San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1888-06-11
OF MISSOURI, NOMINATED BY THE
PROHIBITIONISTS.

The prohibition party nominated a
southern gentleman, DR.. John A.
Brooks, for vice-president. There
would be difficulty, if indeed it would
not be an impossibility, for them to
have put in the field a stronger ticket
than "Fisk and Brooks.n The prohi-
bitionists talk confidently of receiving
more than seven hundred thousand
votes in the coming campaign.
ohm A. Brooks was born in Macon
county Kentucky, June 3, 1886. His
father and mother were both Nir-
ginians. On the maternal side he is
related to the Cooks and Andersons of
Virginia, many of whom have figured
in political life. His father was a
prominent preacher in the "Christiann
(Campbellite) church. Young Brooks
was brought up on farm; was edu-
Gated at Bethany college, Virginia,
then under the charge of Alexander
Campbell graduated from there in
1856, receiving afterwards from his
Alma Mater the degree of A. NJ; was
for two years president of Flemin gs-
burg college in Kentucky, and re-
signing that position, entered the
ministry. He is a leading man in
his denomination, both as an evangel-
ist and pastor. When fifteen
speaker on the temperance platform.
He was among the early supporters of
prohibition, hoping, with the great
mass of temperance people in the
South, to gain it with the assistance
of the democratic party.
In 1880 DR.. Brooks and thirty-five
others, at a meeting at Sedalia, organ
lied the Prohibition Alliance of Mis-
souri,. DR.. Brooks was chosen presi-
dent, and for four years, at his own
risk, and without salary, he can
vassed hundred counties of the
State in the interest of submission.
The first years canvass QSSO resulted
in the election of a Legislature pledged
to submit, but political Vaccinations
caused the defeat of the amend
ment byvotes in the senate. what is
known as the Downing high license
law was enacted as compromise meas
ure. The liquor interest was greatly
alarmed, and in 1882 the brewers en-
plOyed United States Senator George
q. Vest, the foremost democratic lead
er and orator of Missouri, to canvass
the state in their interest. DR.. Brooks
friends challenged Senator Vest to a
joint discussion, but the great local
democrat had already made list of
appointments and could not change
them. Notwithstanding Senator Vests
exertions, another Legislature, pledged
to submission, was chosen, but the
amendment failed again.
DIR. Brooks now looked with favor
upon the prohibition party, and when
the canvass of 1884 opened he de-
clared himselfa member of it. In that
year he was unanimously nominated
for governor, both by the alliance and
and the party prohibitionists. 1t was
hoped that the republicans would
make no nominations. and leave the
field to DR.. Brooks and General Mar
maduke, the democratic candidate.
But the republican party preferred de-
feat to taking this course.
In the exciting campaign which
followed, Senator Vest gave his whole
time to combating prohibition. DIR.
Brooks, almost alone on the other
side, canvassed the state as best he
could with the limited resources at
his command. Although Mr.. Cleve-
land carried Missouri over thirty
thousand majority, Marmaduke's
majority was only 420. DR.. Brooks
polled five times as many votes as
were cast at the same election for ST.
John.
Since the year 1884 he has been act
lively engaged in the lecture field,
speaking from Maine to Texas and
from Wisconsin to Alabama. AS the
general agent of the national prohibit
ton bureau for the southwest, he has
done eminent service, and much of
the rapid advance made by the prohi-
bition party in the states of Texas,
Arkansas, Mississippi and Alabama,
as well as Missouri, is the result of his
personal influence.
"A big Scotchman, Buchanan, by
name, was noisy and disorderly in
front of dive on South Flores street,
late Saturday night and Deputy Con-
stable Charley Stevens attempted to
arrest him. He knocked Charley down
twice and then Charley was compelled
~ III l. L. l. II