Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-01-26
RESTRICT THE EVILS!

The communication IRON the Mayor
TO the City Council, recommending the
revocation Of the license 10 n saloon
which is said to be a resort where oc-
cur the most disordersly and disgrace
full brawls, making the place a menace
10 the peace, good order and respecta-
bllity of the city" is TO be considered
In committee OF the whole, next Mon
day evening, That is quite proper. IL
would not have been enough to refer II
to the license committee, II is a mat
ter for full consideration not only by
the council but by the public. II Will
obtain the publicity that Il deserves by
being discussed before the whole coun-
ell.
The place objected TO, for the reasons
offered by the Mayor, has the reputa'
lion OF being gambling house. 1t was
the scene Of the shooting affair for
which a notorious political wireworker
Is under accusation. This charge, too,
needs thorough ventilation, There APP
pears to be disposition on the part OF
certain officials to belIttle the affair
and there Is an uneasy feeling among
reputable citizens, that possibly the
offense will be so handled that 1t will
not meet with It's Just deserts. We hope
that this opinion will prove unfounded.
The course commenced by the Mayor
IN regard to the low resorts In this city,
we regard also az timely and In conso-
nance with that which was expected Of
him by his supporters in both parties
at the November election, There will
perhaps be some difference of opinion
as 10 the method 20 be pursued, In the
increase of fines FOR the keeping of
gambling and sporting resorts, Some
people viii argue that this is In the
nature Of high license, when such places
ought to be suppressed. But Is II pos
sble to abolish the evils complained Of?
Experience In large cities says emphat-
ically, mo" What can be done then
except to restrain them within as linz
tied and decent bounds as Is practic-
able?
The small fines that have been perl
odlcaly inflicted upon the Keepers and
resorters to the places referred to, nave
encouraged the establishment and con-
tlnuance Of low dives and disreputable
haunts, where their very cheapness has
attracted persons who would not be
able to crowd into other places. The
cheap gambling hells catch youths
with small means and laborers going
from their work who have contracted
the gambling fever and they are strip
ped Of their little earnings, thus bring
ing trouble and distress to families and
friends. A big fne-Call 1t license II
YOU choose. viii have the effect OF
closing out these worst places, and
combining the evil to narrower bounds,
Such resorts are the cause Of the
greatest outlay for police service, and
If they cannot be entirely put down,
should be made 10 furnish, TO the city,
the bulk of the means necessary to pro-
tect the public from the evils that are
caused by their presence and that pro-
coed from their influence That we
understand, is the position taken
by the Mayor. II IL shared by
experienced officials In most Of the
cities in both hemlspheres,
We are aware that many very good
people think such places should be
broken up They regard all such mea-
sures as we have mentioned as dollyIns
with and pallating wlckedness and cor
ruption, They have no patience with
anything but smashing such evils and
cndeavorlng 20 eradicate them entirely
But they do not take into consideration
the fact, that the people whom Ihey de-
sire TO be driven forth cannot be
Smashed" nor put out Of existence
They must go somewhere, and II they
are thrust out OF certain localities vii
scatter around In more respectable
nelghborhoods, aud become mucl
greater menace and nuisance than ever
when officers are brought face e
face with these matters, they are com
PEELED to act according to means ant
possibilities. They become conserva'
tive, no matter how earnestly they may
desire to do something effectual In the
way OF suppressing evils that confron
them High license for the manufac'
ture and sale OF IntoXlcantg has beer
found the best manner OF regulating
and restraining the liquor traffic where
prohibition ls lmpractICable,
on the same principle high fines 10