The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-05-22

Investigations have msdc 1t plain
that the saloon. along With It's in
.iurlous effects. does serve some use
lul purposes. 1t Is probable that with
the majority of those who frequent
the saloons. the craving for drink is
n subordinate motive. The saloon
supplies the demand for social eN-
pression that is large part of it's
function. The social stimulus OF
men. says Mr., Moore of the Hull
house. who spent several months In
tho saloons of the \ Nineteenth ward
of Chicago. lis cpitomized In tho sa
loon. 1T is center of learning,
books, papers and lecture hall 10
thcm. IL is the clearing house for
common intelligence. the place where
their philosophy OF life is worked out,
and their political and social beliefs
take their beginnings
Might Offer Substitute.
II We were really in earnest in this
matter do you not think we would get
together aud offer a substitute for
the saloon. and thus take ono very
necessary and practical step In the
programme of rcform2 Respectable
men 80 10 their clubs and enjoy So
clal hours without any reproach. The
laborinc man. or the man who has
not 4 club. when he seeks the sa
loon Ia crafty the very same In
Stinct that the Clubman Gratincs at
his club. and if In doing so lhe al
lurcments OF the place tempt him tn
take a glass more than he ought 10
take, then he suffers arrest and dis
grace. and who cares We do not.
II We have not tried to find way
10 provide a substitute.
To indulge in a spasm of virtue and
TO attempt to close tho saloon with
out any attempt 10 provide a sub
Stitutc for IL seems 10 he nothing less
than farccal. We have clubs for
iir wD11 11-iI nj {nt he
children. places of amusement for
those who can afford them. but we
have no place for the great company
of men who Toll all day and who
crave and who need recreation and
diversion Tho only place where
these mon can meet their fellows on
an equal footing is at the saloon.
II is an everlasting disgrace 10 the
tury that this fundamental want of
human nature is so disrcGsrded. and
that the saloons in general arc the
only places where these wants of men
arc met.
Again Quotes GLADDEN.
All who know anything OF the work
or this man | have Just quoted will
pardon me for quoting him once
again:
AT the outset let me admonish
YOU that this is a subject in tho
cultivate serenity OF mind and an
unresentful temper. In religious con-
trnvcrsv most Of us have learned to
be fairly tolerant: VIC can under
stand that a man may differ with
us on a theological point without
being an enemy Of the truth This
spirit docs not always prevail among
tho earnest friends Of temperance,
There arc many who arc apt 10 re-
gard all who do not agree with them
n nai a nj
tho saloon interest. This unchari
tablencsS is TO he dcplorcd: IL has
weakened the cause OF temperance.
Tho question Is really p difficult and
complicated one. there Is large room
for honest difference Of opinion as
TO the best methods Of dealing with
It: and il is desirable that many
different methods should be fully and
fairly treated, That We may have
better reasons than our own subicc-
tive impressions for believing one
me ethnd TO bc superior TO another"
Need to Be Fair.
think a word Of caution is needed.
VIC need To- RENE mher this word in
the present stage of our local cam
paicn. We will not benefit the cause
We eSpouse by harsh words and a
harsh judgment There arc sple endid
men on both sides of this question
mon who are equally honest and sim
of desire to make conditions better
than they arc. They differ only as
TO the means To be employed. and
il viii not do at all for either side
to call hard names. AS DR.. Glidden
puts It.
I'm dealing with the question Of
legal regulation Of the liquor traf-
fc il is best 10 he updogmatic Many
methods have been tried: none, as
vet. has demonstrated its superiority
4 I1nC nt tn of ffSr
restriction needed; state prohibition
has been measurably successful in
the rural districts, but complete
failure i'm the larger cities; the
erumenlal monopoly OF The traffic.
which has been tried in South Caro-
lima. can hardly he said 10 have
justified the expectations of it's
friends nor the predictions OF its enc
mics; its efficacy is still in doubt"
What Can Be Done2
The question before us is Just this,
standing before situation that is
admittedly difficult and that is sur
rounded by much OF abuse and woe
and crime, what can VIC do to lessen
tho evil2 II | believed that the pass
ing of a prohibition law would lessen
the evils of intemperance then |
would spare no pains TO secure such
law. But you may say. neither
ub'S a. law pIoiu'iliHS Blp-
hlbit murder. We all agree that such
n law is bepeficenL and necessary. L
hope YOU see that there is just no
analogy at all between these two
cases. Murder in itself is always
and forever wrong. wrong in itself
whether there be any law against 1t
or not This canuot be said OF either
the sale or tho use Of liquor. Granted
that liquor can only have at hest a
very moderate place in any well or
dcred life. granted that men all
over the world would he vastly bot
ter off without II at all, still you do
not dare TO say. if you arc address
ing intelligence, that in and of itself
the use or the sale of liquor is al
ways and forever wrong.
II is not what the lawyers call
maum per se-a wrong I'm itself.
When il is wrong il Is through abuse,
because il is not nahum per Sc. There
fore, / do not believe that il is
subject for prohibition but for con-
troll Let us enforce the law that we
have and II that is not an adequate
law then let us pass one that is ade-
Quate. Let MS stop playing politics
on this matter and show our sincerity
by enforcing the law and by demand
Ing and securing obedience from
those in the liquor business even as
from those In other vocations. II VIC
are not ready to do this then, be-
lieve me. we are not anywhere near
ready for the more difficult task of
prohibition.
Will Not Save the Boys.
The argument is made and I must