The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1903-11-28
VoI(E FROM THE WESTON THES SCHOOL QUESTION
Continued from Page One.)

who had offered to supply their own salt and the
few who had tried the experiment of eating it lust
before after meal hours at the public soup houses
determined that, cost what it might they would
establish soup houses of their own. 1t was hard
shedding at first but by close economy and by cut
ting down expenses for clothing and fuel and
amusements and all kinds of luxuries they man
aged to money enough to build and equip
system of first class soup houses all over the coun-
try. As they owned their salt mine and MANY
other things needed to high class soup house
including large corps of thoroughly trained wait
ers (brotherhoods and slsterhoods), it was soon
found that they could conduct their establishments
more economically and efficiently than the State
Moreover all their soups were properly seasoned
with salt and as their salt mine had the reputa-
ton of being the best in the world, thousands of
those citizens that had previously professed to like
soup without salt hocked to the establishments
because they considered their so unsanitary.
Steadily and rapidly the institution continued
to grow and prosper till the future of the State
institution seemed to be waverng in the balance
Charges freely made that the State soup
houses were producing crop of imbece and de-
generate citizens. In vain the State denied the
charge protesting that the evils complained of ex-
listed in spite of her efforts to cure them. To this
the people only replied that If the State did not d
recty produce the evils at least she failed to pre-
vent them, and that was the only excuse for usurp-
ing the functions of the private soup houses which
had stepped in, to try her new theory regarding
soup houses.
During this time the seceders had become thor
oughly organized; and one fine morning, April 1,
1910, the order went out from certain society bear
ing the cabalistic letters "a f. of c. 81 to close
all the private soup houses and send their patrons
to the public soup houses. The order was obeyed,
and soon hundreds upon hundreds of thousands of
hungry citizens besiege the public soup houses,
clamorng for admission. Unfortunately ther is
not vacant seat, nor even standing room to be
had, The indignation of the starving multitudes
rises fever heat and vents itself in angry shouts
on all sides.
eve have paid our soup tax for years, and now
we are refused a single meal"
what has become of the millions of dollars
we have contributed to the public soup houses~
by what right does the State tax one-half of
the people and the proceeds exclusively for the
benefit of the other half"
"We have supported the State soup houses for
fifty years. Turn about is fair play Now let the
State support soap houses for fifty years."
To all this the State replied that to feed the
whole nation it would be necessary to double the
soap tax and to spend countless millions in new
soup houses and equi pment, and that it would be
at least year before she could furnish the first
meal.
The idea of furnishing people waiting whole
year for a meal simply Infatuated the thor
oughly aroused populace, and the most frightfu
bread riots ever known in history were imminent.
The authorities were powerless, for the whole ma
ton had become seething mass of humanity tor
tured by hunger and Indignation. AT this moment
word was received that the order of the GA F. of
C. S" had been withdrawn, and Ne private soup
houses would be opened for business as usual the
next morning.
1t was merly an "April Fool day" joke, intended
an object lesson to the State. But it had served
its purpose well, for it had given the State an aw
full and demonstrated to every one the in
adequack, the ineficency. the injustice and the
iniquity of the State system of public soup houses
Next morning it was unanimously decided for
the safety of the nation, and as matter of econ
omy, to the private soup houses instead of
spending millions for ones, and to furnish them
with soup and leave it to private enterprise to fur
nish the salt and the walters they pleased.
st. Paul. MINI. WIN. F. MARKOE.