The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-06-08
THE LIQUOR BARGAIN.

I'Nil0E inc I'fIlpu ~ ''nl''l -
struggle TO retain his seal in The Sen
alc as against The protest which
would have denied him that scat.
there was q gradual massing of forces
in his favor that could not be over
como The case itself was lost sight
Of, partly hv cXtrarcous issues, rs
the leilich charge that Smoot was
in fact polygamist, and. on the
other hand, the Roosevelt political
pressure in favor of making The
Smooi case Republican party is
sue, aud sustaining Smuot on partisan
grounds This latter eventually pre-
vailed. aud the case itself was utterly
lost sight of. The speakers in behalf
Of Smoot spoke not only without
knowledge Of, but in absolute contra
case. They did this merely because
they wished to say something, their
minds having altogether been made
mp by reason of political pressure,
and pressure from the ''intcresis - in
Smoot s favor.
This latter, tho pressure Of The in
teresls, WAS an Immensely strong fac
tor in favor Of Smoot. Smool him
self. rs alleged to have been stated
IN his letter 10 President Smith Of
two years ago, acknowledged his in.
dchtcdncss TO these interests for his
retention of his scat Among those
interests thai were thus brought TO
bear in Smoot * favor was the liquor
interest, i'm whose behalf Smoot
pleaded in the now notorious letter
counscllng that the prohibition fight
of 1909 be called off, because if Utah
went prohibition ii would be trcach-
cry 10 these interests which Smoot
felt obliged to sustain. The liquor
interests helped him, and he must sec
that the liquor interests received no
damage in Utah.
But according to the Federal
bunch's political programme, some
thing had 10 he done about liquor,
The Democratic party last year came
out openly and strongly in favor of
prohibition. That must be opposed
absolutely, on two grounds, first, be-
cause Smoot was bound fast 10 the
liquor interests. and acknowledged
the binding lie, and second, because
1T was necessary to oppose the Demo
cratic party, no matter what prIn-
ciple il set forth or advocated Ac
cordingiy, sort of compromise was
fixed up in the Republican State plat
form Of last year, byr the operation
Of which the general liquor interests
we're not to he hurt, and some con
cessions would, at The same time, be
made to the prohibition sentiment.
active: something must be done to
meet it. And so the platform made
AN ambiguous declaration which the
Of last winter endeavored |
TO crystalize into law. And such a
law, 1t is extremely long. involved, |
and probably in !
many points unconstitutional. But the |
main thing is that the general liquor |
interests are protected. The manu- |
facturers can manufacture and sell in. !
ioxicating liquors in five gallon lots.
The result is. that where a party of |
individuals might now 90 into "A sd
loon and each take Il drink, that |
same party will, if the supposedly |
dry faction prevails, 90 to the
brewery or distillery, buy five gallons
or more of beer or spirits, and will
then feel obliged TO drink it all at one
sitting, That is, the practice viii be
from the casual drinkers of
beer or spirits to guzzlers Of kegs and
gallons.
And thus the two interests, the
liquor interest and the anti saloon in
Ierest, Will merge and both he salts
fed in the apostolic mind of Elder
Smoot He. as Senator, is obliged
10 serve the interests of the liquor
people, but as apostle and counselor
o the Legislature, he has TO do some
hing to meet the prohibition sentl-
mcnt, and so ne undertakes 10 shut
up the saloons in certain parts of the
State allowing drug stores and hotels
10 sell rather loosely, and manufac-
.urers Of intoxicating liquors of all
kinds to sell in five gallon packages
to any buyer, IL is an excessively
awkward, tricky sort of a plan that
was thus formed in the apostolic
mind, an immoral plan, an Indecent
plan And yet it is plausible in a
way; it has enrolled under its banner
number of prohibitionist workers
who are active in this campaign, we'll
knowing that they cannot get pro-
nibton by it, but will simply he able,
if successful, 10 change the casual
thinker into the guzzler and sot.
The campaign against the saloon is
such transparent humbug, such an
evident protector Of the liquor traffic
N general, that one must stand
amazed a the easiness with which