| Show i ackman and Sims Score Drys Who Harassed Sol Solons ns C. C of C. C and Legion Officials Reply to o Merrill on Resubmission Opponents of of or the state prohibition amendment who harassed lawmakers at the last session ses sese sion of the legislature were scored Friday by Gus P. P Backman secretary of and of the chamber commerce Norman Sims commander of the Salt Lake post No 2 American legion in ina a letter to Dr i Joseph F. F Merrill of the council of twelve apostles of or the theli li t. D. D DS S. S church The letter was written in reply toon to toon on by Dr Merrill In which he charged wets were pestering members memo mem bers bels of the legislature and asserted that certain interests were attempting attempt attempt- ing to shift the burden of taxation to the backs of the common people Mr Backman and Mr Sims pointed out that believing vinc that the legislature would provide for fora a vote on the state prohibition amendment amend amend- ment under the Democratic platform made no efforts to prejudice the legislature legislature leg leg- in voting on the subject Opponents however the letter charges continued to harass the legislators leg from the very or of the session until after the matter had been voted upon and d defeated cat d. d LETTER LEITER Q QUOTED QUOTED- J T TJ The e letter f follows llos l s o in f full li Dear Dr Merrill Your open c communication carried in hi the Salt Lake newspapers recently would have been ac accepted as the opinion opinion ion of an Individual who felt he should use his his' efforts to thwart the possibility of pe people having the opportunity opportunity opportunity op op- op- op of expressing themselves th up upon n th prohibition question with the thought in mind that th the people p p ople needed direction and on that basis the letter would have passed unchallenged of necessity but lut with the inference inference in in- ference drawn in the communication we feel justified in making reply to the same particularly to some of the paragraphs of the communication and nd particularly d due to the fact that the Inferences made that the organizations which to date have expressed ed themselves on the subject are doing so purely for personal gain any thought whatever of the responsibility of the community to t mon raon people of the com and th that t thos those C int interested in the subject are arc attempting to promote the calling of or a special session of the legislature purely for the purpose of shifting taxes as soon as as- possible from their own own shoulders to the backs of the common common people In reply to this matter maUer we re simply asking the question to w whom t om are you referring as the common people pee pec- pie Surely you are not thinking in terms of the people c le of the United States who at the present time are arc unemployed or of the group rep rep- Continued on Pace a two Twenty Drug Company es' es Vote Favors Repeal of the Smith Faus Drug company have voted over- over w for tor repeal o of the prohibition section of the tate state ate constitution in a secret ballot officials announced Friday The vote was 64 for repeal one uncertain and one against The action followed closely on the heels of a poll of em em- of the Cudahy Packing company where recently voted in favor of submitting submitting sub sub- the state prohibition amendment to the electorate Seven voted against the proposal The Jackson Democratic league Thursday night unanimously authorized F. F E. E McCatty Mc Me- Carty Catty president to appoint a committee to urge Governor Henry H H. Blood to allow r mission Reports from Brigham City stated that the Box Elder chamber chamber cham chain ber of commerce voted 90 per percent percent percent cent in favor of resubmission in a straw polL polLA A special session to prepare for r resubmission was urged in a petition signed Thursday night by officers of Camp Woodmen of the World who also seek seck a special election for repeal of or the eighteenth amendment amend ment BACKMAN AND SIMS ANSWER I Ci tram from Puo Seventeen of that r resenting probably one half number who though now being rated sufficient as employed are earning only dent to provide themselves with the bare barc necessities of life There Is certainly Individuals no possibility of these having to assume the burden which you Infer will be imposed through legislation which may legalIze legalize legal ize the sale of beverages and liquors now flow prohibited You cannot possibly infer that through the legitimate sale of prohibited beverages sufficient revenue would be produced to in anywise any anywiSe anywise wise directly affect national taxation when the amount estimated as revenues reve revenues obtainable would amount to almost almost al most any infinitesimal portion of the total tax collected and the total mount estimated to be received is such luch a small fraction of the amount now flow being expended for tor the feeding and clothing alone for those absolute absolute- absolutely ly destitute The question of the manufacture man man- or selling of prohibited beverages beverages bev bev- and liquors is not the question which is being promoted by the or or- organizations in the state of Utah The