Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1909-01-25
THE PROHIBITION BILL.

I'LL INAOAilhA AAON lhANtAH
Tho prohibition bin Introduced boz the
Mouse by Representative Joseph H.
Cannon makes 90 unlawful in this State
lo sell, barter. give away or otherwise
furnish amy alcoholic liquors. or to Soc
lict the sale or purchase of such liquor
either n person or by circular letter.
card price list. on otherwise The term
0lcoholc liquor. as used boz the bill iu-
cludes au spiutuous. vinous fermentcd.
Or malt liquors, or any imitation thereof
or substitute therefor which contains
as much as one per cent OF alcohol 1t
also makes 10 unlawful Co use any build
ing. or room, for the purpose of vioiat-
Ing tho law, ana the owner can be-
prosecuted and punished. ass well as the
manufacturer and vendor Of the pro-
scribed beverage.
The bill represents one of the most
Important issues before the people, aud
the representatives of the people must
give il the most conscientious and care
ful attention There Is no doubt that
the majority OF the people of Utah, both
Church members and others. now de-
mand some such measure. And tho
legislators. who have met to carry out
the mandates Of the people. win give
due weight TO that fact They will not
be swaycd by undue influences. no mat
ter OF what nature Il they listen TO the
voice of their constituency
The other side presents its objections
10 prohibition. but when they are
weighed thoy are found wanting
There is the liberty argument Tho
apologists for the saloons tell us that
we have no right to curtail the liberty
Of citizens 20 sell liquor. nor their lib
arty % drink This Is no argument at
an We DO curtan the liberty Of citi-
zeus to deal I'm poisons-to establish
opium dens for instance-and 10 other
wise injure their follow-citizeus We
cam with equal fairness curtal the
liberty n selling liquor IN "A saloon, II
IL can be proved that tho saloon Is
snare. destructive OF both body and
soul, breeding place Of poverty, crime.
and misery And as 10 that. there Is
mo- doubt Liberty does not include
tho right 10 njure our fellow men. body
and soul by our business, And as for
the liberty 10 drink. the fact is that
the drunkard is the most abject slave
Of all lie only is free who can. by
free viii and choice, abstain from
1sFr
Paul was free. and yet he declared that
il his partaking Of meat was offensive
10 his brother he would abstain from II
forever That Is freedom OF in
toxicatlng drinks il can be said truly
that they are offensive" They are
stumbling block 10 thousands.
Another objection is that the closing
of the saloons would materially affect
the revenues. This is not sustained by
experience The saloons are too ex-
pensive every way. A an illustration
The Secretary Of the Kokomo. Ind. Steel
and Iron company ia November. 1906.
published "a statement 20 the effect that
the saloons in the factory district cost
the company s15 GOO a year LET us haye
a law he added prohibiting under
The scverest penalties a saloon Ia the
factory districts" Kokomo had at that
time 30 saloons that paid about $1,000 in
20 the trea sury annually. but they
damaged the manufacturing interests of
the city 20 the tune OF $4,000 What
damage the over one hundred saloons
are doing 10 salt Lake city can be caI-
ctlatcd according 10 this scale. Where
the saloons aIs closed, more business
goes 70 grocery and dry goods stores.
more holmes are bought on built chill
dren are better dressed and better fed
aud consequently happier. there Is less
crime less pauperian. the revenue ar-
gument is therefore all the other way
Then, again. we are told chat prohibl-
tion does not prohibit. Il closes the sa-
looms. 10 the law is honestly admin
istered even il 30 does NOT prevent
drunkards from obtaining liquor sur
reptitiously. ana even that is gain. D.
drunkeuuosa is driven out from oar
main streets ana hunted as crime Iu
every hole where it takes refuge. it ls
no longer the menace IL is now 90 our
boys not 90 say anything about the
men. let 81 be- an outlaw in society.
and much uf its harmfulness Dos rc
moved
But IL docs prohibit Iu San Franz
cisco. every saloon was closed after
enc earthquake ~ was possible %