Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-07-28
Saloon Problem Promises to be
One OF Chief Issues in
Political Battle.
A QUESTION OF MORALITY
In Fairness 10 All Should be settled
independently of
Politics.


Provo. July 2s.-The prohibition cues
ton promises to be one OF the chief
issues in the fail campaign Some
political leaders are OF the opinion that
II IS question that requires great
SKIN In treatment-"a very difficult
question to handle" "a matter that
must be very carefully considered" etc.
And the people are guessing at and
wondering what the parties will do.
whether one party will advocate pro-
hibiton or ignore the question, and
whether another viii adopt local
option platform. or say nothing about
prohibition. There is one thing certain:
II the question Is left to the leaders to
settle It viii be settled on the basis of
vote getting Each party will adopt the
plantform plank on this issue that will,
in the opinion of the leaders OF the par
~, secure the greatest number of votes
for the party.
Many Of the voters Of each party fear
that they will have TO sacrifice either
their principles or their party. But
there should not be the slightest need
for such condition.
QUESTION OF MORALITY.
The prohibition question is not a po-
litical question.
one Of the seriousscharges against the
liquor interests is that they have mixed
politics with their whisky. The charges
against the prohibitionists is that they
propose to mix prohibition with politics.
The question Is moral and economic
one, and might be settled by the citi-
zens regardless OF politics. No reason
able person, prohibitionist or anti-pro-
hibitionist will deny that II q majority
N
have right to have Il; nor that II a
majority Of the voters want the liquor
traffic they have a right to that And
they should have a right TO determine
this on the merits of the question,
without mixing 1t with high protective
tariff or the election of United states
senators by a direct vote of the people,
or other proper party Issues.
SHOULD BE DECIDED BY PEOPLE.
And II is so easy to do IL. II the
voters Of both parties viii say to their
conventions. we demand that the peO-
pie he given an opportunity 10 vote for
or against prohibition at the next cleo
tion. and we demand that our nomi-
nees for Office pledge themselves TO car
~ out the expressed viii of the people
after the election" IL win all be settled.
Then II the prohibitiOnists are in the
majority. we will have prohibition till
can convert them to the belief that
prohibition is wrong. II the anti
prohibitionists are in the majority we
viii have the liquor traffic till the anti
prohibitionists can be converted by ar
gument and experience that the liquor
traffic is wrong.
Is there any reasonable objection that
can be brought against such a method
of handling the question. except that
IL will settle the question? Attempting
to settle II by ordinary political party
methods leaves II like locomotive off
the matchmaking a big disturbance,
but getting nowhere. And II is not
a fair way to all the citizens to make
il a political issue. II is not just 10
require a voter who Is a prohibition
list in principle, to vote against pro-
hibition, because his party may have
adopted a saloon platform. nor 10 re-
ouire an i-prohibitionist 20 vote for
prohibition, because his party has
adopted a prohibition platform.
Nothing new is claimed for the meth
od suggested II Is adopted In other
where the people have
had more experience with liquor legis-
ton. and Il works very satisfactorily.
And IL Is conducive TO good citizenship
because Il places on the people the re-
snonsibility Of regulating the people =
affairs for the benefit OF the people.