Rensselaer Republican, Volume 16, Number 47, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 31 July 1884 — WAR ON WHISKY. [ARTICLE]

WAR ON WHISKY.

National Convention of the 'Prohibition Party. A Presidential Ticket Nominated and a Platform Adapted. The National Prohibition Convention met at Pittsburgh, on Wednesday, the 23d of July, and wasoalled to order by Gideon L. Stewart. More than 400 delegates were in attendance. The call of the' conyention was read by the Secretary. W. R. W. Nelson, of Chicago. C. L. Ross, of Pittsburgh delivered an address of welcome, to which Mr. Stewart respomled. He called attention to the fact that the hall in which they met was one of historic interest. Nearly tiiirtv-two years ago the anti-slaverj' patriots assembled in it to organize a national champaign against the crime which at that time almost ruined the republic. Mr. Stewart merged his response to the welcome into his opening address. He held that there was a relation between the enemies of slavery and of liquor, and that, they had mutually sustained each other. The destruction of liquor, he said,'' was beginning as had that of slavery. He denounced local option as a dangerous compromise witli the liquor crime. In effecting the temporary organization, William Daniel, ot Maryland, was elected Chairman, and Mrs. Woodbridge, of Ohio, and Charles .8. (Carter, of Washington, as Secretaries; Mr. Daniel spoke of the progress the cause of temperance had made in Maryland. He thought that if the Christian voters of the country were united, they could put St. John or some other good-man White House; After the appointment of a Committee on Credentials, the convention adjourned until the afternoon. The afternoon session opened with a felicitous demonstration, the entire convention participating in the singing of "John Brown.” and, after prayer, of “Crown Him Lord of All.” The Secretary reported the following State representatives : Alabama, 2; California, 23; Connecticut, 2; Illinois, 45; Maine, 3; Kansas, 17; Kentucky, 6; Michigan, 56; Nem aska,“3"; Dakota,TT Ohio, 34; New Jersey, 18; Maryland, 16; New York, 75; Missouri, lo; Tennessee, 12; Texas, 10; Pennsylvania, 58; Wisconsin, 55; total, 446. Telegrams were received from all parts of the country encouraging the work of the convention. ______ ’ W.C. A. Blanchard, of Illinois, addressed the convention, but in the course of his remarks gave offense to some of the Wisconsin delegates, who succeeded in forcing him to give up the floor before ne had concluded. ~ r; At the evening session the permanent organization was announced, with Prof. Samuel Dickey, of Michigan, as President, a great many VicePresidents,andMrs.\Voodbrirtge,ot"Ohto, as Secretary. The selections of the committee were concurred in. On taking the chair Prof. Dickey said that the delegates were forced by their powerful convictions to attend this -meeting. They were not in harmony with those who believed in the taxing or licensing of liquor. They could not let'it alone. They believed that it ought to be suppressed. There was no hope to be placed in political parties. This Prohibition party stood committed to earnest, independent political action. Its object was to found and to build up from its foundation an intelligent body of voters whose political thought would be a complete suppression of the liquor traffic. To that work they were pledged, and by that work they expected to stand. With the power of the General Government in their hands it would be wielded wisely and well, and the nation would be redeemed from the curse ■of the nnn power. A proposition was made to adopt a two-thlrds rule for the nomination of candidates. It was discussed and rejected, and it was decided that it would require only a majority of the vqtes cast to nominate. The roll of States was called for the nominal tion of one member from each, of a committee on finance, and two members of the National Executive Committee. Various propositions were submitted and referred to the Committee on Resolutions. Among them was one to make the basis of representation at the. next National Prohibition Convention two for each Congressional District and four for each State; and another to change the = party's name. The convention at 10 o'clock adjourned till 9 a. m. Thursday. ~ ' Second Day, The convention was called to order at 9:10 a. m. by Chairman Daniel, and the exercises of the day were opened with i>rayer by Rev. Dr. Leer, of New York. Mr. Mosher, of Maryland, said, satirically, that the thanks of the < onvention were due to the General Government for the interest shown by it in this convention as evidenced by its sending two high officers (the Commissioner of Pensions and the Commissioner ot Indian Affairs) to Pittsburgh to advise the delegates. These gentlemen, it appeared by the morning papers, had gone back to Washington and re: ported that the convention could not be bribed at any price—that they could not even ,be