How Do You Regard the Tobacco Evil?
By David Paulson
Three billion cigarettes were smoked by the boys of this country last year; and thinking men, irrespective of religious belief, are becoming aroused over this question. The following is from a personal letter which I received from Prof. Jay W. Seaver, physical director in Yale College: “Tobacco has a demoralizing influence only, and our race cannot afford to undo the moral stamina that has been the choicest product of generations of struggle and high endeavor. I greatly fear that if we do not make smoking unpopular, it will not be many years before American women will be smoking. And why should they not, if there is a surplus of benefit to a man above the debit of harm from its use?” It is far more difficult for these boys to give up the cigarette habit than it is for the habitual drunkard to give up liquor; so we will do our greatest work by training the boys away from this evil before they acquire the habit. We cannot regard with indifference the inroads of these dreadful evils, and at the same time accomplish the work that Providence intends us to do. The desire to supply our people everywhere with literature which almost any boy or man will gladly read, has prompted us to issue the June Life Boat as a Special Anti-Cigarette and Tobacco Number. It contains a most helpful article from Lucy Page Gaston, who is giving all her time and energy in trying to save American boys from the tobacco evil. Dr. Kellogg’s article will also be appreciated by thousands. Professor Ogg, superintendent of public instruction in Kokomo, Ind., tells how he and his associates practically swept the cigarette curse from the city schools. Professor Blanchard, the well-known president of Wheaton College, furnishes a stirring article for this number. Other writers outline the cause and cure of the tobacco habit. This number also contains an invitation for every tobacco user who sincerely desires to be delivered from his slavery to correspond with us. We will freely and cheerfully give such the benefits of our experience in dealing with many of these cases. For the sake of the good that can be done thereby, we earnestly invite all our brethren to order immediately from twenty-five to one hundred copies of this number for the purpose of either selling or giving them to their neighbors, for they will appreciate them. Price, 1½ cents a copy, or 25 cents a year. Address The Life Boat, 28 Thirty-Third Place, Chicago.