| Show THE LIQUOR TRAFFIC would open saloons be advantageous y A MORE HONORABLE WAY TO REPLETE THE CITY TREASURY than by licensing saloons and hav whisky editor ol 01 the 1 amid this battle of words on prohibition in provo with your permission I 1 arise to eay it is my candid opinion that the hearts of the people are m the right place regarding this that the judgment of tha majority 13 sound their reason is 5 et unimpaired and that if this matter was placed squarely before them they would and could vote intelligently telli gently tho people have not been tempered with but they have some decided views on liquor questions which are the results of a high moral training and native intelligence the majority of the people arguo like mr who sava the intemperate use of spirituous liquore is one of iho greatest curses to which modern society is exposed it 13 the cause of at least three quarterly qu artery of tiie vice crime poverty pauperism and misery to be bound in the country if v ou were to cut from the newspapers all the reports of murder sand attempts to murder during a y ear v ou v and that at least three out f lour arose out of the misuse of liquors if ou trace to its source any case ot crime poverty or extreme misery ou may chances are at least lour to one that you will find if v ou could the misuse of spirituous liquors w e should save at least one half of the collected by states cities and counties and very appreciably raise the average of comfort and prosperity among tho pet pie we do not advocate the fallacy that law B can be so framed as to eradicate the craving which some have for stimulants it w be vain to try to prohibit euch from the use of intoxicants but we do claim that practical jl measures can be adopted by which the misuse of intoxicating liquors will be reduced to the narrowest limits those measures would not be high license and open ta koono license n not the curo all for allis public sore can it be supposed eup posed for a moment that a salo because he has the authority of law to dispense alcoholic demla will at all times and on all occasions tread the high moral paths of rectitude no not to any great extent men who engage in tho liquor traffic do BO for the purpose ot making money and though the saloon doors be wide open yet there will be many perhaps one half that now drink who would prefer a secret corner there will still exist dark dens famy gilded habits of hell still allure to sin and w ill bo crad up notwithstanding the vigilance of our police the reason why a prohibition ordinance has remained BO long upon tha statute booke is because the of provo aro in kavur of that liw notwithstanding its imperfections A dicenso law w only throw the lequoi into another channel with this difference that camo would be made honorable and the vicious and baneful examples of drinking and drunkenness would be seen on the streets daily many complain of the present law bo cause under it the whisky traffic question is continually coming up for discussion so much the better olt is a mat that needs ainne at short intervals if high license and open saloons would table the onit would bo disastrous indeed g individuals are continually pointing to salt lake city and other large towns fit examples for provo to follow if every tow nm this territory had open saloons that even would be no criterion for us we ahsert acain that the sentiment of a majority of the citizens of provo is against the granting of license on the principle of local option this improvement question should be submitted to a vote at least once a year thereby bringing it prominently before the people this coonc has been pursued fora number of years in the township of vineland noland Vi in new jersey and the people vote to refuse all license to bell liquor they have found as a re ot their firmness that camo and pauperism are almost entirely banished their ton rho advocates of license point to a depleted treasury as an argument in their favor yes licensed faloona will bring in the money there are other institutions of modern society that would baug in a much greater revenue than retail whisky selling but church men do not consider them ab legitimate if more dollars are needed to carry on our city government and to make needed improvements prove ments let our city fathers direct a portion of that wisdom of which they love to boast in a different direction sell some of alie public real estate that is doing no one any particular good equalize taxation and alie valuation of property v alue drug stores and billiard halts with contents dt least as laish as the poor citizens house and lot add bac or two mills on the dollar on all the taxable property alien let them work as hard in the direction of so called and measurable success will surely attend honest effort JOSEPH B |