hired to go home. At 10:30 a call of the States was ordered for the presentation ot candidates for the Presidency. When California was reached Mr. Babcock ascended the rostrum and placed in nomination Dr. McDonald, of California. The speaker described Mr. McDonald as a man who had borne the banner of temperance in the wine-cursed State of California, and who in return had been maligned because he manufactured a brand of patent medicine. Mr, Babcock was positive that there was no foundation for any of the charges that had been mad&against Dr. McDonald, and he assured the convention that there was not a particle of alcoholic stimulant in the bitters. fie described his candidate as a man of great generosity, and of conservative views. In response to the call for Illinois, Mr. George C. Christian advanced to the rostrum and presented the name of ex-Gov. J. P. St. John, whom he described as a man whose record specially commenced him to the consideration of the convention. He was a man who had seen war, who had lived on the bloody plains of the far West. He was the father ot actual, practical, constitutional prohibition. He was a man whose whole soul and energies were entirely devoted to the cause. He might not be able to contribute very largely in a material way, but he oould give to the cause the influence of moral force and moral heroism which no other man now named or to be named could ever hope to give it. Not only that, but he was a brother-in-law of the President of the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union. Miss Frances E. Willard seconded the nomination ot St. John, whom she had known since childhood. St. Jonn's nomination was also seconded by Mr. Minor, of Massachusetts; Mr. Hanney, of Michigan; Mr. Satterlee, of Minnesota; Mrs. Hoffman, of Missouri; Mr. Hopkins, of New York; Mr. Finch, of Nebraska, and many others. Mr. Babcock withdrew McDonald's name, and seconded the nomination of St. John. Mr. Eustis, of Maine, presented the name of Gideon T. Stewart, of Ohio, but Mr. Stewart declined. He said that he was in favor of St. John. The Hon. James Black, of Pennsylvania, also refused to be a candidate, and urged his friends to vote St. John. Mr. Chapin, of Wisconsin, seconded the nomination of St. John, and declared' that the light in the coming election would be between St. John and Cleveland. --n After some talk, without acting on the nomination, the convention at 1:30 took a recess till 4:30. When the convention reassembled, a large number of dispatches were read urging the nomination of Gov. St. John, of Kansas, for President. One from New Hampshire read: “ Two hundred thousand Methodists are waiting to vote for St. John.” Another from the State Prohibition Convention at Indianapolis conveyed greetings. The Chairman said, after the reading of these dispatches,, that the pending business was to make the nomination of Mr. St. John unanimous. Prof. Hopkins, of New York, submitted an amendment that the rdll of States be called. Many of the delegates urged that the nomination be deferred until after the adoption of the platform. The convention refused, however, and the call of the roll was ordered. All the delegations voted unanimously for St. John, and wheu the Secretary made the announcement giving the total vote cast as 602, the audience rose to its feet and cheered. These demonstrations were kept Up for several momenta and finally broke out into a song of “Glory Hallelujah,” closing by the long meter doxologyi The committee on resolutions reported the platform, which is as follows: 1. The Prohibition Home Protection party, in national convention assembled, acknowledge Almighty God as the rightful sovereign of all men, and from whom the just powers of government are derived; to whose laws human enactments should conform, and that peace, prosperity, and happiness only' can come to the people when the laws of the National and State Governments are tn accord with the divine will. " 2. That the importation, manufacture, supply, and sale of alcoholic beverage, created and maintained by tlte laws of the National and State Governments. during the entire history of such laws, is everywhere shown to be the promoting cause of intemperance, with resulting crime and pauperism, making large demands upon public and private charity, imposing large and unjust taxation and public burdens for penal and sheltering instituting upon thrift, industry, manufactures, and commerce; endangering the pub-

