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Show 'MiBinON 15 VOICED IT MEETING IN SALT LIKE Salt Lake, Feb. 2. Men, representing represent-ing almost every Interest and vocation voca-tion in the state, met with members of the Utah state legislature at. dinner din-ner at the Commercial club last eve ning and discussed the effect of the proposed prohibition law on the people peo-ple and business interests of the state S vcral speakers voiced to the bnembers of the legislature the pro-' pro-' of the heavy taxpayers of the 8tat against the proposed prohibition enactment. They appealed to the : sober, deliberate aud thoughtful judgment judg-ment of the members of the legislature legisla-ture not to enact any laws that might tend to hamper the progress of the Btate at a time when it vas vital to the development of the state that anj-thing anj-thing of a revolutionary nature should be carefully guarded against. At flnj meeting there were present, in addition to the members of both houses of the state legislature, more than 100 citizens of Salt Lake and Ogden. From Ogden there came a delegation of about thirty prominent residents, representing nearly all of the principal industries of that city. M. S. Browning of Ogden, the capitalist, capi-talist, manufacturer and inestor. who has sec.-ed the state in many posi tions oiffionor and trust, presided as toaatmascir at the banquet He spoke brief 1 of the unusual elements that contributed to the unsotllement of business conditions at this time and appealed to the legislature not to add another factor to the disturbance in tho business world Others who addressed the meeting were John Dern, capitalist and mining man. who has served In various capacities ca-pacities on several of the important boards of the state; Judge W H. Hii kson, one of the most distinguished attorneys of Utah; .Judge E, F. Col-born Col-born prominent attorney, who has long been a leader in public affairs in the state and the Rev. Elmer I. Goshen, the prominent Salt Lake clergyman and one of the great pulpit pul-pit oixtors in the west. In addition to the addresses, messages were read from Samuel Newhouse and D. C. Jackling, whose millions are permanently perma-nently Invested in the de elopment and upbuilding of the state. All earnestly opposed prohibition on the ground that it was an encroachment on the personal liberty of the people oi the state, a promoter of intemperance intemper-ance rather than temperance, an iu effective and calamitous way of dealing deal-ing with the liquir problem, and a blight on the industrial and moral progress of the state. The members of the legislature did not address the meeting, but listened intently to the words of the speakers. All expressed themselves as delighted delight-ed with the opportunity the informal d.nner gave them to meet with the : business men of Salt Lake and Ogden and to learn their views on this im- l portant piece of legislation. The dinner was served in the large i dining room of the club. The cuisine was all that could be desired. The speakers and guests were seated ac ! long tables throughout the room. Df. Goshen Speaks. The Rev Elmer I. Goshen, pastor i of the Fir3t Congregational church, spoke briefly against prohibition. He said: M think ft will be conceded that I see more of the evil effects of intemperance intem-perance than any one here this evening even-ing I deal with inebriates 365 days in the year. If 1 thought that prohibition prohi-bition would do away with, or even lessen, these evil effects, I would labor la-bor with you to pass this measure. It is bocause I am thoroughly convinced con-vinced that this proposed law will Increase In-crease aud not decrease the evil effects ef-fects of intemperance that I am opposed op-posed to prohibition "I was talking with a prominent gentleman from Kansas last week - a prominent grain dealer, whose name I will furnish anyone desiring it, who said that the amount of whisky dranx In Kansas was greater per capita in Kansas under prohibition than B.ny-where B.ny-where else He explained It by saying say-ing that prohibition made a whisky-drinker whisky-drinker of the beer-drinker. The amount of consumption was increased also by reason of the fact that the drinkers were forced to buy their whisky in bulk and the a'erag man cannot resist the temptation to drink all of the whisky in his possession Another gentleman told me that his experience in Oklahoma was similar to this. "I am against prohibition on moraT grounds. It is a bigger question than a property question, bigger than a question of personal liberty When this government was founded our forefathers buildod on the principle that the government had the right to prohibit that which is wrong in it- I self and to limit and restrict tnit which while not wrong in itself Is' I dangerous. It Is Idle to say that if we prohibit murder we should pro-hibtt pro-hibtt liquor. Murder In wrong In itself. But who shall 6fty that tils glass of wine is in Itself wrong? It is dangerous and we should throw about it restrictions and safeguards, but have we the right to prohibit itr I do not want your wine I never touch it My friends, some of them drink wine and it does not harm them. Have I the right to prevent them from drinking, because I myself do not want It? "I am not a prophet, nor a son of n prophet, and yet T venture to predict that this prohibition wave has about spent itself The hjstetria is over and the country returning to sanity Utah is about to enter on a period of prosperity You dare not drive the tourist and the capitalist out of the state. "There is not a member of the legislature leg-islature who can say truthfully that ho belieee that prohibition laws can be enforced. You will merely take the liquor traffic out of the hands of men, possessing the elements of honesty hon-esty and decency, and give It to Irresponsible Irre-sponsible vendors and bootleggers They will do under cover what' is now In tbe open under regulation. "You should give this subject your most weighty consideration and ex ercise careful sanity In the enactment enact-ment of laws laws that will recognize recog-nize the moral, religious, commercial and intellectual liberty of the com monwealth. Let the word go out that we are not goerned by peculiar men or by peculiar laws." At the conclusion of the Rev Mr Goshen's address Mr. Browning said 1 that he had hoped to hear from a num-jber num-jber of others, including M. H Walker, Charles A Qulgley. W J. Halloran. Colonel C A. Boyd. A. P. Bigelow, F S. Murphy, F. E. McGurrin. Colonel S. A. Vhitne . R. W. Salisbury. Colonel Col-onel Rodney T. Badger and others but the lateness of the hour forbade more speeches. "In conclusion," he said, "I only ivant to ask you not to try to ma:ce angels out of us men you can't do it." |