The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-10-03
lPROHIBITIONIST ST. JOHN.
HE Tells Why He Is Against the Old Par
ties, Particularly the Republican.
. An Appeal to the People to Vote for Princi-
pie and in Accordance with the De-
mands of Conscience.


tees stand in the Circle. 1t is said by promi-
nent Prohibtionist that the statement that the
use of the stand was rendered by the Democrats
is not true; it was asked for, as being the most
convenient place in the city, and the use of it
granted there being no previous en-
gagement, and the nights expenses, 81, were
paid by the Prohibitionists. 1t was not quite
$780, the hour advertised for the candi-
dates appearance, when Col. E. F. Ritter called
the meeting to order. There were possibly two
thousand people gathered, and that number re-
manned during st. Johns speech, but certainly
not more than hundred manifested their in
dorsement of the speakers sentiments.
In introducing the Ex-Governor, Colonel Rit-
ter said Indiana is proud of her resources and
situation proud of her'strength and energy. In
diana has boosted of her schools. Indiana has
manifested her courage under emergency. She
has been distinguished for the ability of her poll
ticians. In peace and war she has occupied an
honorable position. But Indiana is prouder of
her sons and daughters than anything else.
While through her chief executives she has done
much in the political struggles of pastyears and
has been promlnentln reforms accomplished, her
sons have gone out to other States and have
been found in the front ranks of men noted for
their courage, conviction and influence. l de-
SIRE tonight to call your attention to one of her
sons who is the best known Ex-Governor of any
State. and whose influence in political and moral
struggles is second to none. He was willing to
espouse and advocate great principle of re-
form, to stand in the front rank target for all
the shots of the enemy. He aided in planting
the greatest reform of the day on the praires of
the West advocated it on the hills of New
England and has urged it in every State of the
Union He comes tonight to reason with you
on the subject of temperance as a political
will M
perance, although he might easily extend
it to cover righteousness and judgment to
come have the pleasure of introducing to you
a Hoosier fellow citizen who has been selected
by the Prohbitionists of this country to be their
candidate for the presideney-ex-Governor John
p. ST. John"
Governor St John was received with cheers
and apologized for his hoarseness which pre-
vented him from being heard fully. He said he
was here to appeal not to the passions and preiu-
dices of his hearers, but to their reason; nor to
indulge in personalities or abuse of any political
party, but to speak the truth as God gives him
to know the truth; but if any political party is
hurt by it. the quicker that party gets out of the
way the better it will be for the good of
the country. amen. The Journal, speak
ing Of this meeting tonight, says
Governor St John ought to have Sim Coy,
chairman of the Democratic committee and sa
loon-keeper on the stand with him" don't know
Mr. Coy but l know that if he was Republican
and was on the stand the Journal would be here
WIFI ull1. 1u6 journal says MI. 10Y is a Sa-
nkeeper. Well, that is the business l am
here TO fight and the business which the Re-
publican party is too eowardly to crook its finger
against. Cheers. The Journal says I am here
ITO abuse the Republican party. l never voted
any ticket in my life except the Republican,
from President down. My Republieanism has
been burned and shot into me on the frontier
whore have lived all my life as man. l new
er was anything else Than a Republican until
the 4th of June, last, and then wavered in my
allegiance to that party because it wavered in
its defense of the homes of the land l then said
that no party which refuses to support the
homes against the saloons should have my vote.
(Cheers.
! Govern st. John referred at length to the
action of the Republican convention, last june
when they ignored the request of the temper
iance people for plank in the platform, and
latter taking drink should think, put on their
snow shoes, slipped over the Rocky Mountains
and abused the Mormons well. 1t has been
twenty eight years since the Republican party
began firing paper bullets at the Mormons and
they have been repeating the process every four
years since. There are now ten times as many
Mormons as there were when they began. If
the Republican party, with 90, 000 600 of people
at its back can't put down Mormonism, it should
sneak out the back door and give room to
party that will do it. The way to abolish Nor
monism is to abolish it. Then they tackled the
lChinaman and told him to get out because he
had no vote. If he had, the politician
lof both parties would take hold of his cue and
stroking it say, John amt it a daisyl7
Laughter. The Irish were placated with an
Irish League and the Germans with the Herman
Raster resolution of 1872 The whisky people
got the following at is the first duty of good
government to protect the rights and promote
the interests of its own people. The largest di
versity of industry smost productive of general
prosperity and of the comfort and independence
of the people Can't you see an Indiana saloon
between every linel That was put in the plat
form at the demand of the liquor people If 1T
doesn't mean protection of the saloon and dis
tillery, will the Journal please tell me what it
does included
Governor ST. John then quoted from Mr.
Baine's letter, suggesting division of the in
ternal revenue tax to the States, to prove the
above assertion and after illustrating how the
present liquorlaws worked accordingto his idea
said the time had come when the laws should be
changed so that the saloon and saloon-keepe
should be locked up and the drunkard permitted
to go home tc his suffering family. The speaker
then ridiculed the platform of the Republican
party for declaring in favor of protection to the
wool industry. while it was silent concerning the
rights of manhood and of the home The Repub-
lican party is in favor of the sheep-the Prohibi-
ton party is in favor of woman.
Remember that when you go to vote
The Journal is for the sheep; l
am for the woman. There is radically no diff
ference in the two old parties. The old issues
have been wiped out, and the principal discus
sion is on the protective tariff Well the people,
the failing merchants, idle mechanics, and farm
lers who have their barns full of wheat which
cost them more to put it there than they can get
for it, are not overly pleased with the protective
tariff But l am in favor of protection. too-in
favor of protecting the country against a traffic
that costs thousand millions of dollars and
many thousands of deaths per annum, and is the
source of most of the sorrow, shame and distress
that we suffer Let us wipe it out. [Amen!
Governor st. John referred to the fact that
twenty-tw years ago, in Charlestown, ILL., he
was indicted forfeedng coored man, an of
Tense against a law brought forward and advo-
Gated by John A Logan l mention this to show
that men change. Logan is ashamed of it now
but venture the prediction that he isn't half as
rsuch ashamed of it as he will be ten years hence
of having run on a ticket with man who lacked
the manhood to vote in favor of the homes against
the saloons In ignoring the home and standing
by the saloon. the old parties will find when the
votes are counted out in November that
they ..haya cut off the wrong leo