We wish no one chewed tobacco. It's a dangerous habit.

But the United States is a free nation -- and that includes the freedom to make bad personal choices.

So we're uneasy about a letter sent recently by four Democrat U.S. senators to the head of the union for major league baseball players.

The letter said the union should agree to forbid players to chew tobacco at games and on camera, to avoid the negative influence it might have on children.

We certainly agree that it would be an excellent idea for players not to chew tobacco.

But there should be no threat of legislative action to ban them from doing so. A letter from powerful members of the Senate seems to imply such a threat.

It is appropriate to forbid children to use chewing tobacco. But where adults are concerned, it should be a free choice.