The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-04-07
RESPECTING PROHIBITION.

lne CONSTITUTIONAL convention which
will be holly contested we give place
to the annexed communication con-
corning it from a we'll known, cap
able and thoroughly reliable gentle
man residing in Logan who has had
ample opportunity to test the value
OF prohibition. What he says is
worthy of the attention OF all the
delegates to the convention:
To the Editor of The Herald:
Sir.-In view of the fact that petit
tons are daily pouring in upon that
honorable body, the Constitutional
Convention, requesting it to submit
for the vote of the people of this ter
ritory prohibitive clause, in the con-
stitution now being drafted, the
writer desires to submit a few
thoughts and facts upon that ques-
ton and which without doubt en-
bodies the views of a majority of the
business men and voting population
of this city.
The great evil, misery and sorrow
! produced by the excessive use of in
toxicating drinks is recognized and
| deplored by all thoughtful and pro-
! gressive people, it being regarded as
a curse, less in degree only, TO the
fast increasing use of opium in it's
various concocted forms. The citizens
of Logan would therefore gladly aid
/ the efforts of the convention in re-
stricting or entirely prohibiting the
use as a beverage, of all liquors.
beers and wines in the prospective
new state. But they are by no means
convinced that the proposed method
! Tor Which so many have petitioned
will either restrict or prohibit. On
! that proposition the following sug-
! gestions and facts are respectfully
submitted:
The rectitude of the motives Of the
numerous petitioners is not question:
! ed, but if the use of intoxicants in
| Utah be the object of the petitioners,
why do they seek to prohibit its
manufacture? AS advocates OF
home industry and remunerative en-
/ ployment for home people. is such a
course commendable. consistent or
wise? Utah lies in the very centre OF
the serial products of this vast inter-
mountain region. Would craftsmanship
be exhibited by adopting any plan COM
pelling our farmers to ship their barley
"a raw material-to San Francisco.
| Denver. st. Louis, Chicago or Mil
waukee. to be there manufactured into
beer and then returned to Utah or
sent to Idaho, Wyoming. Montana or
! elsewhere in the interior, thereby al
lowing railway corporations to net all
profits thereon by means of the out
ward and inward hand? Again. may
not the ultimate financial success OF
the Utah sugar factory and others that
may be established here. depend upon
their future ability to produce alcohol
in large quantities from the present
refuse product of great manufacturing
enterprises OF that nature?
rThan Uh1y ShOI11d thR manufacture
of alcohol be prohibited? In the pos
SibilitieS of the future, may not south
ern Utah yet rival California in the
extent and excellence of its vineyards?
Then, why prohibit the manufacture
| Of wine? France. one of the greatest
wine producing and wine using nations.
has less drunkenness in proportion to
population than we. and vet the French
people use wine as freely as we use
water and its manufacture is one OF
its greatest sources OF revenue and OF
employment for its people.
How many of the inhabitants OF Utah
have reflected maturely upon this
phase of the subject? Would it not re-
quire the expenditure of vast sums Of
money and the consumption OF much
time with which and in which. to fully
inform them how best to grapple
with and overcome the evils resulting
from the excessive use of Intoxicating
drinks, when the ablest talent, pureSt
religious sentiment and highest moral
philosophy of this country and OF
Europe, have been tor generations en-
deavoring TO solve that problem? In
view of this fact does wisdom prompt
a constitutional experiment, like the
one proposed?
Starting out with the increased
financial burdens which Statehood
must bring to the taxpayers. and with
a borrowing capacity now nearly eX-
hausted by previous extravaganza,
what statesman, economist or friend or
Utah. can really desire the honorable
members of the convention. now draft
ing the fundamental law for the new
state. to cut off, and that to no pur-
nose, the present and prospective man.
ilfacture of beers and wines in this
territory, already affording employ
ment and support to many families?
Who, claiming to be wise, student
OF the past and q thinker for the fu-
ture, desiring the prosperity or the
new state, would hinder the Titan
Sugar factory from working out its
own financial redemption, and that
without bounties, if lit may do so, by
hereafter manufacturing alcohol at a
croft from products now useless! II
religion and moral suasion are unable
to cope with the drink demon, then we
may try, as others have tried, Strln-
gent sumptuary laws. Millions OF bar
rels of brandy and whisky and oceans
of wine and beer, unused, can harm no
one; then the evil turks in the use and
in the abuse of those articles can
their use be prohibited? where al
tempted it has not been. We may
therefore. safely conclude that II
cannot be; but If prohlDlaon
&c better as a restrictive measure than
high license and regulation, let the
constitution empower future leglsla-
lures to adopt that plan, whenever and
wherever the people desire it.
Logan city once tried prohloitlon.
Behind the strongest prohibitory ordi-
nance the city council could pass, stood
like a wall, between so and 80 per cent
Of its inhabitants, and the press, pulpit
and platform, as a unit, sustained the
movement.
Saloon keepers and drinkers were
plead with and then mathematical
and inveighed against. White-armed
motherhood was pictured as dragging
out of the ditch of debauchery the
blear-eyed drunkard; the sweetheart
was plead with to leave in disgrace
and dishonor the lover whose breath
was tainted with the fumes of wine,
beer or whisky: the curse of heredity
following the children of the drunken
father, to the third and fourth genera
ton, were urged as reasons why pro-
hibition should be enforced.
Petitions to the city council signed
by hundreds rolled in as now upon the
constitutional convention and the
tragic scene of youth cut down in the
bloom of manhood while his hearts
blood gushed upon the wintry snow.
flowing from the deadly wound made
by the alcohol fiend, and the fierce.
vigilantic, ungovernable passion that