The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1909-02-05

BY far thesnost important movement
against prohibition is being made by d
large number Of substantial business
men of salt Lake. To petitions circu-
lated through the city there have been
appended the names of men represent
ing a great many millions of capital
and the work is not yet completed.
These petitions are addressed to the
state legislature, and all who have
signed them have declared against the
enactment of a statewide prOhib ton
measure, but have asked for the pas
sage of bill favoring & strict regula-
ton of the liquor traffic.
The petition to which these names are
attached asks the legislature to con-
slider the personal and social status of
all of the signers of petitions bearing
OH the subject and to give weight ac-
cordingly to the apparent judgment, ex-
perience and age possessed by the sign
ers. In the circulation of this petition
no effort was made to secure an i'm
menSe number of signatures. but to Sc
cure those of the influential business
men of the city. A similar petition is
being circulated in Ogden and is being
signed by large number of business
men of that city
1t is understood that the business
men of the city are opposed to any
measure for prohibition OF for regula-
ton NOW before the legislature. A bill
is now being drawn that is said 20 come
closer than anything else to the regu-
lation asked for. This bill will probably
be introduced in the senate. It is the
purpose of the trainers Of this bill to
incorporate into it the following points:
1. No brewers nor brewing company,
or no wholesaler, shall be permitted to
sell intoxicating liquor at retail.
2. The number of saloons shall not
exceed one for every 1000 of population
in each county Of the state. the number
TO be determined by the last preceding
federal census, provided that all saloon
licenses now in force may be renewed
by the present holders. provided that
all of the regulations are complied with,
but that on the revocation Of any
license, or the lapsing of such license,
no license shall be granted to any one
not already holding a license unless the
increase of population shall make it
permissible.
3. The liquor must be sold in only
one room, in which there shall be no
tables or chairs.
A. All treating shall be prohibited
5. Counties containing no cities OF
the first OF second class are given local
option.
6. The holding Of a federal revenue
license will be regarded as pTima facie
evidence of the sale of liquor.
Measures Are Compared.
There are a large number of sens tors
and representatives who do not believe
in statewide prohibition. but who
would vote for the prohibition bill in
preference to the federal bunch substi-
tute. The proposed bill would give
these members the opportunity to vote
for a bill which they really favored.
The bill is much stricter on the liquor
interests than the federal bunch bill,
and is a big improvement on it from the
fact that it does not make the liquor
interests the part of an already power
full state political machine.
Though apparently imposing rigid re-
strictions on the liquor dealer, the fed
eral bunch bill does not injure the
brewers. The brewers may still con-
tinue to own and operate as many dives
as they can find agents to conduct
There is no restriction on the number
Of saloons in the state, and the licensing
power by the federal bunch bill is vest
ed with the state officers, a provision
believed by many TO be in direct viola
ton of the constitution OF Utah which
specifically states that no municipal
function shall be delegated to state
commissions.
The Hulaniski bill contains the clause
providing for one saloon for every LOCO
population, but does not limit the num-
Der of saloons as absolutely as does the
new regulation bill proposed. 1t places
some good qualifications on the persons
to whom a license may be granted, but
other parts of the bill are bad. The
liquor interests are protected by the
section which provides that revocation
of licenses may be made only when the
saloonkeeper has twice been convicted