The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1888-03-01
DON'T PASS 1T.

It's observed that the local option
hill has passed one house Of the AS
sembly, though in 81 somewhat modlned
form. each precinct being left to decide
the question of legal wet" or dry"
foritself. We cannot believe the mem
hers have made study of the liquor
regulation problem, or that they are
familiar with the workings of prohloi-
tory statutes, or they would not think
seriously of making this bill a law. The
hill simply means prohibition IN all
save perhaps half dozen precincts IN
the Territory. Itmeans prohibition IN
Salt Lake City and Ogden, Tor there IS
no precinct in either OF these cities
in which the temperance voters
do not largely predominant. We
GOV the bill means prohibition in these
rIaces. Int this should be qualified into
saving that it means prohibition IN
name and by law, though not IN fact.
It is not to be presumed that anybody
&c so yerdapt as to believe that the sale
of intoxicants can be stopped IN Salt
LIKE or Ogden. We doubt much that
the consumption of liquor can even be
materially reduced by law in these
cities; and yet the temperance senti-
ment ls so strong that the people will
vote prohibition.
IfT8E HERALD could be convinced
that the proposed legislation would
check intamperance and place the
Houor traffic unGer better control than
= is We would hold up both hands for
its massage; but observation through
years has convinced US that high IL
cense provides better control and
is really more in the interest Of
ternnerance than prohibition which
does not and cannot prohibit.
THE one strong argument IN favor OF
prohibitory i&ws is that which urges
neople 10 assert themselves on the right
side and stand by principle. Power
fuI as that argument is, it occurs to US
that it shouId not be permitted to pre-
vail against common sense and better
Judgment. It is poor consolation to
saw We have prohibition in our statute
books and unrestricted drunkenness on
the streets. AT present. under our high
license system, the whisky traffic is
under reasonably fair control by the
authorities. Furthermore, the Dusl-
ness contributes to the payment
of the cost to which it puts
the public, and materially lessons
the taxes of that better element of the
community which does not drln K
With nominal prohibition in force
drinking will not diminish; intemper-
ance will not be checked, and instead
of receiyingsmoney from the saloons to
control the business, the temperance
people will have to pay money to tight
the ilIigitimate traffic. Furthermore
unIess this Territory shall prove an ex-
ception to the rule throughout the
country, an.uglier and more disreputa-
BILE class OF persons viii engage in the
run business, end saloons will degener-
ate into dives and deadfal!s. There are
some Fairly respectable men selling
LIQUOR, but they will have to go out o.
the business, for they cannot continue
in the traffic as criminals and run
saloons with only back doors ant
maid watchers On the LOOKOUT. Thei
nlaces Will be taken by those hav-
ing no claim to responsibility, ant
who, not being obliged to pay tn
twelve hundred dollars year license
will require no more capital than
necessary to buy jug of whisky ant
some glasses.
We honestly believe that local op
ton law in this Territory at the presen
time will be serious blow to the tenn
uerance cause; that it Will be the mean
of putting cities and towns to enormou
axnense in a vain effort to enforce i
and that two years hence there will 6
I'M to the Assembly an earnest an
honest petition for it's repeal. We be
lIeye that our present law is more
the interest of temperance than loc'
option would be, Of public econom
and of good government. And so be
Heying, we hope the Legislature WI
not permit a praiseworthy sentimen
which does it credit, induce it to make
had matter worse.
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