The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-06-02
KEEPING THE BARGAIN,

that it appears that there is no way
under the law to prohibit the sale OF
Intoxicating liquors from any brew
cry. disiillcry. or wine-vat. The makers
Of beer. wine. and spirits are guafan-
teed the right under this law TO sell
their product. whether the people vote
''wei or dry Accordingly we see
in all Of the declarations from the
church leaders, and from the church
organ that what they demand is the
suppression of ''thc saloon. They
are quite content to have liquor sold
by the makers Of it. whether ferment-
ed. vinous, or spirituous. The right OF
such sale is fully protected IN the law,
and the people cannot forbid 1T. There
is besides, in the contention of the
church authorities and organ, the reser
vation (implied, OF course, not eX:
pressedl that liquor sales from the H.
c. NJ. /. drug store here and by the
Smoot drug company at Provo must
not be interefered with. Also. the bar
privileges Of the new hotel at the head
of Main street must be preserved. IL
it is only saloons that are TO be put
under the ban.
At the same time, the prohibition
workers among the Gentiles are to be
deluded, if possible with the idea that
the church leaders, in declaring against
the saloon, are declaring for prohibition.
Nothing could be further from the
truth. They are opposed to prohibition,
they favor the liquor traffic, but they
want that traffic in their own hands,
The GENTLE prohibition forces are to
be used for the church leaders liquor
propaganda. which, as stated, Is simply
against the saloon and for liquor sales
otherwise, first as the law provides, and
second as the law permits for drug
stores and hotels. SO that the GENTLE
influences which are working for pro-
hibition are simply playing the church
game and getting nothing in return.
1t is an anomalous situation, to be
sure, the church being against the
saloon, but supporting law which per
mits of the general sale of liquor other
wise than in saloons. 1t is such an
anomalous situation that one naturally
inquiries why the matter has taken this
shape The answer is not far to seek.
1t will be remembered that two years
ago and more there was very decided
prohibition movement in this State, in
which prominent church leaders took a
leading part Those leaders at that
time were open and pronounced for
prohibition; but the Federal bunch here
was desperately opposed to it, in spite
of the fact that the bunch IS organ had
brought on the fight for prohibition.
Accordingly, those church leaders who
were then working for prohibition un-
reservedly, appealed to the Congression-
al delegation at Washington to call off
the Federal bunch from Its opposition.
They received in reply telegram re-
ferring to a letter which Apostle
Senator Smoot had written to President
Joseph F. Smith explaining his views
(Which were, perforce, the views Of the
Utah deIegation). Those who read that
letter or heard it read at that time said
that Smoot explained 10 President
Smith that it would be bad faith for
the church leaders TO urge prohibition,
inasmuch as Smoot had been retained in
his seat in the Senate by the influence
of the "interests, of which the liquor
interest was one, and that IL would
be treachery to go back on the liquor
interests In this fight; that the general
liquor interests must be protected. and
that the prohibition fight must be called
off That was done accordingly. The
church organ, in its then expiring pro-
hibition squeak, explained that strong
influences were being brought to bear
to close its mouth with respect to pro,
hibition, but it declared that it would
never cease its advocacy Of prohibition
but that was the last prohibition toot
1t advocated prohibition no more, and il
does not advocate it to-day. As stated
it simply opposes the sale Of liquor IN
saloons. 1t agrees that liquor should
be sold by the manufacturers, by drug
stores, and by hotels.
This explains the whole situation. The
church leaders and politicians, in col
lusion with the Federal bunch, art
obliged to protect the general liquor In
| terests of this State. They have done
SO through this "joker," and through
other provisions that allow of liquoi
sales in the directions indicated. Those
who are working for prohibition have
no possibility of getting prohibition
and neither the law nor the church
leaders have any intention to grant pro
hibition, so fur as this community il
concerned. The law does not allow pro
hibition in Salt Lake, even though TIN
fdrys" carry the day, and neither doe
it allow prohibition in any place where
Intoxicating liquors are made. Th
election is a deceptive proposition al
through, and the prohibition worker
will find themselves absolutely deceived
even though their propaganda shoul'
succeed
The problem was rather difficult on