Show PROHIBITION OR LOCAL OPTION It was to be expected that the Mor Mormon Mormon mon church conference would declare Itself In Jn favor of oC prohibition and pledge Its members to urge urse upon leg legislators legislators rs the enactment of prohibitory laws Such action was natural because the church hurch as a body from Its Inception has taught its members total abstinence abstinence abstinence nence not only from Crom alcoholic drinks but hut has urged them to refrain retrain from using tea or coffee or tobacco in any form Co Being human a good many members m have ignored this rule of the church as the authorities very point pointedly pointedly edly charge but this has not changed change the attitude of ot the organization or of ot its directing heads In addition the sentiment for Cor prohibition prohibitIon has doubtless been reinforced by bythe bythe bythe the wave ave which has swept the country coun country try because be ause such movements gather momentum and the American people are arc peculiarly sensitive to such spec spectacular spectaCular spectacular emotional demonstrations as asha have ha marked the course of ot the move movement movement ment against the saloon in the south and east Apparently the resolutions of Sunday Sun lay day pledge the church to unqualified prohibition for Cor the entire state though it may not have been so intended We Ve believe that prohibition covering the whole state would prove much less feasible and certainly more difficult of enforcement than a district or county count local option law which would enable the people of the large communities to declare their own desire in the mat matter matter ter Any law which lacks the support of o the people whom it affects Is bound to bo be b a failure worse than that than it only serves 1 fn bring the law into on tempt by the facility with wU which it is broken This is a commonplace decla declaration declaration declaration ration Its truth has been proved by py experience from Crom time Urn Jem h and an yet ct it is the argument always ignored by the good people who base their opinions on the desirability de of ot an Ideal law lat Affecting their fellowmen f rather than upon the demonstrated demonstrate necessity for foi public support to o secure respect for tor and enforcement ment of ot the written statute Whether hether this prohibition resolution shall find expression In legislation or not will depend dep nd largely upon the atti attitude attitude attitude tude of It the liquor dealers themselves In this state as in every eer state where the th question has become an issue iss e the themo themo mo most t potent factors C in arousing ing anti antl saloon sentiment have been the saloon saloonkeepers saloonkeepers keepers themselves If It the saloon sa oon men and he brewers who control most of cof the saloons had recognized the un er ersal sal demand for a a reform r form in the don con conflict on durt of oC the th business it may mir may be doubted whether ether any an strong prohibition senti sentiment sentiment sentiment ment could have been aroused As It 11 ItIs Is and the fact Is realized by such or organizations organizations of liquor Interests as the Model License League the men who own and conduct dives are largely largel responsible for tor the conditions which threaten their business 1 r V r Salt Lake as a concrete exam pit pie pl The bes best t conducted of the saloons the places which observe the closing laws which refuse sell to minors or drunkards or women women which maintain order always would be pt tolerated by bythe b bythe the community as an inevitable ac accompaniment accompaniment accompaniment of city life But they are subject to the odium given sl en the business by b the saloons of or which num numbers numbers bers hers nourish flourish places on Commercial street and elsewhere which are little better hetter than shelters for criminals These dives thrive on vice they de fiend ncnd for tor their large profits on encouragement of or the social evil ell they he defy def life laws and to procure immunity from punishment enter into politics on 01 a corrupt footing Having entered politics they the inevitably bly find themselves subject to political political ical rule That is the beginning of the end nd and unless a radical change for forthe forthe the better Is made hero here herl as well as in inthe inthe the other towns and cities of the state I they will find that the political game cuts both ways Whether they like It or not the tough saloons are doomed to go 10 If It they are cleaned up volun tar ly by the owners who have it In their power so 50 much the better but the thc cleaning up time is 13 in sight si ht 1 |