The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-01-17
ADJUSTMENTS TODAY.
THE METALS.
MAY BE REAL REFoRM-MAYeE


After years experience with the
American" council. the public natur-
ally suspects a Senegambian in the
woCd-pile when q man like Black man
ifests a violent and unsupported zeal
in the reform Of the saloon business
Of the city. His latest move. following
caucus Of the reformers. is the intro
duction OF an ordinance to limit the
number OF saloons. compel change in
the method of licensing and refuse
licenses to all but American citizens.
So far as the main idea is concerned
the ordinance has good features: but
the motives behind the move will have
to be understood better before the sus-
picion or job" concealed in II can
be removed. 1t has been only a short
while since the charge was made that
certain saloons were TO be put out OF
business because they had refused TO
pay American" campaign assess
ments. II is known that such assess
ments were made and collected from o
large number OF saloonkeepers. and the
query naturally arises. II the Amer
leans were willing TO accept funds
from the saloons only ninety days ago.
why are they legislating against them
now? Or is the new ordinance only a
blum designed TO make he rcd-light
element line up with the reformers.
and to be abandoned as soon as the sa-
looms and breweries get in Iine?"
f-
Black and Davis and their fellow lead
crs in the council have conceived n
genuine desire to purify the saloon
business. But passing acquaintance
with these reformers and their political
past justifies more than Heeting
doubt as to this spasm OF righteous
ness.
ON the other hand. the opponents OF
the measure who tried TO prevent it's
reference to a committee displayed IN
amazing lack of information as to The
city's power to regulate the sale OF
liquor Fernsrom. for instance. IL
quoted correctly, took the position that
such restrictions would be unconstitu-
tional. Usually "A learned doctor in
matters legal. the member from the
Third needs light on this particular
subject. He might learn, for instance.
that it is quite within legal authority
FOR municipality TO forbid the sale of
liquor If its citizens wish to do it. nj
they cannot specify exactly the num-
Der OF saloons that may do business
very few could afford to stay IN BUSH
ness. From the very nature OF the
trade it exists only by permission. net
rs right unrestricted OF law.
salt Lake has managed to get along
pretty well with a very high license. 1t
has few saloons in residence districts,
and Il should have none there. as Mr..
Mulvey asserts. In at least one case
on the west side an ill-advised man
opened saloon near a schoolhouse
where children have TO pass Il daily.
II should not have been possible for
him 10 defy the sentiment OF the neigh
bcrhood and such men as he are large
" responsible for the odium which at
taches 10 a class. Stnl another evil
which has discredited the business is
the defiant violation OF the law re-
ssrding the admission oe females into
saloons. AT least two or three places
IN this city ought to be deprived 81
licenses because OF their fragrant. per-
sistent course in this regard: ana ur-
less they mend their ways they wiz
bring uDon all their. bind o,.ol, ,;..~~...
restrictions as " i'll convince them they
ought to have been decent.
II Black is looking for a chance 10
improve the status OF saloons he can
find plenty OF room for legitimate ef
fort, but meanwhile that ordinance
viii bear watching. both in the COM
mittee and out of 1t. 1t may be n
great reform measure and Il may be
nothing but an old-fashioned sandbag.
stiIi. those eight Democrats IN The
l..