The Idaho scimitar. [volume] (Boise, Idaho) 1907-1908, 1908-08-01
The Mormon Liquor Habit.

of the sin stepped Mormon sect has passed the word
down the whispering line that all Of those whom
the Lord loves for their fidelity to the blacklist crime
against society to cast their votes in favor of
a local option expression.
Later the hierarchy may favor local option law.
One can never tell what the twentysix have in their
intentions They about the shrewdest politicians
the political world contains.
Along with their advocacy of reform dear to
many Gentle hearts, the Mormon management of the
local option movement is assuming that Mormonism
and abstinence synonomous-tfat the land of the
saints would never have been cursed by the pre-
of intoxicants but for the ungodly Gentiles,
who introduced this enticing agency of Satan into
the Salt Lake valley and carried it into the mountain
and plains settlements of Gods chosen people and
corrupted them.
It is a matter of common knowledge that these
modern children of Israel have keen taste for
the alcoholic juice of the grain and the fruit that
grow within their dominions and that they frequent
the places of the bibulous and tarry long their
potatons.
But the original sin of its introduction cannot be
placed at the door of christian trafckers for unnl
peachabe history to the rescue and clearly inn
plicates not alone the Mormon but the first presi-
dency, the apostolic bunch and the presidents of
seventies and all others in authority
Newspapers in Salt Lake are reproducing a speech
delivered by Judge O. w. Powers at political rally
in Salt Lake in $780, in which he proved by the
public records that liquor selling was common in
Salt Lake far back as 1851, when Gentiles
not permitted to locate and do business among the
Mormons
Besides it is known that parties to whom liquor
selling permits given were Mormons and it
is further known that Brigham Young, prophet and
first president, made great deal of money in the
dstilery business. His nineteenth wife charges him
in her public writings with sending the of
two distileries far away missions and then
hscating their dstilleries and employing them to
rich himself.
In his speech of $780, Judge Powers said
1t will be remembered that have shown that the
city council organized on January II, 1851. A few
months later, June 81 1851, an ordinance was
introduced providing for the sale of liquor 1t pro-
vided that all liquor brought here should be placed
in the hands of "such physician physicians as may
be appointed by this council" Jeter Clinton was
chosen to take charge of and sell for medicinal pur-
poses all the liquor brought into the city. On August
4th of the same year, this ordinance repealed
and liberal in its provisions, was adopted
in March, 1852 1t should be remembered that the
Gentlles then here were few and far between. There
was no need for liquor ordinances if the claim to
which l have referred is true. On September IS
1852, William Henefer granted the right to sell
beer and ale There was brewery here before that
time among temperate people; for, on December
10, 1852, Jeter Clinton, who was quarantine
physician reported that he had visited the city brew
cry. He shocked to find that there was swear
ing and gambling, and ''also species of game" being
played How does this report coincide with the
loud claim that the Gentiles brought with them all
the vices? The proprietor of this brewery was
hauled up before the council and he was sco1ded
real hard and he plead in extenuaton that his house
was of great advantage to the people, for he re-
ceived $4,000 per year from emigrants which he
spent in Salt Lake. Dr. Jeter Clinton seems to have
been selected as the lord high chancellor of King
Alcohol, and on December IT, 1852 he presented an
ordinance, which was passed. regulating the sale of