS1
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 questionnaire
returns from that state were 81 per
cent no.
I'm Iowa where 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-cigarette
law in Kansas, with SO per cent NOS
is receiving the attention of It's legis-
lature. Last year a petition for a.
referendum in Oregon to prohibit the
use Of tobacco failed of sufficient sig
| natures to bring the question to a
vote. and 95 per cent Of the editors
declare their public against legislation.
In Oklahoma an anti-cigarette bill has
been reported unfayorably in the
house The editors Of that state re-
ported "a per cent against its public
support.
.0utside Of Utah, where Mormon
influence predomiE . the article
concludes, s'the anti 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 pep
ple.''
The friends OF tobacco feel particu-
larry elated over this showing, mas
much as 1920-21 was maximum~year
In legislative circles with ~ state leg.
latures in session and the tobacco sub
ject received an unusual amount Of
! conside ratlon.