The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-02-19
Municipal housekeeping
BY AMOS PARKER WILDER.
Editor of the Madison (WIs.l Journal

saloon. Civil service is making its way,
10 TAKE public positions away from the
pOltlcfanS to be used as rewards. Thus
bosses and rings are being undermined.
One by one the states are adopting the
system, competitive examinations de-
termining who are to have the posi-
tons. It is we'll called the reform that
underlies the others. Wisconsin. where
the spells system has Of late been ram
pant. has just adopted the merit sys-
tenn. Half our corruption, notably in
the large cities. results from the rela-
tons between the municipality and the
corporations, the latter seeking privi-
ieges and often nothing more than their
legitimate needs and corrupt men in
power holding them up, the concession
being made on payment to individuals.
Enormous contracts are let, so vast is
the public interest, and in the obtain
ing OF these, graft finds q field Of play.
Better men in Office protect the citizens
and taxpayers, and municipal owner
ship and operation, as experience shall
vindicate. narrows the field for these
private dealings. The city that oper-
ates its own lighting plant is freed from
the danger Of corrupt dealings between
council and private lighting plant
which seeks a high rate per lamp for
service
But OF all our doors TO impurity IN
politics, the saloon is the widest open.
Here we must look to the church. II Is
well that some Of the denominations are
hammering away on this confessed
greatest peril. The story Of the move
ment is q long enc; the present fact is
that we have stopped trying to reform
drunkards; they move on to their doom
and no one hardly throws UP a danger
signal This means that Americans
have learned that as a practical policy
1t is futile. Friends, it is not the saloon
that needs our attention, it is the drink
habit What we need as a Christian
nation is ten years crusade to enlist
Am 9rican boys and girls by the mil
lions under the pledge of total absti-
nence. Let their parents go: ask only
for their children and none will say you
nay. Group them into companies with
their meetings. exercises, banners. mu-
SIC. and let them once a year parade the
streets Of the community.
Our cities have tried and are trying
every form of dealing with the traffic
ranging from license to prohibition, and
we confess failure in all. Men speak
of the failure Of prohibition-is there
any less law breaking under the license
system? Make the license fee as low
or IS high as you please, and is there
any dearth Of "speak-easies blind
pigs" and multiplied drug stores? The
grin fact is il is impossible to regulate
an evil, and such the saloon is One
might as well propose a code of reguia-
ton Of typhoid fever as a permanent
feature Of community life and outline
req jonable conforming TO ordinances by
the fever, as to attempt to map out
plan Of local regulations under which
the liquor traffic with all its by-play Of
greed, appetite and crime shall take
res oectful and lava biding place.
The grim fact is that as long as peo-
pie drink there Will be saloons: the real
field Of effort should be the habits Of
the individual citizen. I would not have
the subject Of municipal control Of the
saloon hung uP until the electors are
total abstinence to a man, for the traf-
fic not only supplies demand but kin
dies it, by enlisting new customers from
the youth. To curb the saloon is TO
limit the number who are fitting them
selves for patronage. but the reform
OF our people must proceed on both
lines-encouragf ng total abstinence
among individuals and hampering the
liquor traffic by regulations, thus dis
couraging drinking. No man can think
deeply on the subject Of the saloon
without returning to his starting point
that saloons exist because men drink
The reverse is true also, but the assault
on the saloon system will be serious and
irresistible only as it is urged by peo-
pie who do not themselves enjoy drink
ing facilities at home or at the club.
Madison Wis