Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1909-03-18
TINE NEW LIQUOR BILL.

THE NEW LIQUOR BILL.
ono Of the most singular facts COM
nectcd with the passage OF the new
Sunday liquor bill Is this that.
after tho Senate had adopted the ann
ended Badger measure unanimously
and tho House was ready to- pass 10,
on the principle that half a loaf is
bettor than none. then. 20 prevent its
passage, a so-called conference was
called which proposed an entirely diff
fereut measure. This is rather per
picking turn I'm the tortuous road 20
temperance legislation. Senator bad
gers bin was accepted by tho prohi-
hiuonists as a compromise measure.
and "a saloon representative declared Il
to be just what he wanted Why, then,
did st not pass? To whom was It
obnoxious? That is one of the diff
culties 10 explain
The chief feature OF the bill Is the
provision that. when 20 per cent OF
voters in any county petition for an
election on the saloon closing question,
such an election Is 10 be held. and the
AHNNI MfAANNn AAA' ANtNHAANAA AVa NAA'
county. except that cities with more
than 1000 inhabitants are 20 vote
for themselves as unit
This feature is good as far az %
goes. but II does not go far enough
10 inspire the friends OF moral reform
with enthusiasm. 10 makes IL possible
for every county and city In tho state
TO close saloons for two years at
time. very much In the same way as
the Constitution OF the United States
makes IL possible for every American
born boy 10 become President. II is
supposed that under the bin nearly
every county in Utah VIII go dry"
And perhaps that win follow. But
the power Of the saloon interests 20
corrupt the ballot and TO gain by fraud
what they cannot obtain by fair
means must not be UNDERESTIMATE.
The liquor dealers OF the world stand
together and contribute money freely
for the defense Of any point that is
attacked 10y the forces marshaled in
the interest Of morality. No surprise
will be felt n the liquor dealers. COM
manding almost unlimited financial
resources. should be able 10 hold their
own in many counties and cities. II
is better 70 expect too little and not
be disappointed But, as We have
said. il places the matter. 10 some
extent. in the hands OF the voters.
So far the measure Is good
According TO the bin an election can
he held on the saloon question every
two years. This provision. even f 10
Is not i'm favor of the saloon, rs en-
tirely unnecessary, 40 opens the way,
in fact. for AN unendiug agitation. IL
invites the saloon interests to lurude
themselves into politics And that Is the
very thing against which the citizens
all over the United states are up ina
a.ms.
The various regulation features or the
bill do not mean very much 20 the
cause OF Temperance. They are llac d
there for the sake ot appearances. They
are largely ornamental And the best
proof of this is the fact chat tine liquor
dealers themaeIyes are perfectly recon-
olcd 10 their acceptance
There is not "a regulation that '-an-
not. and win NOT be broken With June
uppity Tb. l,ousr dealer. know tn4t
.b.r. I. raf "a Iio1ior srd.nanco fhat will
,,,t D.. ,...l.taI if tr.rs lis NANCY in
an. .,s.l,,.,r q,r.y tp,,. tbat ~ chew
can influence l.si. latiou. they can n-
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