Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1888-06-01

1
| Rev. Sam Small, of Georgia, are expected
te speak. An adjournment was then taken
at 1920 until two o'clock.
! At the afternoon session the delegates
were equally as slow in getting into place
a. at the morning session. The assemblage
ia proving to be almost unwieldy because
OF the Ialge number Of delegates and alter
nates. nearly a.l Of whom seem to have
come loaded with speech.
The battle over the Z
woMAN's SUFFRAGE PLrSK,
which. il is expected, the Resi- ntion Com
mittee will report as part Of re platform,
comes of los.r in the session And promises
| 10 be hot o lse as indicated by the contest
over the time limit on debate reported for
ths rules. The proceedings were opened
with music and Bible reading and prayer
by Rev. G. E. Evans, OF Illinois,
THE PLATFORM.
The time was then devoted to singing
and other exercises for the entertainment
of the convention until nearly 8 o'clock,
when the Committee on Resolutions, led
BY Chairman James Black, Win miss
Francis Z. Willard on his arm, was
seen entering the door. A few mo.
ments later it was announced
that the committee was ready
to report, and Secretary Sam Small OF the
convention and committee proceeded to
read the majority report Of the committee,
as follows:
The Prohibition party, in national con-
yention assembled, acknowledging Al
mighty God as the source of all power in
government, do hereby declare:
1. That the manufacture, Importation,
expectation, transportation and sale oil al
coholic beverages shall be made public
crimes and punished rs such.
9. That such prohibition must be Sc
sured through amendments OF our National
and State constitutions, enforced by ade-
quate laws, adequately supported by ad-
ministrative authority.
3. That any form of license, taxation or
regulation of the liquor traffic is contrary
to good government; that any party
which supports regulation, license or
tax, enters into an alliance
with such traffic aud becomes the
actual foe of the States welfare and that
we arraign the Republican and Democratic
parties for their persistent attitude IN Ia
vor of the license iniquity, whereby they
oppose the demand of the people for pro-
hibition, and through open completely with
the liquor cause, defeat the enforcement oil
law.
4. That we demand the immediate sbo.
litiou of the internal revenue system,
whereby our national government derives
support from our greatest national vice.
DOWN ON THE SURPLUS.
S. That adequate public revenue being
necessary, it may properly be raised by
import duties and by an equitable assess
ment upon the property and the
legitimate business of the country,
bnt import duties should be
80 reduced that no surplus shall be ac-
cumulated in the treasury, and that the
burdens Of taxation shall be removed from
food, clothing and other comforts and nec-
essaries Of life.
6. That civil service appointments for
all civil offices chiefly clerical in their du-
ties should be based upon moral, intellect
ual and physical qualifications, and not
upon party service or party necessity.
Z. That the right of suffrage rests on no
mere circumstance of race, color, sex OF
nationality, and that where, from any
cause, it has been held from citizens who
are of suitable age and mentally and NOR
ally qualified for the exercise Of an intelli-
gent ballot, it should be restored by the
people through the Legislatures OF the sew
sral States on such educational basis as
they deem most wise,
8 Abolition Of polygsmy, and the estab-
hshment of uniform laws governing mar
riage and divorce.
8. For prohibiting all combinations oi
capital to control and increase the cost oi
produce for popular consumption.
For the preservation and defense OF the
Sabbath as a civil institution without op-
pressing any who religiously observe the
same on any other day than the first day
of the week. :,
10. That our immigration laws should
be so enforced as to prevent the introduce
tion into our country Of all convicts, in.
mates of dependent institutions and Of
other physically incapacitated for self sup
port, and that no person should have the
ballot in any State who is not o citizsn oil
the United StsteS.
A MINORITY REPORT.
Prof. John NJ. Olin then stepped forward
and announcing that there was O minority
report, proceeded to state his views on the
platform. He declared il to be unwise tc
place in the platform an endorsement o
female suffrage. There should be nothing
in the platform whose tendency would bs
to split the party and thereby weaken it.
This created some discussion and consider
able confusion, bat finally was defeated or
the point of order that the minority plat
form had been presented.
Mr.. Oline was then permitted, by cour'
tesy, to add to his report resolution Oh
the woman suffrage convention, which ht
had presented in committee aud which had
been defeated there. 1t declared in favol
of referring the entire, suffrage mat
ter to the States, promising that th'
Prohibition party as national party a.
fast ~ it came into power would submit
the question to the people, to be by then
settled, as they see Git, by the ballot box.
The report Of the minority was then re
ceiyed, and another scene Of great disorder
and tumult followed. 1t was finally set
tied that the majority report should b
considered section by section.
The sixth plank on woman suffrage wa
then read, and the battle Of the session be
gan. A delegate from Wisconsin moved tt
amend by substituting the Olin resolution
Numerous dilatory motions were ther
made in a vain effort to choke of discus
sion, but all failed and the debate began.
| Sam Small, who had originally opposed
the mriority report, said that it was in
spirit OF compromise that he yielded and
signed the majority side. He urged the
convention to do likewise
Neal Dove, of Maine, favored
the minority report, as did also
several Others, and the speakers
in 'avor of the majority were
numberless, 50 the debate went on fol
nearly three hours, and was closed by Mis-;
Frances f. Willard. The amendment was
then rejected and the majority report
adopted. ~
The convention then adjourned till 6
p. m.
Following is the list of national com
mittsemen IS selected by the State del
spations, among whom Sre the follow
ing: Georgis, Sam Small, A. Murphy
Maine, N. E. Woodbury., W. T. Eostis