The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-09-19
Saloons Should Be Reduced in
Salt Lake and Undesirables
Weeded Out.
REFORM MADE EASIER
BY COURTS RULING
American Voters Ought to Go
to the Primaries
En- Masse.
BY MAC.

| pdAS,
For a long time many of the con-
servative business men of this city
have believed that there are too many
retail liquor houses in Salt Lake, but
the difficulties to be met in reducing
the number have led to a quasi under
standing that. while the number would
not be disturbed, there be no additional
licenses approved. The council seems
to have adopted that policy, in which
Mayor Bransford agrees.
But the principal difficulty leading
up to a crystahzing of this sentiment
was the opinion that the council could
not deny license to a retailer except
for cause; that there must he an abuse
of license as proper justification for
refusal to renew 1t. Lawyers have CON
tended that it is not within the discre-
tlon of council to refuse to extend
| license.
Now comes the supreme court decis-
ION which is to the effect that council
tees may refuse to issue a license for
any cause whatsoever, and that there
is no appeal from such action.
The chief difficulty in the reducing of
the number Of saloons in Salt Lake hav-
ing been removed, the council should
proceed in a fair way to weed out the
undeslrables. There are TOO many in
certain districts. and the class is not
| as high grade as is desired. One sa
loon for each one thousand population
is fair apporticnment- And such a
| conclusion on the part of the city would
work n decided reform In methods of
dispensing intoSlcants.
A reform along these lines should be
commenced ns early as possible, so that
it may be effective the first of the year.
This will give the chief of police and
the council ample opportunity to inves-
tlgate the question of fitness and loca-
tion and TO notify those who MAY not
expect renewal of their licenses on
January !.
The success or the failure of the
American campaign in Salt Lake coun-
ty will be written in the record of the
nominating convention. This conven-
tion will be held Mt the Colonial the
ater next Saturday. The delegates will
be named at the primaries Wednesday
evening.
Americans should attend these pri-
maries en- masse. Representative voters
should be chosen delegates-men and
women who will go to the convention
and help select frst-class list of can
didates. Not men and women whose
sole aim is to further the interests of
a particular candidate or particular
estate. -
Several candidates have offered them
selves for responsible positions on the
county ticket who are mere political
adventurers. If they succeed in their
efforts to get on the ticket, they should
be defeated at the polls.
The American party cannot afford TO
nominate unclean men. And the party
will avoid such disgrace if the real
Americans turn out and name as dele
gates real friends of the party,
| There was never a brighter prospect
for success than appears at this time.
This prospect must not be destroyed by
All unworthy nomination.
Much criticism is made of the fact
that so many of the criminal element
is freed in the police court OF this city.
1t is held, and Justly, that too many
dismissals are made on slight TECHNICAL
ties. Such notorious characters as At
torncy Bill Newton appears to have the
ear of the police court. Newton should
he given to understand that there is no
decent community large enough TO af
ford his presence. He is dangerous
and unscrupulous offender
Judge Whitaker has not acted with
| especial credit to himself in a number
of fragrant eases. He may mean WELL
but we doubt if some of his rulings will
be held to be in the interest of good
morals and public safety. He is too
lenient, if not downright indifferent.
Some persons seem to thing that the
American party should be blamed for
turning so many criminals loose after
they have been apprehended by the po-
lice department. But the police Judge
is not nn American. Not by a long shot.
Which is well 10 keep In mind when one
reads of the long list of offenders whom
the police arrest and the court re-
leases.
Policeman Pitt. the officer who ar
rested Thurston Brown for attempting
to address crowd on the streets last
Thursday evening. appears to have eXer-
cised poor Judgment; In fact, his con
duct indicates that he is of n tempera"
ment that renders him unsafe as an
officer.
Too many men. clothed with author
ity and bcdccked with brass and blue,
act as though a special license is given
them to be ungcntlemanly and brutal.
The affair last Thursday night lndi
Gates that Pitt is in this class.
If he acted as is stated he should be
summarily dealt with.
Whether or not n bigh-class woman
should be given one OF the legislative
nominations on the American ticket
is having the attention of many of the
American women. Some object TO
woman in office, holding il 10 be out OF
keeping with the higher ideals of wom-
anhood. Others believe it perfectly Just
and proper that in Il campaign IN which
so many women arc active and arc in
terestod that one or more of their sex
be placed on the ballot.
Most men will say, ''Trot out your
candidate We III be for her If she is