The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-06-08

TlONlSIS fOh VIE fhho1DhNl.
The prohibition party nominated a south
ern 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" The prohi-
bitioniSts talk confidently of receiving
more than zoo, 900 votes in the coming cam
paign.
John A. Brooks was born in Macon coun-
ty, Kentucky, June 3, 1886. His father and
mother were both Virginians. On the ma
ternal 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 Christ
ian" (Campbellite) church. Young Brooks
was brought up on a farm; was edu-
then under the charge Of Alex
ander Campbell; graduated from there
in 1856, receiving afterward from his
alma mater the degree of A. NJ; was for
two years president Of Flemingsburg col
lege in Kentucky, and resigning that posi-
ton, entered the ministry He is a leading
man in his denomination, both as an evan
gelist and pastor When ID years old he
became a public speaker on the temperance
platform. He was among the early sup
porters of prohibition, hoping, with the
south, to gain it with the assistance OF the
democratic party.
In 1880 DR.. Brooks and thirty-fve others,
at a meeting at Sedalia, organized toe pro
hibition ailiance of Missouri. DR.. Brooks
was chosen president, and for four years,
at his own risk, and without salary, he
canvassed hundred counties Of the state
in the interest Of submission. The first
years canvass 1850 resulted in the election
of legislature pledged to submit, bat
political Vaccinations caused the defeat OF
the amendme by votes in the senate.
What is known as the Downing high license
law was enacted as a compromise meas
IRE. The liquor interest was greatly
alarmed, and III 1882 the brewers EN-
ployed United States Senator George u.
Vest. the foremost democratic leader and
orator of Missouri, to canvass the state III
their interest. DR.. Brooks friends chal-
lenged Senator Vest to joint discussion,
but the great local democrat had already
made list of appointments and could a.. 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 can
yass of 1884 opened he declared himself a
member of it. In that year he was unani-
mously nominated for governor, botn oy
the alliance and the party prohibitionsts;
It was hoped that the republicans would
make no nomnatio IS and leave the field to
DR. Brooks and Gen. Marmaduke, the demo-
cratic Candidate; but the republican party
preferred defeatto taking this course.
In the exciting campaign which followed
Senator Vest gave his whole time TO com
batting prohib tion. DR.. Brooks, almost
alone on the other side, canvassed the state
as best be could with the limited resources
at his command. Although Mr. Cley Gland
earned Missouri by over 10000 major. y,
Marmaduke's majority was only 40 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 actively
engaged in the lecture field, speaking from
Maine TO Texas and from Wisconsin TO Ala
anna As thogeneral agent OF the national
prohibition bureau for the southwest he mas
done eminent service, and much OF the
rapid advance made by the prohibition
marty in the states of Texas, Arkansas,
Mississippi and Alabama, as well as Mis-
souri,, is the result of his personal influence.