lic peace; causing desecration of the Sabbath, corrupting our pol tics, legislation, and administration of the laws; shortening lives, impairing health, and diminishing the productive in- j dustry; causing education to be neglected and despised; nullifying the teachings of the Bible, the church, and the school— i the standapis and guides of our father* and their children in the founding and growth, , und’er God, of our , widely extended country, and which, imp: riling the perpetuity of our civil and Religious liberty, are baleful fruits, by which we know that these laws are alike contrary to God's laws and contravene our happiness; and we call upon our fellow-citizens to aid tn the repeal of these laws and the legal suppression of this baleful liquor traffic. 3. The. fact that during the twenty-four years in which the Republican party has controlled the ] General Government, and that of many of these States, no effort has been made to change the policy. Territories have been created from the national domain, and governments for them established, and States from them admitted to \ the Union, lu neither of which has this traffic been forbidden, or the people of these Territories or States been permitted to prohibit. That there are now over 200 000 dirtilleiles. breweries, and retail dealers in these drinks, holding certificates and claiming the authority of the Government for th ’ continuation of a business destructive to the moral and material welfare of the people, together with the fact that they have turned a deaf ear to remonstrance and petition for the correction of the abuse of civil government. Is conclusive that the Republican party is insensible to, or impotent for, the redress of those wrong-, and should no longer be intrusted with the powers or responsibilities of government. That although that, party, in its late national convention, was silent on the liquor question, not so its candidates —Messrs. Blaine and Logan. Within the wear past Mr. Blaine lias publicly recomnfbnded •iat the reventie derived from the liquor traffic 'shall be distributed among the States, and Senator Logan has by bill proposed to devote these revenues to.the support of schools. Thus both virtually recommend the perpetuation of the traffic, and that the States find its citizens shall become p rtners in the liquor crime. The fact that the Democratic party has in its national deliverances of party policy arrayed itself on the side of the drink-makers and sellers by declaring against the policy of prohibition of such traffic under the false name ot “sumptuary laws," and when in power in some of the States refusing to remedy legislation, and in Congress refusing to permit the creation ot a board of inquiry to investigate and report upon the effects of this traffic, proves that the Democratic party should not be intrusted with power or place. That there can be no greater peril to the nation than the existing competition of the Republican and Democratic parties for the liquor vote. Expertesee shews—that- any -party net epenly opposed to the traffic will engage in this competition, will court the favor of the Criminal classes, will barter away the public morals, the purity of the ballot and every trust and object of good government, tor party success, and patriots and good citizens should find in this practice sufficient cause”«for immediate with4 That while we favor reforms in the administration of the Government in the abolition of all sinecures and useless offices, we favor the election by the people of the Dostoffice officers of Government, instead ot appointment by tho President; that competition and sobriety are essential qualifications for holding a civil office, and wc dppose the removal ot_ such persons except so far as it may be absolutely necessary to secure effectiveness as the vital issue on which the Government is intrusted to a party; that the collection of revenues from alcohol, liquors, and tobacco should be abolished as the vices of men. and not a proper subject.for taxation. 5. That revenue for customs duties should be levied for the support of the Government, economically administered, and when so levied, the fostering of American labor, manufactures, and industries should constantly be held in view., 6. That the public lands should be held for porations, or to be held in large bodies tor speculation upon the needs of actual settlers. 7. That all money, coin, and paper shall be made. Issued, and regulated by the General Government, and shall be legal tender for all debts, public and private. 8. That grateful care and support should be given to onr solciiers and sailors, their dependent widows or orphans, "disabled in the service of the country. 9. That we repudiate as uh-American, contrary to and subversive of the principles of; the Declaration of Independence, from which our Government has grown to bc a Government of 55,000,00 Dof people, and a recognized power among the nations, that any person or people shall or may be excluded from residence or citizenship with all others who may desire the benefits which our institutions confer upon the oppressed of all nations. 