Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1886-08-06

! equality Of opportunity and equality OF
privilege shall be secured to all the citizens
OF the Republic irrespective of sex, race or
color
$ We most gratefully acknowledge the
wonderful work wrought in the inter
ests of the home and the state by the w.
&. 4. L., and we note with special pleasure
the Endorsement of the Prohibition party
by that organization. and we desire to ex-
press our unfaltering determination to
stand 10y them in all their work until il
shall result IN complete and overwhelming
victory for our cause.
o. We view with friendly interest what
is known as the anti-saloon movement
now in progress among members OF the
Republican party in certain states. IL
demonstrates.
D-That our dissatisfaction with that
party i'm the past is just and well founded.
t2)rlt corroborates our demand for n
united party against the combined forces
of the liquor traffic.
(0-But we opine they will find il utter
" unpracticable To pronounce the Shib
bolcth of the state and national Prohbi-
tion correctly without dismembering their
party.
10. We oppose fusion Of any kind with
any party directly or indirectly on the
whole ticket or any part of il. We insist
that the men whom we nominate shall Ice
fully committed 10 our principles and in
I lNiI ~Nhl1NlNN WIN lhtlns we com nlcuO TO
the friends OF Prohibition throughout the
state that they place in nomination the
best men i'm our ranks for the various of
flee, and specially that fun Congressional,
Senatorial and Representative nomina-
tiOns be made in every district and an
earnest effort made to secure their cleo
tion
II. We believe the massing of much
money in the national treasury is bad
Nft... al III nj Il
best interests of the people. We therefore
favor the use of all such surplus in excess
OF SlO)OoNOO1 as reserve fund To the pay
ment Of the national debt
T. We believe the national government
alone should exercise the high prcrogatIVc
OF issuing the currency of the country and
this should be taken in payment of all
debts, public and private, and he redeema-
be in gold and silver at the option of the
holder.
10. The public lands are the heritage of
the people and should be reserved for
actual settlers. We are opposed 10 fuT,h-
er grants of lands 20 corporations and TO
the acquisition of another acre by specula-
tors and alien absentees. Unearned land
grants should be speedily forfeited and we
demand that all lands now held for spec
ulative purposes be taxed TO their full
value.
As soon as the platform was read. VI. II.
Walker, a young Grand Rapids lawyer.
rose In the Kent delegation, literally pale
with excitement. and moved that plankS
eleven and twelve, pertaining 10 the finan-
Cial question, be laid on the table, by
what right he demanded. has any per-
son assumed 10 turn this into Greenback
conventions We have hard money men
here who do not believe in these planks
Why in the name of wisdom has that stuff
been put in "a Prohibition platform. That
platform Is utterly inconsistent. One
plank grandly denounces any kind of
fusion or compromise. and right against it
is plank bidding for the Greenback vote
Our Greenbcak friends are coming 10 us
fast enough But let them come because
this is n Prohibition party. Let us cling
TO the overmastering question of suppress
sion OF the liquor traffic
\ dozen delegates were on their feet.
The venerable Elias Woodman. Of North
vile. got the eve Of the chair. He, too.
was excited. I'm surprised that the com
mittee would bring such n firehrand into
this convention" he said. The last
speaker expressed my views exactly. |
take no stock in the Greenbackers |
come from the old Democratic party and
don't like it, I'm a hard money man
Mr.. Smart of Watrousville, said that he
opposed this matter in the committee not
because he was either a hard or soft money
man. but because he was Prohibitionist
first do not let us truckle. trade or
bargain. Let u not load our candidates
down with a mixed ticket 80
II looked "a though the objectionable
plankS were going when -. +. Sagendorph
of Charlotte. sprang into the breach in
/ their behalf. This l. not new a question. -
said he "and the Committee on Resou-
tions has done no unusual thing These
resolutions are identical with those we
had six years ago and which We have had
since until the last campaign. With that
platform we grew from Loo 10 90 600 II
l. not a hard or soft money platform 1t
is the cnunciation OF a true principle l. is
not ibid for anybody Strike out those
resolutions and you 90 back on your
record "
An animated debate issued, when W 4.
Taylor. Secretary of the State Central
Committee. made a strong speech for the
adoption of the resolution These resolu-
tion> mean something most decidedly.
Shoud any other power than the general
government control the issue of the cur
roncy: redeemabe currency is not the
Grccnback idea. III we adopt this platform
my friend John Potter will ask me why
did YOU add IN gold and silver The Pro
hibition party should not be afraid to
speak the whole truth in Gods plain Eng
lish ON any question
Lemucl Clute. Of Ionia. who bolted the
Democratic party because il fused with
the Greenbackcr> was very vigorous in
denoUncIng the plankS He said he. as an
Old Democrat. opposed giving the general
government any powers they did not
already possess Concentration of power
j thing not in the interest, of the people.
-he government should never become u
banking institution. He did not believe
in one idea party but this great step
favoring concentration Of power should
not Toe taken.
a. u. Power of Worthwhile, in arguing
that the plankS were educators. made "A
strong Greenback speech.
bow f,.11f 1a l..l. %.
growing in seriousness.
Ex-Mayor l.. =. Ellis, of Manistee, moved
10 amend by striking out the twelfth
plank.
the convention began to cry for the
/ question. Dozens OF delegates were seek
ing recognition. The Chair put the
amendment of Ellis. 1t was apparently
lost A division of the house was taken
during great excitement.
There was "A small ma iority against Ellis.
Walkers resolution laying the planks on
the table was then put. 1t was lost on
division of the house, about three-fths Of
the convention voting no. There was
hardly county in the state that did not
split on the question.
At the request of Chairman Dickie Sag
endorph withdrew his call for the previ
aus uuaStiou alkpr fhap offprpb a. "a