The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1909-01-24
CAMP AIGN FOR
PROHIBITION IS
FADING RAPIDLY
Federal Bunch Turns Tide and
viii Garry Out Its Compact
With the Brewers.
SITUATION is NOW
BECOMING UNDERSTOOD
EVEN CHURCH ORGAN moDu-
LATINO ITS TONE ON THE
LIQUOR QUESTION.

IN spite Of the sincere activity Of those
in charge of the movement for prohibit
ton the fact became apparent yesterday
that they were fighting a losing battle.
The members OF the federal bunch.
through which arrangements we're
made with the brewery interests
to finance the campaign of last
fall and TO throw their support to
the Republican party, have succeeded in
winning victory over the prohibition
lists. though the fight was a hard one
Since the converting Of the legislature
there has been a material change of SEN
timent on the part Of the members of tie
legislature There is at present probably
a majority Of the members Of the house
who would vote to pass the bill were it
not smothered in committee or amended
to death in the open session In the SEN
ate probably less than majority favor
the bill and the opponents Of prohibition
control the presidency OF the senate and
the personnel Of the committees 50 that
there is little chance that Governor Spry
will have the opportunity to veto the bill
To appeaSe the ella mOreFs for statewide
prohibition required exceptionally active
work on the part Of the politicians To
begin with. they were on the unpopular
side Of the question, and in addition they
themselves helped to stir I'D the senti-
ment favoring the enactment Of pro-
hibition law Last summer the official
organ OF the Republican party. taking ad-
vantage Of the spread Of the prohibition
sentiment throughout the country at
tracted some attention by front page ar
guments for prohibition printed under the
caption. Should Utah Adopt Prohibit
ton"
The sentiment for prohibition was sys-
temstically spread throughout the state
and Mormon chuTchmen and others took
up the cause and fought hard for prohibit
ton. A resolution was adopted at the Oc-
tobeT conference Of the Mormon church
1-.-1-r
who are ever inclined to criticise the sc-
tons of conference have said that the
prohibition resolution adopted was either
premature or premeditated- In several
counties pianks were adopted in county
platforms piedging legislative nominees to
vote for either prohibition or local option.
Brewers Buy Protection.
The brewery interests became alarmed
and IT was apparent that a back fire must
be started. That a deal with the brewery
interests was made by the Republican
party that $4,000 or more was contributed
to the campaign in the state and partieu-
larry in Salt Lake county. that the vote
of the saloon men and haugeTs-on. and Of
the brewery owners and brewery workers
and the influence Of the liquor interests
was to be given to the Republican party
and that in consequence the leaders
pledged the Republican legislature not to
enact any prohibition legislation. was
openly charged and never denied in the
campaign preceding the election Of last
fall The indications are that the leaders
are forcing the Republican legislators to
carry out their compact
SHreWd methods have been adopted by
the leaders Of tine Republican party, f. e.,t
the federal bunch to fulfill the compact.
The leaders Of the prohibition movement
have admitted that such an agreement
with the liquor interests was made by the
leaders Of the Republican party. but
they added with considerable show OF
r@rz-
ter away the manhood and wOmanhOod
Of Utah" They had to make the deal.
they declare. in order to save the leaders
Of the church from persecution and ban
The first thing done by the leaders Of
the party was to call off the official
organ Of the Republican party Of Utah
No more Shall Utah Adopt Prohibition
editorials appeared. Instead there ap-
peared glazing. crimson headlines on every
subject save prohibitiOn-and printed on
a new press. The next move was to
smother all reference TO prohibition in the
state platform OF the Republicans.
The election over. the leaders then set
to work TO organize the legislature that
the force Of temperance might not prevail
against IT, This was not difficult since
the county conventions OF the state we're
so handled that there was not an over
whe!mingly large number Of prohibition
lists chosen. At the opening Of the iegis-
lature the senate chose Henry Gardner or
Logan as its president and the mouse
chose as speaker y. W. Robinson Of Io-
gan. neither Of whom Is known to be an
ardent prohibitionist. nor, what was far
more important an opponent OF the VIII
Of the federal bunch. who were respon-
sibie for their selection
ssIve for the dissatisfied.
Tt was somewhat more difficult to aD-
pease the people who were working IN the
interest Of prohibition and this, it IS said.
vas done only after an ambiguous prom
ise was given that two years hence
prohibition bill would be passed. To the
prohibitionists this story is said to have
been told: The compact was made with
the brewers with the explicit understand
ing that there was to be no prohibition
legislation passed this year To carry
Salt Lake and defeat the Americans it
Continued on Page 2.