Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-06-07


2. Such prohibition must be secured
through amendments of our national and
state constitutions, enforced by adequate
laws, adequately supported by admins
trative authorities, and to this end the or
ganization Of the prohibition party is i'm
perativelY demanded in the state and ma
ton.
3. That any form of license, taxation
or regulation of the liquor traffic is con-
trary 60 good government. That any
party that supports its regulation by
license or tax enters into alliance with
such traffic, and becomes an actual foe of
the states welfare, and that we arraign
the republican and democratic party for
their persistent attitude in favor of
licensed iniquity, whereby they oppose
the demand OF the people for prohibition
and through open completely with the
liquor cause defeat the enforcement of
the Law.
4. The immediate abolition of the in
ternal revenue SYSTEM, whereby our ma
tional government is deriving support
from our greatest national vice.
). That adequate public revenue being
necessary, it may properly be raised by
import duties and by equitable assessment
business Of the country, but the import
duties should be SO reduced that no sur
plus shall be accumulated in the treasury
removed from foods, clothing and other
comforts and necessaries of life.
6. That civil service appointments for
all civil offices, chiefly clerical in their
duties, should be based upon moral, in
faJI nd
and not upon service or party necessity.
Z. That the right of suffrage rests on
no mere circumstance of race, color, sex
o. nationality, and that where from any
cause they have been held from citizen
ship who are mentally and morally quail
fed for the exercise of intelligent action
it should be restored By the people
throughout the legislatures of the several
states and with such educational qualif-
cations as they may deem wise.
s. For the abolition OF polygamy and
the establishment OF uniform laws gov
erning marriage and divorce.
9. For prohibiting all combination of
capital to control and to increase the cost
of production for popular consumption.
10. For the preservation and defense
of the Sabbath as a civil institution with
out expressing anywho religiouslyobserve
the same on Sunday or other day than
the first day of the week.
10 That arbitration is the Christian,
wise, and economic method of settling
all national diffe FENCES, and the same
method, by judiciOus legislation, should
be applied to the settlement of all dis
putes between large bodies OF employees
| and employers; that the abolition of the
saloon would remove burdens, moral,
physical, pecuniary and social,
which new suppress labor and
rob it of its earnings. and would prove
to be wise and successful way Of pro-
noting labor reform, and we invite labor
and capital to unite with us for the ac-
complishment thereof; that monopoly in
land is wrong to the people, and the pub
lie land should be- reserved to actual set
tiers; and that men and women should re-
ceive equal wages for equal work.
IL. That the inning ration laws should
be enforced as to prevent the intrOduc-
ton into our country of all cOnvicts, in
mates of dependent institutions and of
others physically incapaeitated for self
support, aud that no person should have
ballot in any state who is not a citizen
of the United States. Recognizing and
declaring that the prohibition of the
LIQUOR traffic has become the dominant is
sue in national politics, we invite
to full party fellowship all who on this
one dormant issue are with US agree In
the full belief that this party can and
will remove sectional differences, pro
mote national unity and insure the best
welfare of our native land.
The reading Of the document was
greeted with cheers and as each plank
was completed the paragraph was mark
ed with loud cheers and cries of "that's
right"
JOHN NJ. OLIN's MINORITY REPORT.
Mr.. DIN then stepped forward and
announcing that there was a minority
report proceeded to state his views on the
platform. He declared it to be I'M
wise to place in the platform
an endorsem ert of female suffrage.
On that point alone he differed with the
majority. There should be nothing in
the platform whose tendency would be to
split the prohibition party and thereby
weaken it. Suffrage, he said, was strongly
opposed In a very large section of the
south where prohibition had made the
most rapid advance; suffrage was the di-
viding issue and it would be impossible
TO gain success of the two issues.
He declared for prohibition first
and women suffrage afterwards.
Indeed, he apprehended ignominious de-
feat if the prohibitionists did not confine
themselves to one issue. Prudence and
sound policy demanded that the platform
be free from any expression favoring
woman suffrage.
The question then reverted on the re-
cept1on of the majority report and mo-
tions to that effect were made. A mo-
ton was also N ade to receive the minor
ity report. The scene that followed de-
fies description. After order was restored
1t was decided to consider the majority
report, section by section, under
the five minute rule. The preamble and
first four planks were adopted without
debate. The tariff called forth discus
sion but was adopted. Then came the
suffrage plank. A Wisconsin delegate
moved to substitute Mr.. Olin's resolution
and Mr.. L. G. Richmond spoke in advo-
cacy of the substitute.
Able speeches followed on both sides,
and the debate went on for several hours.
vote was then taken on the original
plank, and it was adopted by an over
whelming majority. The minority re-
port was rejected. The remaining planks
were adopted with rush. A resolution
was then added TO the platform
condemning the democrats and the
republicans parties, for denying the right