Iron County record. [volume] (Cedar City, Utah) 1893-1982, 1916-06-30
sPRY SAYS PROHIBITION is
FAILURE.

I'D EF0RE conference of Getty So
~ cial workers" whoever this may
be) at Salt Lake the other day, Gov
ernor William Spry delivered an adj
dress on the prohibition question,
which is certainly monument Of de
generacy and servility TO the liquor
interests, which are trying so hard
to prevent Utah from being added to
the rapidly increasing dry territory
in the United States. The whole ad-
dress, as given publicity by the Salt
Lake press, makes his sentiments and
motives on the liquor question so pal
pable that true friends Of temperance
are more than ever Disguised with the
author. His reasons for being OPP
posed to the Wooten bill and state
wide prohibition are just about as
logical as the reasons given at the
time for the vetoing of the Wooten
bill after IL had been passed by both
branches Of the state legislature.
One purpose, and one only, stands
out pre-eminent through all the gov
ernor's dissertation, and that purpose
IS TO prevent just as long as possible,
If it must be permitted a all, the pas
sage of law for statewide prohibi-
ton. To begin with, he holds out the
theory that a state is not big enough
TO enforce prohibition and make Il ef.
fectual; yet he has all along advocated
and with his official signature APP
proved, the local option law, which
permits city and county units to vote
whether they will be wet or dry, which
he has claimed was all sufficient. Then
why does he now raise the national
prohibition bugaboo, and try to divert
the attention Of the people of this
state from the local situation to the
national aspect? Simply because he
knows full well that this will take a
number of years of accomplishment,
If IL is obtained at all. The Governor
processes to quote figures to show that
while ten million gallons less beer has
been produced In the United States.
during the past year, that six million
gallons more whiskey has been manu-
featured, and adds, ~ have no doubt
that there was an increase in intoxi-
cation on that account" These figures
may or may not be true. No clue is
given as to from whence they were OBJ
tanned, but we have no doubt that r.
w. Brown, the person sent out from
Kentucky by the liquor interests TO
lead the fight against prohibition in
this state, could enlighten us. We
understand that Governor Spry is
quite intimate with Mr.. Brown. And
by the way, If as the Governor would
imply, the making of a state dry,
increases the sale of whisky In such
state, we should think that such men
as Brown would be sent out to organ
ize and work FOR state prohibition
laws instead of AGAINST them. In
this connection we would also call at
tention to the fact that the population
OF the United States is increasing, and
the consumption Of four, potatoes
sugar, tobacco, tea, coffee and even
gasoline is increasing, and the fact
the consumption of liquor and beer are
not Keeping pace with that of other
commodities Is what is alarming the
manufacturers and their friends.
In the event that the Governor can
not appease the people Of Utah by
holding the national prohibition sugar
teat before their eyes, but which he
known full we'll is beyond their reach.
then. his next suggestion Is the sub
mission OF the question to the voters
at an election. This will assure his
friends, the saloon keepers and ioouor
manufacturers, two years more of
safety and pelf.
He says:
AT the last session OF the Legislature,
the delegated from three counties our
% twenty -eight were sent 70 the capitol
pieased 70 submit the question 10 the
people: put while the advocates OF prohibi-
uon claim So per cent OF the people OF the
state favor a dry condition the WoottoI,
s enlt, ne said contained no .provision for
submitting the question 10 the people"
Yes; three out of twenty-eight
counties instructed in favor Of sub
uniting the matter to the people Of the
state, and the balance, or the most
OF them, instructed for statewide
prohibition In the speediest and most
practical manner, and the Legislators
thus instructed passed the Wooten bill
which would have been entirely sat
isfactory to the great majority of the
people OF the state, but was not sat
iisfactory, as long as the matter could
be STAYED off, to the saloon men and
the governor Of the state.
II 80 per cent of the people Of the
state want prohibition, why tolerate
the liquor curse for two years longer
in order to crafty the Governors pet
plan of submitting ii to the vote of the
people? Is il not apparent that delay
and obstruction are the objects aimed
at?
Next the Governor swings onto the
old drug store bugaboo, and says that
the Wooten bill was vicious In that il
closed the saloons but permitted every
drug store in the state to sell liquor,
sin fact made saloons of the drug
stores" We have prohibition here,
and the drug stores are not saloons
unless they care TO make themselves
such, and then it is at the eminent risk
of severe punishment.
Continuing the Governor says:
Another vicious feature of the bill
was that while II prohibited the manufac-
ture OF liquor one OF Its provisions was
that nothing In the bill should be con-
strued to prevent resident OF the state
his personal or family use One man
might import few quarts OF wine for use
on special occasion. He would be with
I'm the law Another man, q topper. might
import the same quantity for hls own
use every day In the year"
No, there was nothing in the bill
10 prevent a person from HAVING |
LIQUOR IN HIS POSSESSION for
his own use; but the getting Of this |
LIQUOR in his possession, Is where the !
rrh comes. There Is a federal law,
and severe penalty prescribed, for
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