Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-05-31
Gold Water Warriors.
The Prohibition National Cam
 paign Opened.
CHEERS AND SINGING OF HYMNS.

John P. St. John Elected Permanent : Chairman and Evangelist Sam Small Made Permanent secretary-The Woman
 Suffrage Plank.
 INDIASAReLrs, May 31.-When the venera- ble Neal Dow, arm in arm with John F. St John, stepped upon the platform of Tomlin- sons hall yesterday a mighty shout went up from 1, 900 threats It was the opening gun of the national Prohibition campaign of 1883. Very beautiful looked the hall in its lavish adornment of bright red and blue bunting and its abundant display of the Stars and Stripes Over the chair swung a banner with the inscription: "No sectionalism in pol itics. no sex in citizenship" while at the other end of the hall, looking down upon the audi ence, was the declaration in letters four feet high: "In God we trustn Along the west gallery was a canvas with the inscription, "A half million votes for the Prohibition party in 1883 means only two parties in 1892, no matter by what names, divided on this is sue-the home vs. the saloon.n Opposite this was another device reading: "High license makes the liquor seller a collector of revenue Poor women and children starve and freeze that the rich may elude the taxation. Oh, the iniquity of it!n Other inscriptions along the walls and balcony railing read: 1.-The Pro hibition party is the true Anti Poverty soci- ety." ssHigh license is the devils bulwark for the liquor traffic; the greater the revenue the stronger the bulwark;;n n Prohibition will obliterate the sectional and color line in poli- tics;n Local option creates local selfshness, paralyzes patriotism and entrenches the liquor traffic in its stronghold
 1 Standing room in the hall was at pre- mium long before the convention was called to order. Sam Small, the Georgia evangel- ist, received hearty welcome when he ap- peared, and so did Mother Stewart, the Ohio sexagenarian, and Frances Willard, who came in with an armful of suffrage docu- ments There was one face that was missed that of John B. Finch, the celebrated cam paign orator, and the circumstances of his sudden taking off were vividly called to mind by the presence of the widow and her l0-year-old boy in the front seat of the Ne braska delegation Nearly half of the dele gates were gray haired, and there were many whose faces called back recollections of the Pittsburg convention of 1884, and those of the previous years in Cleveland
 There was good smattering of young men, and perhaps 200 of the gentler sex, ranging in age from sweet 16 to 60 When the young Republicans of New Jersey marched in with bands and banners, escorting their wooden crank, the delegates got up on chairs and cheered for several minutes Then they com menced to give cheers for the state contin- gents in rotation, and for half an hour or more they did nothing but shout and yell
 Finally, at 10:30, Chairman Dickie, of the national committee, succeeded, by vigorous use of the gavel, in suppressing the enthusiasm. Only for a moment, however, for a stentorian voice in the audience demanded to know what was the matter with Sam Small The dele gates responded with-a n,ighttyy shout; He's all right" and after they had similarly complimented George Bain Tanner, of Kansas City, Rev. Dr. Judkins, of Chicago, and several others, quiet was again restored, and Rev. Fl. A. Delano, of Connecticut, was introduced as temporary chairman.
 At this juncture calls were made for the national nominees of the party in previous years to take the fropt seats upon the stage, and Green Clay Smith, Kentucky; Neal Dow, Maine; Judge Black, Pennsylvania; !; Gideon Stewart, Ohio; John Russell, Michi- gan, and John P. St John. Kansas, re- sponded-the latter receiving second ova- tion. x8*H
 Once more the convention rose to its feet this time to join in singing America ,n which was done with heartiness and fervor. After prayer by Sam Small, MT. Dick;e called at tention to the fact that in the providence of God every one of the nominees upon the Ma tional Prohibition tickets for the past eight years had been spared to this day, while of the Republican and Democratic nominees, for the same period, only four survived He suggested that in grateful recognition of this fact the convention should sing Praise God from Whom All Blessing Flow, and it was done. An address of welcome was delivered by Col Eli Ritter, of Indianapolis, to which MT. Delano responded The roll of states was called for membership of various com mittees and a recess was taken.
 After recess the committee on credentials reported that 1,029 delegates and the same number of alternates were in attendance svery state and territory being represented except Louisiana, Mississippi, South Caro- lima and Wyoming.
 The committee on permanent organization named John P. St John for permanent chair man and Sam Small for secretary, and they were chosen unanimously. In taking his chair, Governor St John said that he would rather be elected chairman of this conven- ton than be elected president of the United States through the rum power.
 As the committee on platform was not ready to report, the convention adjourned until to-day. The general committee on res olutions have decided the woman suffrage issue, which proved to be bone of conten- | tion, by instructions to its subcommittee to incorporate plain, uncompromising suffrage plank The vote was g to g.