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

prohibition has not been made
church issue. ] know tina, there are
representatives OF church denomina-
tlons who favor prohibition. ana |
know that there are representatives
OF the same church denominations
who are opposed to prohibition, You
Gibbons Of Baltimore, that eminent
Roman Catholic prelate, that emil
nent American citizen, had tho tc-
merlty TO stand out In the open and
make cclaration OF conviction in re-
speCt 10 this great question that ap-
plies 10 the moral, the social and the
business welfare OF the nation, thero
came up from the sturdy throats OF
hundreds Of church men throughout
the country a protest Not only that.
but he was vlliHcd and abused and
yet standing by his convictions,
whenever he has spoken he has re-
iteratcd the same declaration On
the other side, Archbishop Ireland.
another eminent Roman Catholic di-
vine. has made a declaration in favor
OF prohibition, and the clergy OF that
religious denomination arc divided.
the vast majority of them opposed To
prohibition,
In the Episcopal church we And the
same condition, excepting that know
of only one Episcopalian bishop in tho
United States who is in favor OF pro-
hibitIon. while ] know of many who
arc opposed TO II.
Not Church Issue.
There are two denominations that
have made open declarations in favor
OF prohibition. the Methodist and the
Baptist as they had right TO do
and yet we find Methodist clergymen
their opposition to prohibition. One,
n Methodist divine. mi the city Of De-
trolt. a Rev. Mr.. Wheeler. was eN-
communicated from his church be-
ha
courage OF his conviction. German
Evangelical Lutheran church of my
state in its convention has declared
against prohibition. and so | feel /
am justified in making the stale
ment that this is not church issue,
the churches are not arrayed upon
one side or the other OF this ques-
ton. 1t Is an appeal TO the men and
the women who belong TO the church
denominations OF the United States.
and 1t would be peculiar church
creed that would deny 10 me the right
Of conscience. II would be peculiar
church creed that would deny TO me
the right To decide whether | may
use an Intoxicating beverage with
pleasure to myself and harm TO no
body. IL / choose TO do II. and II l
do II,
II has been my privilege TO discuss
this question in many cities OF the
United States, to study 1T In all its
ramilcations. and there Is one most
significant fact. startling TO me be
cause il reflects upon the LOYALTY and
patriotism of the American citizen
the fact that men who profess to
stand out az leaders. as captains Of
industry. as leaders in business un-
dertakings, as leaders in civic work
and civic enterprises. have not the
courage to stand out in the open and
make declaration TO the world OF their
convictions In respect TO this ques-
tton. There is no more contemplate
cowardize manifested than by the
business men OF most OF the cities
and states OF this nation. ! have for
them only contempt. Why is not this
question important enough to chal-
ienSe you TO an expression OF your
conviction? Whom do you fear? Do
you fear the prohibltionist? Why. he
processes to be an honest man: he
would not stoop 10 the employment
OF disroputable methods 10 'injure you
in your business because YOU have
conviction. Not IL he is what he
processes himself to be.
In Other States.
In these two years that have passed
so rapidly since last ] was permitted
TO address the people of this state
upon this question. much history has
been made, history from which we
might profit II we Will. The first
great bill came up in the state of
constitution Of that state. 10 prohibit
the manufacture and sale OF intoNi-
eating beverages. The legislature OF
that state had enacted law of the
most drastic character prohibiting
the manufacture and sale. The SUI
preme court OF that state had held
certain provisions OF the law TO be
unconstitutional. When Governor
Comar. most radical prohibitionst.
convened the legislature OF the state
In extraordinary session In July Of
1909. that Legislature enacted anoth-
er Drohibitory law and submitted the
question OF the amendment to the
constitution To tho vote OF tho people.
A special election was held on the
10Th day OF November, 1909. and then
for the first time the sovereign peo-
pie of the state of Alabama were
given opportunity to express their
this question, and constitutional
amendment prohibition was defeated
by 1000 majority.
The campaign came on in the cities
OF the old Blue Laws, the home Of
witchcraft. OF bigotry and intoler-
ance. Worcester was dry. Fall
River was dry; the old whal-
ing port, New, Bedford was dry;
dry. They had tried prohibition. and
every one of those cities. after hav-
ing tried prohibition. abandoned pro-
htbiticn They had an election In
December. 1909 In December. 1910
they vote I'm that state once every
year-m December, 1910. these same
cities tina, had tried prohibition aud
then had tried the reverse OF pro-
INSTRUMENTATION one year,
expressed themselves at the ballot
box once more, and these cities to-
day are wet.
Campaign in Michigan.
This spring the campaign came on
In Michigan. There they have coun =
" option. the most induitous species
OF prohibition that Was ever con-
ceived In the human Intellect. The
upper peninsula. remained as n was.
wet. Two OF the most important Of
the southern counties OF the state
that had been dry voted wet. and one
important county. 1ngham county
voted dry. year before the county
OF which Battle Creek Is the county
seat. the county In which Jackson Is
the county seat the county Of which
Pontiac Is The county seat and a
number of those counties in the
southern peninsula had voted dry
This spring they all voted wet. IN