question is whether or not the people of the state shall have the right to voice their opinion on a matter ex cx- extremely extremely controversial QUESTIONS PROPRIETY Is Js it not rather improper for one whose activities are arc purported to be directed along the lines ines of proper living living liv liv- ing and proper ethics in living to infer that because of a difference of opinIon opinion ion Jon there must be some sinister motive motive mo mo- tive behind it Do you f feel l you have the right to challenge the honesty and integrity of men who are members of groups represented in the petitions which have been presented to the governor because of the fact that they disagree with you Do IDe o you feel it proper upon these gentlemen because in their opinion they feel that people cannot be legislated into temperance any anymore anymore anymore more than the they can be legislated into becoming members of a specific church I Do o you appreciate the fact that there are as many of us who are total abstainers interested in the rights of the people to themselves on this important subject as there are those who may be interested In again being able to provide for themselves what are now constituted unlawful I beverages through legitimate chan chan- chancels nets cels els We Ve wish 1 to further call your attention attention at to the fact that at atthe the recent cession of the state legislature those who were interested in the opportunity opportunity of again expressing themselves upon tipon this controversial subject assumed as as- the attitude that under the Democratic platform this right would be given to the people of ot the state and for lor that reason they would not attempt to prejudice the members of the state legislature in voting on the subject At the hearing on the matter they felt the community as a whole had through its vote expressed its desire and I feel sure if it you will refer to the hearings you will find that not more than one or two individuals appeared ap- ap appeared ap ap- to present the cause of those who were interested in who would deny the people th the opportunity of f expressing themselves themselves them them- s selves were in attendance in force and they continued to harass the legislators legislators legislators legisla legisla- tors on this matter from the very opening of the session of the legislature legisla ture until after the matter had been voted upon and defeated They were in attendance continually and were in dally daily contact in the lobbies of the legislative assembly with legislators promoting their position on the subject sub REFLECTED DESIRE DESmE With all U of this propaganda and the efforts of the lobbyists and all the pressure which was brought to bear the vote on the matter reflected t ti the desire of the majority to allow the proposal to be resubmitted and weare weare we weare are of the opinion that in the event the legislature should be called together together together to to- gether to pass upOn upon this subject alone b beyond y nd a a. qu question stion of doubt the constitutional requirements would be met and the matter again submitted to the people as as' we feel fecI through trades and other confusing items those desiring resubmission found it J Impossible to marshal the necessary majority to carry the proposal and further we resent any inference that any member of our recent legislature could be bought or even approached for lor the purpose of ot influencing his yote vote We have never presented this subject subject subject sub sub- from standpoint the the of attempting attempt k f ing to force torce liquor upon the community ity our contention has hu been purely from the standpoint of the inalienable J rights of the American people to express express ex ex- ex 1 press themselves though as you have said laid in your communication we did express ourselves some seventeen I years ago conditions as you surely J appreciate have changed materially t since that date and though we have J had a purported prohibition the I American merican people have certainly lived I Tto 10 better belter their morals have certainly become no finer tiner racketeering and lawbreaking has not declined and lure temperance has not increased 1 We appreciate the fact that those who are engaged in professions such AS 52 yours do not of necessity come como in contact with the real conditions exist existing ing in the community Inasmuch as people are always anxious to present to those holding authority the best there i a 13 in them but people engaged in the ordinary activities of life do appreciate the fact tact that Intemperance has grown by leaps and bounds and feel eel that it will vim continue so long as laws conflicting with the personal liberties lib lib- lii- lii ei ties of majorities rc remain upon our statute booksIn books In tIn conclusion we only desire the opportunity of allowing this matter to take an orderly course so 50 that the constitution of the state of Utah may contain such laws as we know are arc through public sentiment ent end and not to assume a hypocritical attitude attitude atti tude that because a law remains in inthe Inthe Inthe the constitution of necessity it must b be good |
