The daily sentinel., 1913-10-06
EDITORIAL
The Daily Sentinel
MONDAY, OCT. @, 1913.
SHALL The SALOONS RETURN?

TIIE SENTINEL sincerely hoped that the effort to
get signatures sufficient to bring the and dry
issue up for the November election wosld fail
The effort did not fail however, and the citizens of
Grand Junction face repetition of two of the bitterest
campaigns the municipality Witnessed
Weeks ago The Sentinel declared that the move
ment to have the issue resubmitted was NOT A GEN
ERAL MOVEMENT. We still make that contention
We contended that MAJORITY of the business
and professional men OF this city AXE OPPOSED to
rosubmission of the question. We still make that
ton.
A number of men actuated by selfish motives large
" fathered that petition and movement.
Not over TWENTY per cent of the business men
of Grand Junction signed the petition.
But the fight is on. Whether the movement was
general not has resulted the people being forced
to engage in another wet and dry fight.
It's l-timed fight, useless fight and unjust
flied fight but FIGHT it will be nevertheless
We never did, for single moment, put any
dence in the statement made by those managing the pc
ttion that they would simply submit the question and
wage campaign. his statement Joke Al
ready these citizens have strong campaign organiza-
: ton and will put up hard fight.
And the people who do the saloons re-
turned tc Grand Junction sleeping. they have
today militant, representative enthusiastic organiza-
ton and the battle will be waged nsevery block of the
city.
As we have said time and again, we do not believe
that prohibition prohibits, but have also said that
do not believe that saloons are NECESSARY for ctys
prosperity
We have contended that there justification
of this fight this time and have given for
conending. Now that the issue is up are not GO
ing to be backward about taking stand.
Grand Junction may return to the licensed saloon
some day, but for many convinced that
Grand Junction WILL NOT return to the licensed sa-
loon this year.
The only argument that the wet" management
hopes to make effective to any whatever the
argument that times would be better if we had saloons
The writer does not believe that prosperity leftus
with the banshment of the saloons and will return to
with the coming back of thelsaloons.
A city can be prosperous with without Saloons
just as It can be dull with or without saloons.
The saloons happened to be with when the valley
in the heyday of its prosperity OWING the high
prices of fruits, the many HIGH PRICED land sales
and the great boom Colorado generally was enjoying.
The saloons had ABSOLUTELY nothing to do with
that prosperity.
The reaction in these prices land values and boom
came and came after the saloons had and lot of
people try to charge it up the absence of saloons
Such argument is silly as it can be.
here plenty OF towns this size in the west
that are DULLER than Grand Junction
We against the movement to make Grand juno
ton wet at this time
BECAUSE:
We believe that such a campai On at this time was
not justified in any way shape or FORM
We believe that it inspired by selfish motives
and not in spirit of the greatest good for the greatest
number
We do not believe the return of the saloon is neces
sary for the growth and upbuldng of Grand Junction
We believe Grand Junction can be as prosperous
WITHOUT saloons as it WITH SALOONS
we differ IN "a score of matters with the "drys'
We disagree with their policy in many ways We do not
believe that prohibition will succeed until there is Ma
IlONAL prohibition, but contend that this fight at
this time in Grand Junction is NOT brought about by
men who are UNSELFlSt!Lf laboring for the city's
best interests; believe that the issue only hurt
and not help Grand Junction at this time
We against it for these reasons
We, shall vote against it.
We shall use influence against it,
We hope to see the movement defeated
Our news columns will be fair both sides and as to the
handling of communications etc. both sides will be treat
ed impartially.
Edtorially, we will do Just as we always do on all
questions, we will speak mind in frank and conscen-
tous manner.