The Duluth rip-saw. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1917-19??, 1919-03-29

SUPERIOR, March 2S.-(Special
to the Rip-saw.)-Saloon advocates
have forced the wet and dry ques-
ton onto Superior citizens once
more, in order to ascertain whether
or not the voters of this city knew
what they were doing a year ago
when they decreed that the saloon
must go. They want another ex-
preston at the polls from the citi-
zens at the spring election and have
for that reason filed petition call
ing for a wet and dry ballot.
The retitions filed contained some
1900 names, which was considerable
more than necessary, but the leaders
claimed that they have 1,5OO or
1900 additional names "a small
matter of 800 more or less is not
so particularly which they declared
themselves ready to file II it would
make their petition any stronger.
They knew that the names were not
needed and felt reasonably safe that
no one would call their bluff, so they
apparently made the offer apparent
" as a grand-stand play. At any
rate, they took good care not to
show up their extra lists.
Leaders Are Conspicuous. :
II is claimed that the signatures
had been secured from men In all
walks of life, and that is undoubted-
ly true. Some men are willing TO
90 to any length in order to get a
drink, and those individuals are
found among all classes; but 1t Is
more likely that many signatures
have been secured from people VINO
would sign any kind of petition in
order not to offend the party pre-
senting the document.
The character of the leaders Is
more significant, however. The Pc
tition was filed by Mark Paine, a
lumberman, who should not be crit1-
cized too severely on account OF his
age. He is a perfect gentleman, a
relic of the business community that
was, and it may be difficult for him
to understand that ideas conceived
a generation ago may be proved
wrong in this day and age.
When it is known that Col. Mark
Paine is alleged to have disconnect-
ed the electric lights in his office in
the Board of Trade building when
the city went dry, because "a dry
town did not warrant expenditure
for light" some idea of the old fel-
lows mental capacity can be mad
x,,;thouf f,,rthor cOm m emf
Col. Paine is considered a wet
crank on the liquor question but
there may be method in his mad
ness for he is credited with appre-
ciating the value of rents collected
from liquor dealers. He Is under
stood to own several properties
which might be rented to booze
Joints if the saloons come back.
It may have been for the purpose
of currying favor with prospective
saloon keepers and possible renters
that Col. Paine wanted the "honor"
of presenting the wet petition to the
city clerk.
Some Underworld Support.
To convince the public that his
statements, deploring the violation
of law were sincere, Col. Paine was
accompanied to the city clerks office
by three prominent citizens. One of
them was Roy ]. Hill, proud proprie-
tor of a Third street saloon in the
wet days that had a questionable
record. He also conducts the Hill
hotel a few blocks from the former
saloon. He is creditd with having
illegal adventures with old John
Barleycorn.
The Hill hotel is provided with a
little cigar store in front while, in
back, is a large music room where
many gay dance was pulled of in
the palmy days before the appoint
ment Of the purity squad.
Even at that, many customers of
the cigar store have observed that
girls seen in the .:.back parlor" are
easy to look upon and that they
have bewitching smiles. If the walls
Of the Hill hotel could talk, it is
believed that they would some start
ling tales unfold.
Ed. Hanton, another former sa-
loon keeper, and Oscar Ahlgren,
former register of deeds, now cred
tied with aspirations to wear a white
apron and run a saloon, made up
the remainder of the committee.
The Move Is q Puzzle.
People are at loss to understand
why the liquor interests should stir
up fight at this, time, when ma
tional prohibition is only six months
distant from the day that licenses