10. That while these, are important reforms, and demanded for the purity of administration and- the welfare of the people, their importance sinks into insignificance when compared to the reform of the drink traffic, which annually wastes $800,000,000 of the wealth created by toil and thrift and drags down thousands of families from comfort to poverty; which fills jails, penitentiaries, insane asylums, hospitals, and institutions for dependency; which destroys the health, saps the industry, and causes loss of life and property to thousandsin* the land, lowers intellectual and physical vigor, dulls the cunning hand of the artisan, the chief cause of bankruptcy, insolvency, and loss in trade, and by its corrupting power endangers the perpetuity of free institu-. tions 11. That Congress should exercise its undoubted power and prohibit the manufacture and sale of intoxicating beverages in the District of Columbia, the Territories of the United States, and in all places over which the Government has exclusive jurisdiction. 12. That hereafter no State shall be admitted into the Union until its e.nnsr.ttntion shall expressly prohibit polygamy and the manufacture and sale of intoxicating beverages. We earnestly call the attention of the laborer and mechanic, the miner and manufacturer, and ask an Investigation of the baneful effects upon labor and Industry caused by the needless liquor business, wiiich will be found a robber, which lessens wages and profits—the destroyer of the happiness and family welfare of the laboring man; and that labor and legitimate industry demand deliverance from the taxation and loss which this traffic imposes, and that no legislation can so healthily stimulate production or increase a demand for capital and labor, or produce so much ot comfort and content, as the suppressing of this traffic would bring to the laboring man, mechanic, or employer of labor throughout our land. 13. That the activity or co-operation of the women of America for the promotion of temperance has, in all the history of the past, been strength and encouragement which we gratefully acknowledge; and the methods, the earnestness, zeal, intelligence, and devotion ot the mothers and daughters of the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union have been eminently blessed by God. Kansas and lowa have been given her as "sheaves” of rejoicing, and the education and arousing of the public mind, and the constitutional amendments which now prevail, are largely the frujtof her prayers and labors; and we rejoice to have our Christian women unite with us, sharing in the labor that shall bring abolition of the traffic. She shall join in the grand "Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow,” when, by law, our boys and firesides shall be free from legal drink temptation. 14. That, believing in the civil and political equality ot the sexes, and that the ballot in the hand of woman is right for her protection, and would prove a powerful ally for the suppression of the drink saloon, the execution of the law, the promotion of reform in civil offices and the removal of corruption in public life, we delegate the practical outworking of this reform to the discretion of the ProhibiOn party in the several States, according to the condition of public sentiment in those States. 15. That gratefully we acknowledge and praise God for the presence of His spirit, guiding counsel, and granting the success which has been vouchsafed fn the progress of temperance reform, and looking to Him for all wisdom and help, we ask the voters of the United States to make the principles of the above declaration a ruling principle in the government of the nation and of the States. The Rev. Dr. Miner, of Massachusetts, one ot the three members of the Committee on Resolutions, to whom the platform was referred for literary- revision, said that the committee would not be able to report to the convention for He moved that the name of the party be fixed as the Prohibition party. Miss Willard spoke in favor ot retaining the name of the Prohibition Home-Protection Party. The vote resulted in 223 to 156 in favor of Mr. Miner’s motion, and the. name of the party was ordered to be "The Prohibition Party." The convention then, at 6:30 o'clock, took a recess till 8 o'clock, when, after some discussion regarding the raising ot a campaign fund, the roll of States was called for nominations for the Vice Presidency. Mrs. Caroline Buell, of Connecticut, presented the name of George P. Rogers, of Connecticut, speaking Of him as a Christian gentleman and a ChrtsUanprohibitionist—the father of that party in Connecticut. Mrs. Minnie Mosher Jackson, of Savannah, Ga, presented the name of William Daniel, remarking that as they had John P. St. John to lead them on they should have “a Daniel come to judgment." Mr. Babcock, of California, seconded Daniel's nomination, being assured that he would carry Maryland for prohibition. “ After a rambling discussion Of various topics and a profu-e seconding of the nomination of Daniel, the States were called and he was unanimously chosen the candidate for the Vice Presidency. Mt Daniel briefly returned thanks, and, after some further unimportant bnsiuess, the convention at midnight adjourned sine die. <