The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-05-27
ADVOCATES OF PROHIBITION.
they Organize for the Coming Cam
paign and Nominate a State Ticket.
i Platform Of Political Principles Adopted
In Which They Declare Themselves in
Favor, Also, Of Equal Suffrage
THE CONVENTION.

THE CONVENTION.
Vivorons Denunciation of the Liquor Traffic
I'm the Platform and Speeches.
The State convention of the Prohibition party
Of indiana assembled at 10 o'clock, yesterday
morning, in Engish's Opera-house. The lower
part of the house was well filed. probably eight
hundred persons being present. including many
ladies; but there was no way OF determining how
few OF the audience were delegates or how many
visitors. There was very large proportion of
sld men in the convention. a majority, probably,
being over fifty years of age. The convention
Nas called to order at half-past 10 o'clock by
Capt Eli F. Ritter of Indianapolis. Prayer was
altered by Rev. Aaron Walker. of Kokomo.
The committee on organization submitted
ssport nominating Capt Eli F. Ritter for per-
manent chairman; j. g. L. Myers, of Indanap-
ellis, for secretary, and Mrs. j. r. Nichols, of In
dianapolis, and R. E. Pretlow. of Richmond, for
assistant secretaries. The committee recon
nendsd that the convention be considered
mass convention; that all questions of contro-
sersy be voted upon by congressional districts
On the basis of ten votes to each district; that
I'll speeches, except the opening address, be linn
Captain Ritter as president of the convention.
made the opening address, in which he
said the Prohibition party was an advanc-
ing party, and then proceeded to discuss
ths question of license one form Of which, he
said, was local option. Local option contem-
plates a license law of the worst character The
locality that wants the right to deal in this bust
ness is to have it. 1 know they say local option
has done great deal of good in many places.
30 it has, It has brought around salutary infiu-
ances in many places. So has mob law. There
Eas time in California when mob law was
found to be good thing; so in Indiana. Mob
law has taken the brute from the prison, and
hanged him. 1t has saved the State expense
snd trouble and illustrated the benefit of
speedy justice. But while it has worked well
n some localities, it has worked badly in others.
Il has given free whisky in Virginia to Peters
burg, Richmond and Fredericksburg. Gin Cleve-
saloons on Sunday. Two of the commandments
ere gone. All they need under that law is to
submit the Ten Commandments in Cincinnati,
Chicago, and other cities Of the land, and vote
the whole ten down. Then, when their work is
completed, let them tie jug around
he neck of the Goddess Of Liberty
and drown her In beer vat
Let them take the American eagle il and put
the goose in its place. Let them abuse our Pill
grim fathers and mothers, and our American
ideas, and extol the ideas that came across the
ocean, and the proper elimination might be to
burn the Savior himself in ef6gy upon the Sab
bath day. The Captain opposed the Metropoli-
tan police system, and closed by announcing
that although his official relation to the party
would close, he would give to it the energies of
his life
Thanks were returned to Captain Ritter and
Mr. Sylvester johnson.
~x.@sk ~~1I- 49, .~1
as ready to report. Mr.. Dwiggins, of Jasper
county, moved the resolutions be considered
seriatim, which was carried and Pleasant Bond
chairman of the committee. read the resolutions.
They were rs follows:
Whereas The traffic in Intoxicating liquors has in
vaded the homes of this country too often desoatng
these sanctuares with debauchery crime and pauper
Ism; attacking society at large wastes the resources
Of the Nation, paralyzes its industries debases its
morals, antagonzes its educational efforts and
hupts its political institutions; and whereas this
mighty engine of evil is protected by the legislation
of the State and Nation, with the sanction of the
Democratic and Republican parties both of which
make it a of revenue, coming the vices of
The country to replensh the treasury therefore,
solved,
/. That there is no hope of relief from the evils
of the liquor traffic in any measure short of the
qualified prohibition of the manufacture, importation
and sale OF Intoxicating liquors. to be used bever-
ages by direct legislation of the national and State
authorities and to this policy we are unalteraby
mittel
q The voters in Indiana who are interested in the
liquor traffic, being divided between the Dem ocratic
and Republican parties. and holding the balance of
power in each can defeat either party that attempts
any legislation unfavorable to the liquor interest," and
yet 1t is quite evident that majority of the voters of
this State are conscientiously opposed to saloon
SYSTEM If the line dividing political parties drawn
the liquor traffic.
deception and bad faith to the temperance people of
the State, and demand Of the next Legislature
submission OF this great question to the ballot of the
people.
A. We demand that the Legislature shall submit
to the electors of the State amendment to the Con-
stitution striking out the word male" wherever it
occurs in Section q Article g. and comforting the
right of suffrage without distinction of SEX
s.. That we demand the application of the golden
rale to capita, and labor and all laws that do not
bear equally upon the rights of capital and labor
should be abrogated
6. With all good citizens of our commonwealth
Join IN grateful acknowledgment of unceasng
obligations to the soldiers and sailors who in the late
war fought their country's battles and secured its
integrity and perpetuity, and we would limit the
Nations indebtedness to them only by its ability to
bestow.
2. That we behold with alarm the growing desc
sraion of the Sabbath days therefore, demand that
the statutes forbiddng the desecraon of this holy
day shall be faithfully enforced
3. 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.
The first and second resolutions were adopted
% read. Mr. Hughes, of Wayne county, Mr.
Henson, Mr.. Hickman, of South Bend, Judge
Land, of Princeton, Mr. Mckinney, Rev Miller
Of Indianapolis and Dr. Ryland T. Brown spoke
upon this resolution, opinion being divided as
30 its adoption, but, with great preponderance
Of sentiment in its favor it was finally adopted
For the fourth resolution the following resou-
ton, offered by Mr. DSiggins, "We are in favor
of equal political suffrage. without DIS
tinction Of SEX" was adopted after be-
Ing discussed by Messrs. Hughes, Crist, Ross.
Carter and Tuley, and Mrs. Mary Thomas and
Miss Sarah Morrison. Mr.. Hughes offered as
an amendent to the substitute to add the words,
''yet this shall not be a test of party fealty."
This was violently opposed as an effort to carry
water on both shoulders, and was defeated.
The fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth resolutions
were then adopted, after which the resolutions
Rs platform were adopted a whole.
Resolutions were adopted indorsing the w. c.
T. u as one of the greatest forces in educating
tie people for moral reform; indorsing the Pha
lanx as the State organ of the party: recon-