The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1912-01-27
SPECIAL PRIVILEGE
CHARGED BY M'CUEN
Republican Candidate Declares IF
He Is Elected He'll Grant
Equal Privilege.
Why Give Any Privileges-Dr.
cullum's Speeches Ring True
for City Progress.

DILUTE LII. Ou1luut SIdl Ccu OuL Ou
his campaign for reelection as mayor
of Duluth the betting bunch about
town thought they heard nothing but
McCuen talk, and so they began to
place their money on the Republican
nominee. Since Dr. Cullum got busy
they have been gradually pulling in
their bets, and now Cullum stock
seems to be above par.
Superior street never won an ,elec-
ton in Duluth. The men who seldom
loiter about Superior street stores are
in the vast majority, and it. is these
voters who decide the fate of every
! candidate for public office. They are
the kind that are uninfluenced by the
charms of good fellowship. They read
the papers and follow the speeches of
men seeking office. They carefully
analyze the position taken by each of
them. They are usually pretty good
judges of men. They know when a
man is trimming, and whether or not
he means what he says.
It is this kind of voters who will
name the next mayor of Duluth.
When they read that DR.. Cullum de-
| clares for certain municipal reforms
and that he will attempt to carry
them out if reelected they know that
he will do as he says, for they have
learned to know DR.. Cullum.
Likewise when they read the
speeches of DR.. McCuen who refrains
from taking a position on public ques-
tons, and particularly when he re-
fuses to declare himself on the ques-
ton of the municipal ownership of
an electric lighting plant, they cannot
help arriving at the conclusion that
man who fears to express himself be-
fore hand is most likely to fail when
the real test Of courage as a public
official presents itself.
HE either fears his fate too much,
Or his deserts are small,
Who fails to put them to- the touch
And win or lose them ALL
In this year of 1912, with all the
country calling for men of convictions
to lead the people out of political
bondage, it is not likely that the peo-
pie of Duluth will elect as it's mayor
one who gives no expression of
opinion on any vital public question.
In his campaign Dr.. McCuen charges
that special privilege is now being
given to certain citizens. He does
not mention who they are, but every
person understands them to be keep
ers of licensed saloons. Mayor Cullum
denies that any saloons are given
privileges of any character.
DR.. McCuen declares that II he is
elected he will give them all equal
privilege. BY this it can be construed
that if he is successful at the polls he
will either close all saloons according
to the law, or he will permit them
all to remain open. In other words,
he either stands for a. tight" town,
or "wide OPEN town. He does not
say which It will be.
| Most of the McCuen bets are being
posted in Bob" Blackwood's cigar
store, in the building formerly oc.
cupied by Boyle brothers.. Possibly
information may be received at
Blackwood's on what DR.. McCuen
means by his declaration of equal
privilege" for all.
There is no desire to make the sa.
loon question an issue in this cam.
paign. It is not of the Labor Worlds
choosing that it is referred to now
but as the Republican candidate has
mentioned it in his West Duluth
speech we simply wanted TO aScer
tain just what he means when he by
innuendo declares that DR.. Cullum is
granting special privileges while
he, if elected, would grant "equa]
privileges" We cannot understand
why any privilege should be granted
at all.
With the Labor World the para
mount issue in this campaign is the
municipal ownership of an electric
lighting plant. DR.. Cullum has pub
licly declared in favor of the bond
issue. DR.. McCuen says he will have
nothing to do with the matter, but
vii: leave it to the voters. But what
will he do after the election, if he
should be elected? This is the big
question, and because it is the big
question every voter in Duluth should
be on his guard.