The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-03-13
SALOON IN POLITICS.


the saloons of Utah into politics, and
being engaged busily in the effort not
only TO keep them there. but TO oblige
them to extend their political concern
TO the judicial elections, the cry of
their organ to keep the saloon out of
politics is easily recognized for the
dishonest sham that il is. Under
the "bunch 81 new liquor bill it will
be necessary for the saloons to busy
themselves with the judicial elections,
so that they can get complaisant
Judges, who will not hurt their busi-
ness, lsincc under this law the granting
of saloon licenses is made the duty of
the courts. 1t is a plain proposition
that in this way the "'bunch' expects
to be able to use another "persuader
whereby saloon money for election pur-
poses will be easy to force. And so
the judicial elections will turn on the
question whether the judicial nominees
are to be easy on the saloons or not,
in order to secure the saloon vote. The
singular part Of this disrcputable pro
grammc is that tho Dcseret News, the
church organ, has been whipped into
line on this vile saloon proposition
though It's voice at the first was against
lit.
\ good way 10 take the saloon out
of politics, and keep il out, is TO adopt
the "model liccnse'' plan, as we
pointed out in these columns some days
| l,, In1
loving letter from the president Of the
Model License League, which illus
tratcs, unconsciously, the very point at
issue here. that when he saloons have
TO do with officials under ordinary con
ditioDs. the saloon vote will go for or
against officials according as these are
friendly or unfriendly TO the saloons;
just as the provisions i'll the new liquor
law that give the courts the license con
troll for saloons will inevitably force
the saloons TO be active in the judicial
elections The letter referred to is as
follows
Louisville. KY, March s. 1911.
Editor Tribune:-May | make a few
| supplemental suggestions In reference 10
your recent editorial referring favoraby
| 10 the model license plan TO take the sa :
! loon out OF politics?
AS YOU say, the machine politicians do
not want the liquor business taken out
| of politics: and il is also true that the
professional prohibitionists and profess
sional retormers help to keep the LIQUOR
the conduct OF the liquor business would
take the question out OF politics and after
nearly thirty years OF study OF me ,n matter t
uine reform must be based on political
Independence rather than on political per-
sccution
Let us take the case of the banker
as an example. Suppose party should
be formed TO fight banks. say on the
ground that banks have caused great
deal OF misery by failing. Suppose such
party should try TO put It's cand'-
dates into city councils. into legislatures
and on the bench, Practically every
and would be forced TO seek every po-
lltical advantage.
Suppose. too, that a law was proposed
understanding that political pull would
be necessary for the banker to remain
in business from year to year, and sup
mauded that the license fec be made
so largo as TO deprive the banks of a
reasonable profit. No sane man could
expect the banks to keep out Of poll
tice And. even II the banks were put out
Of business because some banks fail
and because some bankers charge usury.
would be In greater demand than be-
fore.
Our plan Is based on fundamental prin-
ciples of fairness and moderation. We
advocate limitation of the number OF
licenses in reasonable proportion TO the
population so as To avoid monopoly on
the one hand and undue competition on
the other. We advocate the automatic re-
newa of licenses OF all lawabidlnG deal
ers so long as the sale of liquor Is not
stopped by vote OF the people We ad :
| unEaryinC DrnHl-
ties so that the law may be invariably
enforced and to this end we advocate
a law compelling the judge TO suspend
La license for thirty days upon the holder s
first conviction by jury of violation Of
law and TO cancel the license permanently
upon the second conviction. A law con-
tanning the provisions outlined would
make the retailer a fairly prosperous
business man. independent OF politics
and. above all. lawabiding CITIZEN for
under such a law IL would be more
profitable to obey the law than to vio-
late 1t,
Yours respectfully.
i T NJ. GILMORE.