The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-09-22
CHURCH DESERTS PROHIBITION.

Foiltl"l3nS are Kicking up tnclr necls
in gce ut their success in unloading
the prohibition idea upon the Demo
Gratis. They themselves will hold aloof
altogether There will be no prohibi-
tion in the Republican State platform
as adopted in Ogden noxt Monday. 1t
will be Us the Smoot Mouth told them
two years ago, that there are no pro.
bibitionists worth mentioning or con
sldering in the Republican party. 1T
WAS, as we are informed, one part of
the collusive bargain whereby Smoot
retained his seat III the Senate, that
he should pledge himself thereupon that
he would be a servant of the "inter,
csts; that one of those interests which
he pledged himself TO serve was the H.
qnor interest. He has given abundant
proof of his zeal in the service of the
other corrupt interests, and now his
pledge TO the liquor interests is com
ing on for a second fulfllment. the
first having been wrought with the
legislature in 1909.
There was pretense two years ago
at the October conference that the Nor
mon church was for prohibition. The
declaration, however. was so worded
as to protect the church liquor sales
through its Z. c. NJ. /. drug store. 1t
was opposed to saloons, rot to liquor
selling. as such And from the moment
that the church position was clearly un
dcrstood, the church organs. especially
the Smoot Mouth and the Deseret News,
switched all al once from their prohi-
bitiop advocacy and were entirely con
tent to let the liquor question alone,
The Deseret News was the last TO come
into the liquor men s camp, and it did
so with the protest that it would ne 'er
consent, yet consenting while it pro
tested
Ever since that time there has been
more or less agitation of the prohibition
question. The church Republican party
threw this distracting proposition into
the political arena in this State, pre-
tending great zeal for it, but weaken
ing as soon as IT had frightened the
liquor Interests into contributing a big
fund for use at the election
adic declarations from time to time
that the church was for prohibition,
hat the church Republican party would
De for prohibition, and Nephi l.. Nor.
'ls of this city has been especially loud
nouthcd in his protestation that prohi.
oitlon would be the slogan of the party
his year. There appears, however, now
% be a complete abandonment of that |
position. The church Republican pol |
ticians have unloaded the prohibition |
upon the Democrats, and |
low they arc running away Just as |
guilty parent who leaves an illcgitimate
'hild on the doorstep Of her ucighbor,
'cuttles to cover lust as soon as she
has aroused the neighbor s attention
o it.
The Supreme Court decision on the |
liquor question came Just in the nick |
# time TO serve the purposes of the
hurch Republican politicians at this
lme. OF course it cannot be imagined !
hat the court would plan to deliver a
lecislon with a view TO political ex-
gencies even though II had the case
lnder advisement for a good many
months. The fact that this decision
omes at this opportune time, there
GRE. must be set down as one of those
ortunate condolences for the party
hat fit 10 with revelation like peas in
pod. The decision coming SO oppor.
uneiy Is seized upon by the church pol.
tlcians as the solution Of the whole H.
Iuor question from their standpoint
'he Descrct News on Tuesday night,
nd the Smoot organ yesterday morn.
ng, conceded in the opinion that moth
ng further Is necessary by way of IL
uor legislation in this State; the duty
I the church Republican party is fully
one and nothing further is 10 be de.
lred on the liquor question:; the Su
reme Court settled the matter pre-.
isely as it ought TO be settled. and
hat is the end of it,
What dirty farce it all is, The
llurch Republicans start prohibition
warfare IN this State simply to make
he brewers and liquor men put up n
fund for them The fight
cts hot, the liquor men put up and
ally to the support of the church tick
|, the church gladly allies itself with
he liquor interests. and Job is ar.
anged whereby no liquor legislation
'hatever is to be enacted. and none is
nacted The prohibitionists are plain
told that they do not belong in the
republican party although the Repub.
lean bosses stirred up the prohibition
ssuc. The prohibitionists make an out.
ry at this, and get up an alleged State
onVentlon of their own. blow of lit
lie steam, adjourn. and that is the end
I IT. No particular notice is taken of
'hpt they do or say. And now they
nc all clustered together right around
his hcarisome Supreme Court decision,
nd pleasantly contend that it settles
he whole liquor question for them. But
L..