Truth. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1901-1908, 1905-02-04
TUE UTAH-NA DANCE HAIL.

-orn
-,;ro Mr.. Gourley's dance hall
tOn could appear from the attitude OF
~. dailv press and the activity OF
. .no notice, that Mr. Gourley's dancing
'no , p is a school for the teaching
a. a, h1ushless sin and lessons OF iniquity'
VI D ~ does not believe in trying to
i'u' Tho moral wheels when revolv-
Nv for the moral welfare, nor would
:, no inf q straw in the path of officials
u,.rcbing to perform their legal duty
Nv" ruth does and will stand for
t Dir MAY. This paper believes tnat no
la on or his business Should be con
9 named ON an exparte hearing. 1t
ecmnros also that the whole matter
seD heen unduly exaggerated and that
lso,o us is more smoke than fire on lower
, ,1o;u street. One of the peculiarities
" Tho whole matter is the admission
Nv The police that after frequent in
U.octions they saw no actions on the
spOr of the dance hall, which would
inStifv arrest or interference. Now
;bst in itself is a pretty good recon-
mendation of the department of Mr..
ronrlev's patrons. The police depart
ment gives as its warrant for inter
ference, not immoral conduct or acts
If impropriety, but something quite
outside the question of morals-the
f.iure TO take out license. Mr..
Gourley, therefore, it appears to
Truth, is being condemned on the
wrong count. If the Utah-na park
dance hall, was, as alleged, scene Of
wild and lewd revelry by night, why
we're no arrests made; if, as alleged,
children Of tender age crowded the
dance floor, why weren't the ourfew
laws enforced; if lewd persons were
there, why was the management not
warned of their presence, by the police
who knew their shady regulations
finally, why did not the police make a
single arrest out of such multitude
of what they claimed were immoral
infractions of the law? The arSu-
ment seemed a weak one and that it
was weak and untenable is almost
admitted in closing the hall for otf er
and for different reasons. This is
cerainly the way it appears to Truth.
Since Mr.. Gourley had been put on
his defense the public should re-
frain from giving it's verdict until his
side of the story is heard. After that
and then only, there is time for shout
ing
Mr. Gourley has been wonderful ly
successful in his amusement business.
he is here to stay, as is shown by lis
Investments of $4,000 in improve.
ments' The reputation he had ac-
qulred through fair and honest treat
ment OF the public, he proposes to
MAINTAIN. He tells his story with all
ne evidence of honest indignation and
outraged Justice.
All | want" said Mr.. Gourley, lis
air and honest treatment" "The
Jtah'na dance hall, which has been
'rought into such newspaper motor
ey' is being unjustly criticised. "Un-
orIunately," he continued, there is
10 CITY ordinance, concerning dance
als'l have myself regretted this and
ave gone to the trouble of suggesting
IL ordnance which would cover the
, TI that might arise in the future.
, tne action of the police in closing
t la park for the technical reason
la' II was running without a license
., mere subterfuge. The dance hall
. no peeh running without a license
o Un tne nrst. nor was it necessary I'M
er existing conditions great ado