The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1909-03-01

solves will solve this problem as all
society cannot do in any other way.
The most subtle danger Of all that
attends this attempt to do away with
the drink evil by drastic legislation Is
tho cultivation OF widespread hy2oc-
rfsy In the community. It was one OF
the old Hebrew prophets who cried ont
"woe unto them that call evil good
and good evil" 1t was simply the
recognition of the fearful danger
which attends the confusion OF good
and evil. the very essence of hypoc-
risy. There was no human sin against
which Jesus spoke such burning words
as against that OF hypocrisy. But
whom community OF state passes
prohibitory legislation. under the sup.
position that II Is In that way dealing
adequately with the problems OF in
temperance, one result Is practically
universal. The people Of that city
or state pride themselves on a virtue
which they do not possess. These
communities have done what? They
have covered up an evil, put II out
OF sight, just as by our systems OF
almshouses we try TO put poverty out
OF our sight and then imagine we have
done something meritorious, when We
have not touched the hem Of the gar
ment OF the poverty problem; or just
as by our system OF prisons We put
the fact OF crimes as far away from
our sight as possible and try TO de-
ceiye ourselves with the notion that
we have been dealing with crime.
whereas, we have not even faced that
problem inte,ligently or with any mo-
nj mo- nux- x~lo fd
simply a system of evasion. By the
method OF legal prohibition people
drive out the open saloon and bring
In the secret saloon. making the thing
more attractive by adding the ele-
ment OF secrecy and mystery. BY this
method We do not put an end to the
evil. wc simply cover up Its symp~
toms. And Immediately we pride our
selves on our superior virtue. We
belong to prohibition community.
We have driven out the saloon from
city and state. We are better than
our ncighbors. We deceive ourselves.
There is no virtue merely In covering
up any evil thing, no virtue in pro-
noting ignorance Of any social evil.
So long as the evil exists, II is moral.
~ imperative that every member Of
the community know IT, 1t is an in
hnitely greater protection for your
daughters and your sons, of any age,
that they know all the facts of social
vice In your city than that they be
ignorant OF them. Those people who
say, I'VE don't want to know the
facts about any evil thing" are not
good citizens and they profane the
name Of religion when they call them
selves religious. What historical
charcter can you name who, If the
story OF his life is half true. ever knew
so much Of the physical and moral
and social disease of his time as Je-
sus did? BY what right do these peo-
pie who refuse to know all the facts
concerning vice dare to call them
selves followers of or believers In that
man? There is no virtue in ignorance
anywhere. And In no country In the
world is 1t so morally imperative as
in this that all of US know all the
facts about every social or political
evil. for we have no function or duty
so imperative or important as that
OF dealing squarely and intelligently
with these evils. In a democratic
form Of government whatever under
mines not merely the minds and
bodies, but the moral sense Of the
people Is the supreme menace Of the
nation. The safety and security of
such nation as this lies supreme
ly in the clearness of It's
moral judgment. We can all see
easy enough the necessity that the
minds of the people shall be clear,
and on that ground We are justified
In opposing any vice or any business
which tends to dim or darken the
mind or weaken the physical and men
tai powers. But 1t Is not so common
for men and women to see the need
OF healthy moral sense. 1t is easy
to see that dissipation and open vice
are a danger to society. But these
are not half as dangerous as the alb
sence Of moral sense. II Jesus dld
not waste his time denouncing tho
pretty Vices Of intemperance or even
harlotfy; IL 1t was his whole mood
to pity these victims Of vice, even to
associate with them, even to say OF
them that "publicans and harlots 80
into the kingdom of heaven before
scribes and Pharisees; and il he re.
served the deepest Indignation Of his
soul for ruling class In church and
state which was wholly lacking III
moral sense. which lived and moved
and had Its teing In the atmosphere
of hypocrisy; we shall be in gooh
company II we of today find the great
est menace to all that Is dear to men
in that modern hypocrisy which prides
Itself on tho mere suppression OF the
symptoms Of social disease, while 1t
takes no stops whatever to remove
the cause.
What is the method Of dealing with
social vice which has the merit OF
being based on the teachings OF sci
ence and the long experience OF man
kind, and IN which there is no room
for hypocrisy? 1t is the method or
constructive action in our whole POLL
ticnl life and Of even justice In our
industrial life. That is the method not
only Of effective action. but also OF
moral sincerity. And there exists not
only in every state of the union, but
In every civilized country OF the earth
a positive constructive movement OF
exactly this sort That Is the only
effective OF morally defensible tenn
perence movement that Is going on
today. And beg to call your atten-
tion TO the fact that 1t Is not a mere
spasmodic movement. like this mass
convention in the Salt Lake theater
1t doesn't call big mass meetings to
give politicians and other fakirs a
chance to fool the people. 1t isn't n
feverish. fltful, Ignorant revolt against
corrupt political party by a lot OF
people who few months before were
loudly shouting for that party and