Rensselaer Republican, Volume 22, Number 26, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 February 1890 — PROHIBITION. [ARTICLE]

PROHIBITION.

They Nominate »Stst« Ticket.—The Plat. form and Proceedings. .- -- / - ' » —■ . - - The Prohibition State convention convened at Indianapolis on the 20th inst. The attendance was between 500 and 600, and harmony presided throughout the proceedings. John Ratcliff, chairman of the retiring State Central Committee, called the convention to order. A song was sung by a quartette and then Rev. J. M. Kersey j>ffered prayer, followed by another quar tette. Chairman Ratcliff then spoke briefly of what the party had been doing for the last four years. He said all the acts of the State Committee during that time had been straightforward, plain, untrammeled, without compromise or sale. It was bad policy, he said, to make a few votes this season and lose them the next. The com mittee had ma .e no such arrangements. The Prohibition party in Indiana, he said, was stronger now than ever before. Men, who two years ago looked at us cross-eyed, now look at us square in the face. "This body of men,” said he, “represents the only political party that says a word against the American saloon.” The permanent organization of the convention was effected by the election of the following officers: President, T. E. Ballard, Evansville; Vice Presidents: First District, Miss J. L. Hazen; Second, Miss M. E. Allen; Third, S. J. Kistier; Fourth, Mrs. Henry Thompson; Fifth, R. E. Smith; Sixth, Mrs. Beson; Seventh, Mrs. R. T, Brown; Eighth, Miss Mary Hakley ;Nintb, Mrs. A. L. Sharp; Tenth, Mrs. E. O. Fenton; Eleventh, Jesse L. Hutchins ;Twelfth, J. W. Seaman; Thirteenth, Miss P. J. Perkins. Secretary, J. G. L. Myers.

Chairman Ballard in taking charge of the convention enthused the delegates with a spirited speech. He frankly acknowledged that he would rather be chairman of the convention than be President of the United States and be wrong. His advioe was to fill Indiana so full of Prohi bition literature that no one could fail to knew the truth. The Committee on Resolutions, through its Secretary, Professor McQuerker, presented the following report: Whereas, The question as to what legislation is demanded in regard to the manufacture, importation and sale of intoxicating liquors is au issue now pending before the people of this country, and Whereas, The two dominant political parties have, by their declarations, and by their acts, plaoed themselves on the side of perpetuating the traffic under license, thus entailing on the country a legacy of vice, pauperism and crime. Therefore,we the Prohibitionists of Indiana in State Convention assembled, declare that L The legal prohibition of the manufacture, importation and sale of intoxicating beverage by National and State authority is a fundamental position, on which we are a unit, and about which we tolerate no compromise and make no concessions. 2. Whereas, the National Protective Association of liquor dealers has declared in favor of local option and high license; therefore, the advocacy of these measures by the Republican and Democratic parties proves their complete domination by this association.

3. That local option being unconstitutional in Indiana, any attempt by these parties to mate this an issue is to assail precedent and to give the rum power further lease of life, delaying State and National Prohibition - 4. That license, high or low, or taxation, is wrong in principle, therefore wrong in results; and that revenue should be raised from property values, but not from vice and crime. 5. The national revenue derived from the manufacture and sale of alcoholic liquor for use as a beverage should be abolished by prohibiting its manufacture. 6. Governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed, therefore citizenship carries with, it logically the right of suffrage, nor should this right be abridged on account of race, sex or nationality. 7. If the national revenue is to be raised by import duties, such revenue snould be reduced so as not to exceed the necessary expenses of the Government economically administered, but food, clothing and other necessaries of life should be exempt from taxation.

8. We join in grateful acknowledgment of the Nation’s gratitude to the ' Juion soldiers and sailors of the late war, and favor the passage of a general service pension bill, in lieu of the present complicated and expensive service, granting pensions to all honorably discharged Union soldiers, their widows, and army nurses. 9. Public office snould oe conferred only on aeeeuutxif honesty and capacity, and never as a reward for partisan services.10. That we favor the settlement of international disputes by arbitration. 11. All trusts or combinations of capital for the purpose of controlling the price of articles of necessity or consumption are unjust and oppressive and should be prohibited by law. 12. We favor the apportionment of the public school revenue upon tne basis of the number of pupils of scuool age enrolled in attendance at the term last preceding the apportionment for the following year, instead of upon the basis of the whole number of children of school age. 13. We favor a reduction of the salaries of county officers adjusted in time of high prices to conform to the present financial condition of the country. 14. That the public printing -should bo let to the lowest, responsible bidder in both county and State. 15. Tnat the corruption of the dominant political parties in elections degrades our citizenship and public service and endangers the purity of the ballot: We condemn such methods and invite all who desire good government, pure eleotions and a free ballot that should be honestly counted, to vote with the Prohibition party. Some of the delegates were disappointed because oa resolution was not reported touching upon the condition of laboring men and farmers, and the committee was instructed to report a resolution before the convention. The platform was adopted as reported. The labor resolution, afterward brought imand adopted, is as follows:

Resolved, That tho Prohibitionists of Indiana, in State convention-asaemblod,do most earnestly invite too co-operation oi workingmen, farmers, aud all classes of laboring people, to help them in their efforts to save to all the people of these United States more than a taousand millions of dollars -atmtwrfy; OT TnOTQ TCa*> *3OO annually to every fourth family in tue country; money that is more tuaii wasted in the support of the liquor trafflo. Tue Prohibitionists also asa them to aid in efforts to save the American people enormous profits now going into the pocket of British capitalists through tueir investments Of Vast sums of money in the breweries and distilleries of America. The committee ou nominations agreed upon the following State ticket: Secretary of State, B M Bloat, Marion county; Auditor, Abraham Huntsinger, St Joseph; Treasurer of State, Jonathan E. Branson, Hendricks; Superintendent Of Public Instruction, L. Crist, Boone; Attorney General, S. L. Haines, Jay; Judge of Supreme Court, S. J. North. Kosciusko; Clerk of

* Supreme Ctourt, Charles L, Jessup, Hendricks. ® en - W. Boyne of Kentucky, delivered A® nddreaa of an hoar’s length. An “eye” was selected as a device to gg the head of the State ticket. Taanew State central committee is com ■poaed as follows: First District—Judge Land, Gibson ; — Second—A F Fox, Greene; Third— Kistner, Floyd; Fourth—S V Wright, Decatur; C p Tuley, Monroe; Sixth—J D Bailey, Henry; Seventh—G W Hagans. Shelby; Bight— T E Ballard, Montgomery; Ninth—Dr Baser, Hamilton; Tenth Smith, Cass; Eleventh—J T Hutchins, Wabash; ‘ Twelfth—J W Baxter, DeKalb; Thirteenth—S J North, Kosciusko.