Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-10-05
GENERAL PRIESTHOOD MEETING
AN UNNECESSARY EVIL.

4
It has been claimed that saloons
are necessary evils; aaat alcoholic
liquors will always be consumed even
In spite of prohibitory legislation;
and that what cannot be cured must
be endured, and, as far as possible
regulated.
This Is. good philosophy, but 1t is
mot strictly applicable to the saloon
itself, however much it may seem to
apply to tho Nero consumption of
intoxicants as beverages, as stimuli
ants. or as medicines.
The bad saloon is an unnecessary
evil. On any theory. its existence
need not be tolerated IL the commune
ity really desires It's abolition.
resolution passed at the Con-
ference last Sunday reads as follows:
believing in the word and teach
ings Of President Joseph II. Smith,
as set forth this morning, OH the sub
ject Of temperance, 1t is proposed
that all the officers and members Of
the Church of sLatter-day Saints VIII
do alk in their power that can prop
erly be done with law makers gem
orally, to have such laws enacted by
our Legislature soon to be elected as
may be necessary to close saloons
and otherwise decrease the sale OF
liquor and to enact the Sunday law"
This resolution, we understand, has
been criticized as being an attempt
lation. No such interference Is
threatened. The resolution places the
Latter-day Saints on record as favor
ing practical temperance laws. and
suggests that the officers and members
individually as citizens OF the State
do whatever they can, PROPERLY.
to promote such legislation. That
this stand in favor Of closing up the
saloons Is demanded by present con-
ditions and fully justified, the follow
Ing quotation from q recent number
of Bonfort's Wine and Spirit Circular,
published in New York, bears eloqu-
ent testimony:
@The saloon has discredited personal
liberty and has made 1t a term of re-
,proach rather than something to COLI
jure with. In the name of personal
liberty saloons have been run I'm VIC :.
lation of law and decency until 1t looks
now as II they are doomed to extine-
Nlloilp GhCepl III Uul ltil Bct CltlcS. we Wv
not mean that all saloons, or the ma
jority of saloons, have been conducted
in a disreputable manner, but we do
mean that sufficient percentage OF
such places have been badly conducted
that is, have been disordcrly. have
sold to Intoxicated men. have sold to
women and to minors. have conducted
gambling adjuncts. have kept open
after legal hours aud on Sundays, etc,
to create a hostile sentiment that has
into a war OF extermina-
ton, and save In the larger places the
saloon as a factor In society would
seem to be doomed. We realize that
this Is q bad admission, but the facts
demand the admission that our trade
may properly grasp the situation
1--WE think the trade should stop kick
Ing against the pricks. II the saloon
can not be successfully defended-f the
cry of personal liberty will not save
it, then let 1t go and let the people de-
eide how they want alcoholic beverages
,retailcd in the localities In which they
live"
And the Knoxville Sentinel remarks
that there is nothing else $50 bad as
the American saloon anywhere else in
the world. and the movement to get
rid OF it will go on