The Duluth rip-saw. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1917-19??, 1920-01-24
BINC0LAND GANCSTERS FEAR DEFEAT

inject religion, religious prejudice or
sectarianism into his official acts,
deeds and policies. He ever has re-
| membered that he is mayor of and for
each and every one Of the $4,000 citi-
zens of Superior. He realizes that he
| is mayor for citizens of all colors,
creeds and former nationalities. Per-
sonally, mayor Baxter is represented as
being Protestant and Mason. If
| so, he has kept those facts out of his
| official acts and relations with the
public. Mayor Baxter, when elected,
received the votes Of the very best
and most truly representative Catholics
| in Superior. They rallied to his sup
port last September. They are stand.
ing strongly behind him today and
fully appreciate his efforts to fight
lawlessness and Danish immortality. The
members Of the congregation of Faith
er Peter Rice, a priest beloved by citi-
zens of all creeds, have been especially
strong in support Of mayor Baxter.
There is no reason to believe or fear
that sane-minded people of all sects,
creeds and beliefs are not yet 80 per
cent. behind mayor Baxter and against
the gangsters and crooks Of Bingoland.
Mayor Baxter has appointed Catho-
lics, Protestants and, possibly, Jews to
seats in his official family. He has
been Loyalty supported by organized
labor and has recognized that element
by official appointments from its
ranks. Organized labor embraces all
sects and creeds-Catholics, Protes-
tants, Jews and Free Thinkers. Mayor
Baxter, to the personal knowledge of
the Rip-saw, has considered nothing
but mans ability, fitness and merit
when making appointments. The only
heed paid to religious belief has been
not to give those of any one creed an
undue proportion Of the places he has
had to fill.
Baxter Appointed Catholics.
On the police force mayor Baxter
has championed Catholics for appoint
ment and, when unworthy and un-
faithful members of the force were
discharged, Protestants went just the
same as Catholics.
There was neither need, reason nor
excuse for the frenzied Crawford to
drag matters of sect, creed and relig-
ious affiliation into this deal. There
also is danger that he has opened
veritable Pandora's Box, which will
release and scatter over the city a
huge family Of Troubles.
1t is believed that some of the in
fosr hill ,ho
pack the courtroom at chief McKin-
non 8 trial are Catholics and even
Knights of Columbus. If so, they are
men for whom church and lodge must
blush and offer apology. They GER
tainly are neither creditable nor rep
resentative members. In the heat Of
contest, when excited, embittered,
worried and fearing abject defeat,
lawyer Crawford, some of chief Nc
Kinnon' g admirers, together with the
haIf-witted Leader, have sadly stopped
over. They did not know it at the
time, but they know it today.
s'HeIy War;. Not Desired.
No reasonable, sensible man believes
that the Interchurch council had
either desire or purpose to start
s'hoFy war;" Crowded out Of the
courtroom by the boorish and aggres-
sive McKinnon clacquers, a large
number of representative citizens evil
IDENTIFY came to the conclusion that
mayor Baxter needed and deserved a
few crumbs of recognition, comfort
and support, after all the Kisses, seowls
and curses that he had endured from
the first day of the trial. As an as
surance that a substantial element in
the city's population was with their
chief executive, the Interchurch eoun
Gil saw fit to pass resolutions com
mendfng the mayor for his good work
at cleaning up. the city, but not drag
ging in the McKinnon case.
Immediately, the fool friends Of
chief McKinnon raised howl and the
McKinnonite lawyers made haste to
condemn the church people for relig-
ious prejudice.
As stated in the beginning, chief Nc
Kinnon seems very likely to be vie
tim Of his own fool friends. He well
may cry out to his Lord and Master
to be fully and finally delivered from
friends less wise than the Foolish Vir-
gins Of holy writ.