The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1917-03-17
DRY FORCES HOLD
\ OPENING RALLY
-Four Speakers Address Fair Au-
diepce Despite Opposition Of
the Elements.

Cndaunted by the raging snow and
wind Storm about 400 people braved
the elements and attended the opening
rally of the Dry Ordinance Committee
and Trade Union Dry league Tuesday
thusiasm and indomitable spirit ex-
hibited by those present was typical
of the dry proponents and presages
victory for the latter on April 3.
The meeting was. opened by the
singing Of dry campaign songs. Judge
w. A. cant presided, and in his in.
troductory remarks urged the election
of men to office who will enforce the
dry ordinance.
Rt. Rev. James McGolrick, bishop
of the Catholic diocese of Duluth, was
the next speaker, and treated the
moral side of the liquor problem. He
presented maze of statistics and con-
elusive evidence to refute the argu-
ments advanced by the vets.
Economic Side.
do away with the saloon and you
have solved the problem of crime and
corruption in the big American cit
ies," declared o. J. Larson. ''There is
only one greater cause to fight for
than prohibition; and that is the de-
Tense of the country against a foreign
power. No business, no matter how
profitable, can last unless it passes
the acid test of the moral code.
1--WE are offered $4,000 license fee
for 100 saloons. And those saloons
take in 100000 annually How's
that for the economic side? What
would you think Of collection agency
that took in 100000 Of your money
and RENTED $4,000? know men
| who will paw $4,000 to operate gam
bling houses here if their number can
be limited by ordinance. But I pre-
dict the liquor interests will not press
the economic side in this campaign.
THE reduced saloons will eliminate
the cheaper places. But drinkers ma
circulate in the high class saloons and
graduate in the lower Ones The ma
hogany pieces and cut glass make no
difference as to the result, because the
boy is gone in either case.''
Effect of Labor.
Senator Richard Jones, represent
ing the Trade Union Dry league-the
first one organized in this country
said that Duluth was put ION the
map" last June, and he appealed to
the people to see that it remained
| there, stating that the league would
| do it's share in the campaign. Senator
Jones asserted that organized labor
had been the fright arm" of the
liquor interests until the last few
years, when the workers are begin
! ming to view the liquor traffic in the
| right 4ight, and have been largely re-
| sponsible~ for many of the recent VIC
tories of the dry forces in various Sec
tons of the country.
The senator attacked the recent
statement of Henry Pereault presi-
| dent of the Trade Union Wet league,
that about twenty different trades
would be adversely affected by prohi-
bition. He presented evidence in the
form Of clippings from labor papers
and letters from labor officials in dry
territory. He showed how labor had
been benefited in Shreveport, La;
!! Seattle, WASH; Tacoma, Wash, and
Denver, Colo, where various crafts
have succeeded in increasing their
membership and securing substantial
advances in wage scales. He put par
ticular emphasis on the beneficial eff
feet on the cigarmal1ing trade in dry
territory, quoting figures from corre-
/ spondents of local unions.
you can't vote the city hall wet
and the city dry" said the senator.
He also exhorted the drys to watch
the registration for the coming cleo
| ton, pointing out the effective work
along this line last June