Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1914-02-18
LIQUOR FIGHT
ON IN EARNEST
New Petition Being Circu-
lated by Business
Men.
BOTH SIDES ACTIVE.
Judge PhilpOt to Decide Today
Whether Petition May BE
Withdrawn.

While it was known from an
article published in The Graphic of
yesterday morning that the liquor
petitioners had renewed their efforts
to secure sufficient number of
names of white adult inhabitants to
insure majority petition, and that
the prohibitionists would doubtless
take means to combat the move or
render it Intellectual, a move was
made yesterday at noon which placed
the situation in different light from
heretofore.
About noon the prohibitionists filed
an affidavit in the office of County
Clerk c. M. Nichol, praying an appeal
from the non-suit taken last Friday
before County Judge G. NJ. Philpot.
1t is held the remonstrants or prohi-
bitionists have been aggreived by the
action of Judge Philpot in allowing
the non-suit to be taken.
The appeal was taken to the Cir
cult Court and will, it is presumed
have, to be passed upon by Circuit
Judge A. B. Grace. The fact that the
appeal has been prayed will not,
however, prevent the liquor petition
ers from prosecuting their effort to
secure additional signature to the
amendment to the petition, or as
some contend, latter portion of the
original petition, since no decision
was passed upon it in Court. 1t is
claimed in some quarters that the
petition filed, or that portion of it
held by Judge Philpot to contain
bonafide signatures and legally cor
rect, can still be presented with the
addition of the new names. Whether
or not this can be, will have to be
based upon an opinion by him, az the
remonstrants' counsel claims to have
law declaring against such a step. s 1t
is also contended that the appeal will
automatically take the case out of
Judge Philpot's hands.
Work On New Names.
Several business men yesterday
were busy going over the city in an
effort to secure additional signatures
to the liquor petition. While there
was nothing definitely given out as
to the number of signatures obtain
ed, reports were to the effect that
the list ran into several hundred
names obtained for the past two days.
Those strongly alaigned with the
liquor interests said they were con-
fident that a requisite number of
names would be obtained to add, to-
the approximately $500 good names
on the liquor petition, and bring the
grand total to over 1890 names, need
ed for majority Of white adults. 1t
is said that quite q number, Of ladies'
signed the petition who had refused
heretofore to sign.
On the other hand, while the forces
of the liquor petition were trying to-
secure additional names, there was
no laxity displayed by the prohibits
onists. They too, were equally busy
attempting to induce persons to take
their names from the petition, a1d IT
is claimed they were successful IN
many instances in accomplishing
this.
according to the program as here
tofore outlined, Judge Philpot Is to-
day to. rule whether or not he will
allow the liquor petitioners to with
draw or use the old petition in con-
nection with the new names. The
appeal being asked to the Circuit
Court in the interim, however, many
be bar to any further action Of the
County Court, and it is possible that
another stiff legal battle may ensue.