The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1909-02-21

talist could feel safe in placing MS IN
terest in the midst of a law-abiding
people. My friends. you cannot legis-
late goodness into any man, but you
can make him good by enforcing laws.
In any city, large or small, in the whole
state. the mayor and city council, who
are the servants of the people, have the
power to close one or two. half or
all the Saloons in their city, and If they
are servants of the people, / contend
it is the fault of the people, not OF the
laws, that conditions are not morally
perfect in Utah. Why do the people
ask for new laws when they have never
given the old ones a fair trial? They
do not enforce the present laws, why
then should we believe that they would
enforce new laws?
DO away with the brewery-owned
saloon and the dive. Iegalize the SELL
ing of liquor. but only under high
license and stringent laws, and, my
fellow citizens, vote men into office
who will respect your laws. DO not
wait until the next election: force the
men who. now hold your positions of
trust to fulfill their obligations and be
true to their office, OF else vacate those
offices in favor of men who have the
courage to stand for their own con-
victions.
prohibition does not prohibit, and
never will prohibit, until the national
government takes a hand and iegislates
for the entire Uni>A.
For these reasons and many others
1 am opposed to house bill No. 81.
Senator John Y. Smith.
Following Senator Kuchler, Senator
John Y. Smith, one of the members OF
the committee on manufactures ana
commerce. and on whom the prohiol-
tionists brought extraordinary influence
to bear i'm an attempt 70 get him on
their side, said:
Lest the impression might go out
that those supporting the report of the
committee of which 1 am member are
opposed to legislation that will best
reach the evil of the liquor traffic, this
opportunity must be awaited to make
clear to YOU. Mr.. President and fellow
senators. and to the public in general,
my attitude on this question.
81 have nothing in common with
those engaged in the liquor business.
All my life l have been trained in the
ways of sobriety and temperance. Not
one word that has been spoken in con-
demnation of the evil of Strong drink
and the frightful consequences that fol-
low its victim shall 1 question. can
picture even more graphically the mis-
cry caused by this evil.
'IfI believed, as the prohibitionists
would have the public believe, that
statewide prohibition would stop the
use of liquor, 1 would go as far in the
enactment of drastic measures as any
senator on the floor. But l am COM
PEELED to realize that prohibition Kan
sas trafficks in liquor fully to the extent
of her sister state of Nebraska; that
liquor is used as freely in prohibition
Maine as in Vermont, governed by
stringent regulation. And it is very I'M
fair to represent our attitude, because
we believe that better legislation can be
enacted than the Cannon bill as that of
champions of the liquor interests and
their defenders. These agitators who
make this charge shall learn when the
measures prepared by the committee of
which am a member come before this
house Just where I stand in this ques-
ton, and l shall see to it that my atti-
tude is not uncertain nor vague.
while 1 have profound respect for
the numberless petitions coming to me
from my constituents, 1 keenly realize
that 1 am senator not only for Utah
county, but for all the state, and the
rights and liberties of the citizens of
Salt Lake shall be protected in so far
as my ability goes. At the same time
cur in the desires of my local people"
Senator Wilson closed for the minor
ity, replying to the charge that prohi-
bition had been agitating the people
for only six weeks, declaring that a
year ago the official organ Of the party
was advocating prohibition just as it
was now urging the passage of railroad
legislation.
A roll call vote was then called for.
Twelve senators voted firmly for the
adoption of the committee report killing
the bill, and six with equal firr1ness
voted against the adoption of the re-
port. Senator Burton changed his vote
from no to aye i'm order that he might
give notice for a motion to reconsider
the vote by which the bill passed the
senate. This motion to reconsider will
be made on Tuesday, put it is already
an assured fact that there will be no
reconsideration of the vote.
Before the sigh of relief that came
with the killing of the Cannon bill had
escaped the majority of the senators.
the secretary resumed the reading of re-
ports from the committee on manufac-
lures and commerce. The first was the
majority report signed by Senators J.
1 A. Hyde, Carl A. Badger, II. Bullen, jr.,
and John Y. Smith, recommending for
| DdSSdkc lilt tOGdl Opl1}l ana reg
uIatioTf> bill prepared by the four who
signed the report. In a minority re-
port, Senator kuchler dissented from
the majority report, saying:
Il regret my inability to concur with
the recommendation made by the ma
/ jority of your committee on manufac-
lures and commerce that the bill now
being introduced by said committee in
reference to the liquor traffic in the
state of Utah be passed in its present
! FORM.
81 have considered the bill carefully,
and find 1t to be a meritorious measure,
still it contains certain features incon-
Sistent with my views which prevent
me joining with the majority of
your committee. I am in favor of
stringent regulations, but more modi-
fed form of local option, and therefore
cannot concur with the measures rec
commended by the majority of your COM
mittee."
Senator Hyde moved the adoption of
the majority report of the committee.
Senator Benner X. Smith moved as a
substitute that the bill and both reports
be referred back to the committee on
manufactures and commerce There was
no objection, and the bill and the COM
mittee reports were returned to the
committee on manufactures and COM
merCe-
Some Regulation Features.