| Show THE WE LIQUOR QUE QUESTION STION I 1 how to prop properly orly control the sale solo of intoxicating liquors so that the least possible evil may result from their sale and yet any good that might be jq supposed to attend their use could be attained is a question that many sensible men haye have sought ife iff satisfactorily solve various means have been tried in various places from the restrictions more or less stringent bt imposed in many parts to the exclusive prohibition of mai mal maine ae but ut fit still 11 a solution absolution is sought it is evident that with this as with everything else the aim should be to secure the greatest good to the greatest number and it is ad admitted m I 1 eted by th the e very basis of republican government that the voice of the majority should control in matters affecting the interest of all tho the lna run majority of the citizens of this thia city and territory are opposed to the frequent use of liquors so common elsewhere knowing that 1 to degrade demoralize and brutalize mankind and while it ia 19 admitted that they may be of use for washing the body for certain fomentations and other kindred purposes it is claimed that their use as beverages or internal stimulants is attended with the most injurious effects to individuals and to society at large such is the feeling entertained by the majority of the people of this territory and as constituents they elect to public places of trust me men n who they believe will faithfully represent them in this as in all other matters p pertaining to the public welfare the municipal authorities of this the most important city in the territory have adopted various measures to meet the wishes and wants of the public at large on this question the sale of liquor has been all but prohibited licenses have been granted freely at another time again these have been restrained and the sale bale limited limite d to the city agents for the benefit of the city treasury we have a comparatively large transient population at times who have been accustomed to the use and who claim that they must have them these persons have been able in other places to go into a saloon when they felt so inclined and had the money and obtain what drink they required saloons and grog gerles geries being plenty but the moral sense of or this deop people le is directly opposed to such places and the question arises if liquor is considered necessary by some for medicinal purposes blud and by other others as a stimulating beverage which they must have whale the public are opposed bolts toils being sold unrestricted by anything but simple license who I 1 shall shull control its sale bibo or how bow ar ahall thie thle the tho e restriction silie t 1 n ex extend Tf another question presents itself here shall this city and ahe the mothr cities throughout this territory beeb become in like ilke the citler cities of adjoin adjoining frig states anater and tei tel ri tories tonnes with whisky shops atall the tiie street corners flanked by gambI gambl gambling lur hells and houses of ill III fame ar shall ahall the latter day saints in the 4 development of the condition of society that has been inaugurated among them present to the world the example of cities without dram drain shops gambling hb uses and k kindred places where evil abounds and the worst habits are acquired ami and strengthened these questions will be very readily answered by the people at large to the tho first the majority and ity would amount to nearly the whole population populations would say let it be controlled by THI ann PEOPLE LE tri tIl rough through their legally appointed depre to the second they would respond that having fled from the evils and follies of the great world to build up a comma anity where righteousness would prevail virtue reign and good morality be observed by all they will not retro betro gade nor countenance the establishment of hot bot beds of vice where eliere youth could be corrupted and weak manhood have strong temptations to do wrong thrust persistently bt before ibro Ibre it if the municipal authorities here bore have the moral right to control this matter bestowed upon them by the people as is they unquestionably have the legal legai right to do so in their capacity of custodians of the public peace mor morality allty and ind good order that right being conferred upon them by charter who shall derive benefits from the sale bale of liquor when its sale is deemed a necessity shallin shall individuals divi duals who come here hero and have no I 1 interest in the welfare of the city ty or its prosperity be allowed this restricted right or shall any private individual or individuals have it arshall or shall shail ibbe it te held by the people for the benefit of ih city to aid in the expenses of its govern n ment the erection of public buildings and the making of necessary improvements we believe that no i night right thinking person could hesitate besita te a moment in saying that the city las has the best right to any revenue which might arise from such a source the municipal authorities here liere have had to labor under difficulties i in conducting the of the city and making improvements with which many of the citizens are unacquainted through lack of reflection for a time the legislative assembly de barred them from collecting auy nuy any city tax and for forthe the past two years ine the tax imposed by them has been the almost nominal one of one fourth of a cent per cent or twenty nive five cents on the hundred dollars now low row it is but a little more but very little and while de barred of asses assessing singa a tax they maintained an efficient police force preserved good order and made all the improvements that the limited means at their bisp disposal osal enabled them to make with the slight tax collected they have built a hall ball which is a credit to td this and would be an ornament to any city they have voted to improve north temple street they maintain good order have built commodious and excellent bath houses and continue to extend improvements of various kinds for the beautifying and ornamenting the city they have done these things and haye have preserved the city free from debt which is more we presume isner than can be said suld of any other chartered city in the west wea that at ali all approaches to this one anelu lu liias and importance j it is the usual custom in most moat places to carp at and anil nind find nind find fault with mun municipal ici pal pai authorities perhaps ps not without buffi clent elent reason here here we have no room romu to find fault when we consider what bw has been done and the means that has been at the disposal of the city P Pa fathera fathers alfier thera 1 I 1 b only s sources of revenue for a long time were fines upon transgressors of the tho laws and the profits arising from tho the manufacture and saie sale of liquors tobe tobo to be designedly for what were deemed useful purposes if persons who purchased them abused themselves in their uso use neither the city as a corporate body nor non any individual mem could be responsible for it the design and object have been and continue to be the restraining of ovil and the fostering it has hns been freely circulated by parties whose constant aim alm is to misrepresent and vilify everything done by our people and very possibly it is believed by some that private individuals have derived pecuniary benefit from the restricted strict ed sale of liquor in this eity city this ia hot hoi true tho the city treasury aud and it alone hag has received the tho revenue rovenua thus arising while it hns has been under their especial control and aud ail nil the improve ments menta mado made are aro the property of the people thus instead of enriching private individuals or public the menns means obtained from gines fines the tho sale bale of liquor and the nominal tax imposed have been applied directly for the benefit of the tho city at largo I has been falsely al ledged that the church owned the place or places where liquor was sold by the city eity authorities and received tho profits accruing those who have made ib e allegation knew and know it vaa waa untrue when whon they made it neither the church nor ans any individual member of the community whether private citizen or municipal authority has hns been by it only to the extent that thab all ail our citizens havo been by the making of public improvements for the benefit of nil all and the preservation of peace and good order orden throughout the eity city we are pleased to see seo the efforts made mado bys our municipal authorities to keep this thib fruitful source of evil within proper bounds they have the tho people with them tho day saints do not wish and will not have choso terribly i demoralizing dens denb which are aro so numerous in most other places growing up an fn their cities and settlements thoy they will not say evil be thou my good nor will they willingly permit any man or any men fo practice the false faise principle hero here at the tho expense of public peace morality virtue and good order there are some bome other points associated with these that we may refer again |
