The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-07-11
Whiskey Men Seeking
Election in Raleigh.
SIGNERS ARE deceived
Some Petition Carriers Tell Men to
Sign for Election that it is to Give
Opportunity to Vote for Pro.
hibition. the Dispensary
or for Saloons.

Yesterday morning the eH-iquor
dealers of Raleigh formally opened
the campaign to secure the return of
licensed saloons in the city of Raj
eigh.
Mr.. Richardson of this city, was cir
culating a petition for signatures to
call an election. Asked why he was
circulating the petition he said ne
needle the money, and had made an
agreement with Mr.. Ed. Denton to
secure names and that Mr.. Denton
agreed to pay him ten cents for every
name secured on the petition. To an
other gentleman he said that he was
paid to circulate the petition but did
not state who had employed MN or
how much pay he was to receive. 1t
was reported that other petitions were
being circulated but they could not be
located.
The Action FOreshadOWcd.
Their action was foreshadowed by
this publication in a Raleigh paper.
"A rumor was generally circulated
yesterday that petitions would appear
this week asking the board of alder
men to call an election on this ques-
ton. 1t was said that some business
men and property owners here had
formulated the movement and would
have canvasSerS out soliciting names
TO petition asking the board to call
the election. About $50 names one
third of the registered voters, are re-
quired and it was reported that more
than this number had, the advocates
believed, slgnified a willingness TO sign.
A committee, it was minated, had
been formed and would push this
matter
Another very widely circulated re-
port was to the effect that the liquor
men or Raleigh had planned an or,
ganized effort to bring about such an
election next October. Mr. Ed. V.
Denton, a former officer of the liquor
dealers association here was asked
if this was true.
There is absolutely no truth in
such report said Mr.. Denton, and
l am sure l would know if there was
such a movement In the hrSt place
there are no liquor dealers in the city
now. Those who were in the business
have with two or three exceptions,
moved away. There is no one of this
class here to make fight and, il there
is a movement for an election, the
liquor men, SO called. are not in it,.
almost everyone has supposed that
an election on this question would De
held this fall and If the rumor that
some business men have interested
themselves in an effort of this kind is
true it is very probable that the petit
tons will be out without delay.
1.-THE new city charter prescribes that
liquor license shall be $1,000 q year,
double what it was in Raleigh under
the license regime OF two years ago,
In fact, byt the time the city, county
and state license is paid, and the pur-
chase tax, the cost of each place would
be close on to 1900 a year.
ut is rumored that the advo-
Gates of prohibition may bring about
three-cornered fight between dispen-
sary, license and prohibition such as
was held in Chhrlotte."
The Law Regulating an Election.
The petitions in circulation are fol
high license while as Il matter OF
fact they are for whether bar-rooms
or saloons shall be established the
words high license" and stringent
regulations being talked in order to
try to induce parties to sign for high
license and stringent regulations
who will oppose any return to the
saloons The law governing elections
is as follows:
Section Z. That it shall be the
duty of the governing body of any
city ortown upon the petition of one
third of the registered voters therein,
municipal election, to order an election
to be held, after thirty days notice,
in any year in which the petition may
be filed, except within ninety days OF
any city, county or general election, Ill
time for the notice to be given as
above required, to determine: /.
Whether Intoxicating liquors shall be
manufactured i'm said city or town.
2. Whether bar-rooms or saloons
shall be established in said city or
town. 8. Whether dispensaries shah