The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1909-07-21
LIQUOR DEALERS WILL
FORM ASSOCIATION

salt Lake, July 2O.-With fifty char
ter members. saloon keepers and men
directly interested In the liquor busi-
ness in this city. lodge Of the
knights OF the Royal Arch will be or
ganized in the Eagles hall. Second
South and West Temple streets. on
Wednesday evening at o'clock The
purpose of the organization Is the pro-
lection Of the saloon keepers legiti-
mate business, and 10 combat prohie
oition and too strong or unfair re-
Striction of the liquor business. Some
cording 10 the law We believe in ac-
quainting the public with the fact that
in raising the license, the very places
they want 10 reach-the dives and
groggeries-a are better able TO pay
high license than men running lcgi-
innate business.
1T has been often stated. and il is
a known fact, according TO the stats
tics OF the United States labor bureau.
that in prohibition states there is
more liquor sold than in places where
the business is not prohibited We
claim that the man who is running a
respectable business is driven out.
and the man who breaks the law
stays in the business anyway and
reaps the benefit under prohibition.
we have eIghty-eight lodges today
and $4,000 members in California, Orc
gon and Washington. and our object in
coming here is 10 organize Utah. Re
time ago local liquor dealers petitioncd
the grand lodge of the order for Il
charter and the petition was granted,
The petition sets forth that the pc
titloncrs are white males OF good moral
character, believe in a supreme being,
and engaged in the occupation of sd
loon keepers and liquor dealers.
For the purpose OF forming the or
ganiZation John Hoist. grand valiant
q tmmander California state grand
l<ge. X. X. A, and w. c. Wood,
grand lieutenant commander of the
same order. arrived in Salt Lake Mon
day night from san Francisco and are
domiclled at the Cullen. Speaking of
the aims and purposes OF the knights
OF the Royal Arch last night. Valiant
Commander Hoist said
I'VE have come here 10 organize the
men directly Interested in the liquor
business here into a lodge of the
Knights of the Royal Arch. a fraternal
organization which is promulgated
for the purpose of protecting saloon
men in their legitimate business, TO
fight antl-saloon legislation and too
strong restriction and prohibition.
One Of the first purposes OF our
bylaws is that the business must be
regulated. We claim that it is bet
ter to have regulation that regulates
than prohibition that does not pro-
hibIt.
We believe that the saloon me1
themselves should be the ones 10 take
care Of their business and see that
every man In the business runs 1t ac-
fore Georgia went dry there were 500
government revenue certificates is,
sued; now there are $500 Oklahoma.
before 1t went dry. had twenty-eight
saloons; today there are 800 govern
ment certificates issued there. This
is not political organization, Il Is Il
fTaternal and benevolent society. but
these features are left a to the local
lodge TO perfect itself"
AS already stated, the organization
here will be perfected ON Wednesday
evening and the officers elected and
Installed. Tho work. which is secret.
will be done by the grand lodge visit
Ing officers.