Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-07-23
kilograms to The Star.
THE PROHIBITION CONVENTION
Proceedings at Pittsburg To-day.
LOSS OF LIFE BY THE DAKOTA STORM
TWO FRIGHTFUL GAS EXPLOSIONS.


THE PROHIBITION CONVENTION.
The Gathering at Pittsburg-Au Alb.
sence Of Fiery, Untamed Delegates
Pennsylvania's Prudential Candi-
date - A Large Attendance in the
HalI-COld Water Thrown Upon Both
Political Parties Enthusiasm for
Maryland.
PITTSBURG, PA. July 23-The number OF visitors
10 Lafayette hall had grown largely by $50 this
morning. which hour was fully ninety minutes be-
lore the time appointed for calling the prohibition
nome convention TO order, that Major Dunn, OF
Plttsburs, chairman OF the committee OF arrange
mentS, found ii necessary to request all but dele
gates TO leave the fioor. This request was good
naturecly complied with without a second invita-
uon This spirit prevailed In the transaction OF all
prelmlnarleS Kindly feeling and unity OF aim
were apparent everywhere In the meeting OF the
state delegations the consultations were rather in
the nature OF social gatherings The hall was
crowded somewhat Tor room, but there va, an ab-
sence OF fiery. unnamed delegates, who fight for or
against the unit rule tariff planks, planks ad nau-
scum, fayOrlte sons, &C. Lafayette hail has not,
since 1t was turned over new from the builders.
presented SO fresh an appearance as it did tiS
morning The galleries and stage were tastefully
hags, notices. &C. Ihe place OF meeting was all
that could be desired, except perhaps, in the
Ter OF SIZE. The ventilation, however, was SO ex-
ceilent as TO reduce the discomfort OF crOwdlng to
a minimum. The Pennsylvania deiegation held
lively caucus this morning, an decided 10 present
the name OF Hon. john Black for the presidential
nomination, and TO stand by him as long as there
was possibility of his getting it.
THE CONVENTION CALLED TO ORDER.
., The convention H was called TO order promptly at
!! O'Clock, by Gideon l. Stewart. and prayer was
offered by Rev Dr. A. A. Minor, OF Boston. He
prayed that the delegates would remember only
human Souls: remember only their responsibilities
1or good government and their duty as citizens be-
fore God ana before al the world; that The well
determined truths OF human experience and social
and may constraln them to selI-sacrlfice and noble
enueavor He prayed that the thrall OF party
might he broken and that the selr-seek1ng may
have to stand aside that devotion TO the welfare
OF man ana to those things that endure and make
for peace shall Ill all hearts, that the delegates
may be moved by true patriotism, by sincere
philanthropy and by Christian devotion. He
prayed that the hearts OF the people OF the nation
may may be turned into righteousness; that the clouds
sunlight OF truth and duty may shine In clear de-
votion and unstalned patriotism.
he call OF the convention was then read by w.
K. Nelson, OF Chicago. the secretary. America"
was played 10y the band.
THE ADDRESS OF WELCOME
The address OF welcome Was delivered by c. L.
honor and pleas mt duty to welcome TO P1tlsburg
the delegates OF the national prohibition couven-
ton Never did party more justly plead for help
oiat1on caused 10y legalized liquor rraff1.,. The
demands OF the age could not be met without a
prohibition party. as Noah's ark would not do for
steamship. Neither were Old political parties
suited to this day. THIS was the only political
party that offered to the women OF the nation
the government. The prohibition harvest could
not be gathered without the cooperation Of the
women: II asked" " hat is the influence OF women
IN public places?" the answer was Lucy Hayes
Every nation was Interested Ia the work OF the
convention, and when ii came TO choose candi-
date lor the presidency, he should be one whose
htbttlOn.
