Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1909-03-10

law is enacted. Government ls not o.
matter OF the enactment Of law. Iut
Of conformity 90 law by The governed.
The placing OF laws ON the stature
books which are not sustained by pub
he sentiment is worse than use ess for
II breeds lawlessncss and hypocrisy
RETURN To OPTION
At least six states. Connecticut Mas
sachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire,
South Dakota and Iowa, have tried uro-
hibition and come back to local option
and regulation. This TACT alone shoJid
cause as 10 move forward with au-
tion and Co be sure that we are always
on safe ground. ground supported BY
public opinion.
The effort 20 establish prohibition 10y
"a blanket statewide enactment and
not by county prohibition measure at
this session of the legislature Is, 300 nay
judgment premature. Not until the
Deseret News on Jan. g. 1909, announced
change OF front on the part OF the
leaders Of the Auti-Saloon league, was
there any seriously considered move
ment as far as the public is concerned.
for statewide prohibition This fact
Us shown by the editorial of the News
on that date which said Leading
members 81 the league state that their
first intention was TO ask for local OPP
ton, because they did not dare To- hope
that prohibition could be obtained at
once This fact is further shown by
q quotation from the Year Book of the
Auti-Saloon league, 1905, page 1885, as
follows. "A strong campaign for local
option has been inaugurated in Wya-
ming and Utah whore AN the church
organizations. including the Nor
mon Church. are giving the league
strong announcement and support.
The World Encyclopedia 1909. SUM
marizes the temperance reform move
ment for Utah az given out by the As
ISOLATION Prohibition Press on Jan i,
IN the following terse sentence. "Couu-
ty prohibition campaign sweeping the
state
WHERE LEAGUE STOOD
That the league had rightly interpret
ed public sentiment uD To- January
1909 Is shown by the fact that the
Municipal league-an unofficial organi-
zatlon composed OF delegates from the
various cities of our state-On Dec. %
1905, passed a resolution Ia favor Of
local option. Judge John +. Booth Of
Provo brought the matter before the
league and is reported as having said
that while he was iu favor of prohi-
bition that prohibition being out Of
the question local option was the next
best thing 10 control the liquor traffic.
Seven weeks ago the Auti-Saloon
! league. with its hand on the public
pulse pronounced that fits beats were
| for local option Since that time a
/ most remarkable change has occurred
| While there lis "a pronounced and siren
uous difference OF opinion in salt Lake
and Weber counties. and boz perhaps
some others and while / feel that we
| cannot until the people have spoken
al the ballot box, Doc certain that a
majority are az the present time in
/ ly going TO prohibit the liquor traffic,
| shall not be surprised when the votes
are counted, If the question is submit
! ted 10 a vote, that "a majority nave
! voted for prohibition
This strong prohibition sentiment ia.
| however. Of sudden origin. the change
1 from local option 90 prohibition IS
a sudden change and those who follow
the movement OF the public mind know
well that sudden changes are often fol-
| lowed by further changes While my
conviction is that the people are final
| Is going 20 prohibit thel liquor traffic. !
/ have been and ann now firmly persuad-
/ ed that il is the part of legislative Wis
| tiou OF state wide prohibition until the
| people have reviewed their position
| and have indicated their decision al the
polls. II Is one thing 90 BE- right an
| other thing % know you are right, and
| still another thing To know that you
/ can and TO solemnly determine that you
! viii maintain the right ass "a matter OK
/ statutory enactment
Six weeks IS short time in which
d. #.... ID 10 #H#.HH FHa
/ IN prohibition and statewide prohi-
| hilton. and six weeks Boz spite of de-
mails, is an the time we have had 10
| consider this matter II seems 10 me
/ wiser 90 follow the FIRST demands OF
/ the Antl-Saloou league. demands mat
| are the outgrOWth of Nearr eHoIL
| for local option, than Co follow inc
/ league loo its new born determination
/ 10 achieve complete reform at one
blow. DESPITE the fact that the people
have never expressed themselves as
citizens on the changed attitude of
the league o. there any danger that
the league Us too conservative The
| danger is that 10 win ouuruu carefully
and maturCly weighed public opinion.
Is IL not better 20 take "a county pro-
hibifiou measure that viii surely send
I'd out OF % nud. / believe tho whole
/ 2D counties dry and DE sure of
/ statewide prohibition two years from
/ now. and know that We are ON CuuaDf
/ vatiyc and safe ground and that the
/ people are behind uF, than tn have
Statewide prohibition with the cone
I sClousnoss that the methods used 900
I this agitation Tor statewide urohl-
T bition are arousing resentment ana lu-
dirnatlOu and sense of wrong and iu-
I Justice that forbudeH reaction against
. the temperance causcH Ought not tne
friends of Temperance Co pause whom
thoy see such stalwau leaders of tne
I reform as Hon Frouk n Stevens
Dean Brewster and Pauon Simpku
refusing to follow the league in its
present effort Tor statewide prohlnI
LINE OF DENUNCIAToN
During the contest over tho righi
OF Hon Reed Smoot 90 retain his seat
bal the senate of the United states 1 was
secretary to the senator There NHs
burned into my soul during those day.
the rOusciuusuers that there ls and
ought 90 be- separation between
church and state and that tho peopl,
of the state of Utah are lu spe. h|
need of obscrying that eternal dia-
uuctIOu.
The Constitution of the state of uah
has among it hrst provisions llt
fundamental one that "ThcrC shall Do,
ro union 0f church and state. nor sltI
auv church dominate thf state Or Iu.
t.rfgre with lta functions We uie
under solemn oath to uphold ihF
Constitution
may bo wrong but in my ludg.
/ mfut there has been serious attempt
/ .u fhr part uf certain Cnurcumou M