Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1896-06-06


with tho president Of the league is his
statement nf the absence Of iemperancs
sentiment In Utah. II he Ia not able
TO pea Il with "lho naked eye" II must
because ne has not that kind Of an
optic: for even the casual visitor and
the man with "haif an eye" can see H..
The fac, thst there are thousands Of
people In this Stale who figidiy alb
stain from the use Of inioxIcant-lhat
evea In this city there Is large pro.
portion Of the people who DO not know
tho taste Of stforg drnk-is 80 well
known and 30 much Ia evidence "a
showing the strength Of the tompor.
anoo sentiment, that state.
ment Of absence Of the latter
docs a grave iujuslios 10 tho
people whoee actions proclaim 90 EN-.
phAlically thor sincere adherence 10
tho temp rance cause. Aud owing to
this continent not only are back doors
Of saloons closed on Sunday. but ga
loone have been prevented from com.
Ing into Cx stonce to n much greater
extent In Utah than In any other Stats
where they are allowed al all. Ticking
Il soul Tor soul there arc more actual
tent erance people In Utah In proper
lion to population than In the bes.
"pfohibliion" stato that can be named.
The olca.ng Of such saloon back doors
rs open on Sunday may not 10 accom.
plishsd by reflections on those who are
not responsible for their being open.
Regarding tho other point, II may
be looked on a. desirable for
tome religious denominations TO
act a. unit 10 secure anu.
saloon legislation; bat we prefer
TO believe that tho churches AZ organ.
isaiions had better leave that proposi.
ton alone; hence our view IL that II
the church twill rise In iis might and
sweep the liquor lraiilo from the face
OF tho earth," It win not do II by dl.
rectlng state legislation TO that end.
The church has q legitimate flsld In
which TO operate 10 this temperance
caure as In any other for moral nd
vancement, and that Ia within Its own
membership and by its own rules OF
action. not by influencing or CONTROL. |
log legislation. II n church upholds
the temperance cause, It IL enough 10 |
hold Its discipline 30 tina, members |
who do not like its rules eau escape
them by reilring from MON bership.
No church has the right Ia this land
10 use tbs force OF the state 10 bring IT,
members into line with lls Views on
'emperance or any other subject.
All this, however, does not cay that
legislation prohibitofy OF the liquor
traffic IA not desirable. The position
We take 10 that u Ia moi proper to dc.
clare an absence OF temperance cent?.
mont merely because II Is not cxofted
In the particular channel that suits our
Individual Views; anu also tina. III
not proper to ask tho churches as such
10 inautute Temperance movement
through tho avenues OF state govern
ment. the training OF the chuTchol
lpon their members 10 such that those
members NJ citizens arise indepo ndent
81 church direction and agree as
commonwealth, or a majority thereof,
there IL nothing to hinder; but this
must be from tho standpoint of con.
Slction In the mind OF the citizen, and
not because his church says 10. There.
ore. those churches that sre referred
10 ns not acting In the Temperance
'ause outside Of their own membershlp
the remark refers specially To the
Normons, MS We undoratand it--And
Internal operations are fully Justified
Ia their attitude. II their members
wish 10 20 farther and act AS citizens
hey have full liberty to do 20. with.
In these lines bolh tie churches and
Tho citizens can do the hest work for
The cause OF temperance.