Mr.. STEWARDS RESPONSE
Gideon 7. Stewart, chairman OF the national
committee, responded on behalf OF the convention
Ihe hall in Which they met added he said, its his
toLlc welcome Nearly ss years ago the anti-slav
national campaign against the col. ssal crime
which then ruled well nigh ruined republic. He
thanked the citizens Of pittsburg for Layraette hail.
and thunder voices to teach and inspire them for
the great conflict. When he had finished his re-
Sponse 10 the address OF welcome. Mr. Stewart pro-
ceeded to deliver the opening address He referred
to the relation between the liquor crime and
the slavery crime. The anti-slavery men, he said,
were strangely plind to the correlation OF two
evils Their platform C32 years ago. was silent as
the parent crime or which slavery but the nat
ural offspring When Senator Brown, OF Georgia,
declared in the Senate some weeks since that
African slavery the product OF northern distil-
leries. he only echoed truth evident IN the whole
history OF the African slave trade and slavery
America has poured the destroying cure OF the
liquor crime on Africa ana tby the feat aveng1ns
1usuce) Africa had poured back the curse OF slavery
upon America. The TWO crimes had naturally SuS-
talned and strengthened each other. The anti
slavery reformers had lifted the axe of civil
liberty to cut down one great branch
had darkened the republic, and to day they met to
lay tne axe to the roots OF the same upas and to
tce to labor and OF all crime vice. ignorance pOv-
erty, debasement and misery. The whole compro-
mise system for the pretended regulation taxation
and moral cultivation OF the liquor crime was O
Sin against God and crime against man The
argument in Its support was all rotten with wrong
and reeking with blood It. was the logic OF coiled
vipers. Favored with the rhetoric OF friends It's
absurdity was equal to its 1nramy. One OF
the most provldent and dangerous forms Of
no nnrn nrivaa
"local prohibition" or "local option" A national
crime, organized and in control OF the government
demanded national prohibit ion by party formed
for the purpose. An attempt to reform the ma
tional government and 10 abolish ruling national
crime by merely changing the laws and constttu-
ton OF the state was as vain to expect reyou-
tion OF the sea by the mere wind that turns its
waves Wit in state limits constitutional and
statuatory prohibition had accomplished great
goo but as opposed to the national crime they
were as impotent as ropes OF sand In the teeth OF
Niagara There were four nominally prohibition
IN the late national republican convention at
Chicagonot delegate from one of those ten states
had dared TO- sign minority report on the
the democratic convention. Thus, ali the
republican and democratic prohibtionists were
o9und as eps TO the liquor under lash
Christian Temperance Union. represented by its
honored and most worthy head, Miss Frances E
tional convention pleading for the protection OF
homes 1t was treated with silent contempt What
couiu more VlVluy Illustrate the abtect Servility
OF that party to the liquor power and its perdy to
Its own pledges? The anti-slavery convention of
1852 and the prohibition convention OF 1864 differed
In one important respect The first uShered In a
political party triumph followed by a civil war
lIls convention came to proclaim glorious peace
!ts mission w was reunion OF the republic. not in
mere form, but In fact, In truth, and In hearts
OF all people AS the first and Indispensable
step ste, ono,r,,an to the reunion there must be
Total aDsolutlon from the two political parties 1t
was OF no consequence which OF them went first
In the grave OF their MASTER the liquor power they
should both be quickly buried [Applause Year
after year the warfare between the two great pOlit
lcal parties was prolonged. Through all these
many years the cry from the hearts OF all peopIe
ana all churches had been for new party OF peace
into being TO meet that cry. It proclaimed the
policy which bound in unity all religious and moral
1OrceS PrOh1Olt1On was civil liberty against crime
License was personal liberty for crime. The spirit
OF the l!ustriouS founders, patriots and sages OF
the republic appealed to them to 60 forward In this
mighty cause From all the battle-nelds OF the
nation white winged angels rose to bear their BAN
nerS From all the million graves OF its martyred
heroes ana IrOm unnumbered millions of dark sad
graves those who had been murdered by the liquor
Let the convention rise to the grandeur of its mis-
sion. and do its duty fully, bravey and rightly and
agrate1u future would come TO crown its work with
fadeless glory.
The address was listened to With close attention
and with occasional plauditS The allusion to Miss
Willard was greeted with special applause and her
treatment by the republican convention was de-
nounced by shouts OF "Shame!" "Shame"
EX-GOVERNOR ST. JOHN NOT CANDIDATE
telegram from Rochester, n Y, that ex-Gov
St John, OF Kansas, In an interview stated posi-.
lated.
DR.. Blanchard, onllinois, said that notwithstand.
Ing tn1s MI 81. johns name wVuld be preSen ted