The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1916-08-26
HOW DULUTH VOTED DRY
THE STORY OF A VICTORY FOR
SOBRIETY IN THE THIRD LARG-
EST CITY IN MINNESOTA.
(Communicated)

The recent victory of the dry"
forces in Duluth, where, by majority
of 378, it was decided at special cleo
ton to abolish saloons on July 1st,
1917, is interesting because of the diff
ferent conditions from those which or.
dinarily exist.
Here is a city of about 100000, an
industrial centre, a lake port, regard.
ed by some as being on the frontier,
voluntarily voting itself dry" The
campaign and election were not part
of a statewide fight for prohibition,
nor included in County Option bat
tie, but for an initiated ordinance,
passed by the people.
Under the city charter of Duluth, an
ordinance may be initiated, if petit.
ton containing the signatures OF not
less than 20 per cent of the voters
who voted at the preceding municipal
election, is presented to the City Com.
mission After verification of the sig
natures by the city clerk, the Com
mission must either pass the ordinance
in it's entirety, or submit it to the vot-
ers at a special election. Any ord1.
nance initiated by the people, or pass
ed by the people, can be amended or
repealed only by vote of the people.
Late in March a handful of inter-
ested citizens discussed the advisable
ity of initiating an ordinance prohibit
ing the sale of intoxicating liquor
oT
cause of the existing sentiment and
that the neighboring city of Superior,
Wis, was in the midst of campaign
(Which proved successfully, it was de-
cided that the time was opportune.
A representative committee was
quickly organized; the petition was
prepared; and in one week from the
time the blanks were received from
the printers, the petition was filed in
the Office of the city clerk, with 5,210
signatures,-40 per cent of the number
of people who voted at the preceding
election. The heartiness of response
is shown in the fact that, with no can
wasting organization to start with, 236
separate petitions were included, rep
resenting every voting precinct in the
city; and all the workers were secured
and practically all the signatures OBJ.
tanned within four or five days.
| The City Commissioners called the
| election and the campaign commenced
in earnest. The Dry Ordinance Com
mittee represented a perfect combina
ton, and in it's work, a union of effort
of the forces which stand for advance
and uplift. Business and professional
men, trades unionists, men of various
religious beliefs, leading republicans
democrats, prohibitionists and social
lists, were included. To illustrate, the
chairman of the committee is the
President of the Board of Trade; thu
five vice chairmen were Catholic
bishop; a business agent of the car
penter's union; retired mining man
a socialist trades union engineer, ant
physician. The balance of the com
| mittee included Protestant Episcopa
bishop; another Protestant minister
bricklayers; grain men; lumber deal
ers; attorneys; painters; real estat
men; statesmen; agents; engineers an
department heads in wholesale houses
II A Young Mems Voters League di
, good work. A precinct organization O
: voters, and similar organization o
) women, was arranged for every votin
precinct These organizations wer
| designed to reach every voter with tn
propaganda of the campaign; bloc
captains were appointed whose duty
was to learn the attitude of every vo
er residing in the captains block. Gu
of school hours, Boy Scouts were O
hand for messenger service. DR.
Leagues were organized amongst tn
boys in each of the High Schools.
novelty of the campaign was Trade
Union Dry League, which rendere
very effective service in the ranks (
labor. Volunteer workers by the hui
dreds came from the churches, youn
n peoples societies, etc.
d Wide publicity was materially aide
n by purchasing generous amount {
s. advertising space in each paper ever
; day. A morning daily, The Dulut
1NOWO AAOuLlCJ ouppOIICu tic CdulpdlS
e editorially.
! The outstanding feature is that tn
), entire campaign was one by the peopl
# of Duluth for the people of Dulutl
g No outside organization had any of
d cial connection with it.
e Local speakers, from office, sho
p bench and pulpit, in very large nur
e Der, rendered valuable service in she
If meetings, street meetings, local hal
|. and churches. In addition, numbt
e of outside speakers of national prom
" nence, representing various phases
IS the cause, addressed mass meetings
al The high plane upon which the car
ic paign was conducted is matter
20 universal comment, no personaliti,
l. whatever being INDUCED in.