Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-01-11
Muscarine, Called Dry for Five Years, Still Damp
End by Express Island

; Got anything on your hip?" is the !
common form Of query made by the :
party looking for someone who viii
+ slip him a bottle The negotiations
may be conducted almost anywhere
but the actual transfer is usually
made surreptitiously. Sometimes the
/ purchaser leaves his money in a spe-
cited place and on returning later
finds the cash gone and bottle in its
place. Often, especially where the
parties are acquainted, this red tape
is not considered necessary. For
time one enterprising merchant did a
thriving business selling tea"
dollar a bottle and when the thirsting
one sampled his purchase he found It
was sold under its right name. OF
course there was no comeback in
such a deal as this unless the out
ragged party was abe later to AXE
it out Of the offending ones hide, and
usually he didn't care to go that far.
Automobiles have lately played an
important part in carrying wet goods
into Musca inc. A great deal is trans
ported in this manner from Davenport
and Blue Grass, the latter Is miles
away. A great many, particularly
since the Davenport Muscatine inter
urban has been in operation, have
formed the habit OF going away to do
their drinking, near.y always, how
ever, bringing a bottled supply home
with them. Blue Grass gets much of
this business.
II is unlawful under the Iowa mulct
act to take drink in a public place
or to give anyone else a drink. A
grea. number of social clubs have
come into existence to aid the thirsty
jim evading the letter of the law. Some.
Fif not all of tI$ seven volunteer hose
I companies tina comprise the city's
fire fighting force are said to keep
liquor in their quarters for the use of
members. Each individual belonging
tC such organizations is compelled to
order separately for his own use and
: various expedients are adopted to
+ make it convenien. to comply with
| this requirement
!
Il 1t is undeniably true that Muscatine
consumes much less beer than 1t
would if there were saloons. for it is
l incolFenient to handle he bulk OF
2 malt goods. The result is that there
? has been corresponding increase in
] the consumption of whisky and other
: spirituCus liquors that are more com
S pact and convenien and are supposed
2 to bring the same results. The guam
D t!ty of alcohol consumed therefore is
3 probably not so far below the average
2 in a city Of the same size having sa-
e looms. 1t undoubtedly is true, also,
d hat the average quality of the stuff
y especially that sold under cover, is
r cCnsiderabl below that which the or
/ binary drinker would pick for himself
If he had any option, or that a saloon
g keeper who endeavCrs to keep up the
n patronage of his place would care tc
az handle.
1t has been just five years since
j. Billy Sunday conduc ed the revival
u that was followed by the forming OF
u the Civic league which proceeded t.
y put the saloons out of business in
Muscatine. 1t was only necessary tC
{ bring TO the at ention of the district
court the fact that no petition of con
II sent had ever been circu ated in the
y city, is required by the mule law, anC
e when this was done an injunction was
p promptly issued and the fight wa,
e virtually ended. At that time the Ii
IS quOr dealers found it impossible, wi /
IL the opposition engendered by the re
vivalist, to secure the necessary ma
n jOrity of names of voters After two
+ years, however, such a petition wa;
z secured and passed upon as sufficien
n by the board of supervisors. The Civi,
ID league carried the matter TO the dis
h trict court, where names were taker
y OFF by scores because of technical If
regularities and eventually the mum
e Der left was less han that required
Of But 80 days are allowed under the Law
Y. for the securing of signatures to sucl
T petition. Each name must be spe-Iet
d exactly as il is written on he pol
lie books, whe her there are errors in tn,
1t latter or not. Refusal of many sign
V. conform to the letter of the law, ant
b. ditto marks used under dates an
10 places of residence were among III
Is causes that were held TO invalidat,
n signatures After the supervisors ar
ly proved OF the petition the saloons re
is opened and continued in business sew
e. eral weeks. When the distric. cour
ut ruled adversely they closed agalu an.
s. have not reopened since, though tn
is matter was carried up to the stat,
IS supreme court and still is pending be
fore that body Twenty-nine saloons
E. paying $1,000 license each. were pu
a out of business. For three years NJ
attempt has been made to circulat,
another petition.
al As measure for the promotion o
n sobriety the abolition OF the saloon ha!
Il not been, as has been indicated. an IN
e qualified success. What the effect ha,
g. been otherwise is a matter of opin