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

THE COLD WATER CONVENTION.
Forenoon Session of the indianapolis Conven-
ton. Woman Suffrage Comes Up. General
Matters,
INDIANAPOLIS, May 31.-The prohioi-
ton national convention was decidedly
slow in coming together this morning.
Admission to the hall was not obtainable
until half-past s, and the immense crowd
which had gathered before the entrance
could not in the short time rem aiming be-
fore the convention hour get to their
seats. It was good natured crowd, how
ever, and the jostling and pushing was
accepted with pefect good nature. The
galleries of the convention hall were filled
long before the delegates seats were all
occupied, but Chairman 81. John, in spite
of empty seats in delegates division,
raped the convention to order prompt
at 8 o'clock. At that moment the Mis-
souri, delegation entered the hall with
banner bearing the name of Fisk and
Brooks. Considerable applause was clio
tied, but it was not general.
The days proceedings were opened
with song, followed by prayer from the
Rev. A. M. Richardson, of Kansas. The
committee on rules was announced as
ready to make its report, and the chair
man was accorded the floor. He pro-
ceeded TO read the rules as recommended
by the committee as follows: The ses'
sions of the convention to be from 9 to
1915 and 2 TO o'clock; debate to be con-
fined to five minutes to each delegate,
no delegate to speak more than once on
each question; votes to be taken by
call of the states, the chairman of each
H. - &Ia nh
sent delegates to be voted in proportion
to those present; nominating speeches
to be confined to ono for each states for
each office. The remaining recommends
tions were of nature not of interest.
The convention Immediately proceeded
to
GET INTO A TANGLE
on the rule limiting debate on the suffrage
question, those most interested In this
probable plank IN the platform objecting
seriously to so circUmscrlbing debate.
Those favor;ng an extension of the tine
of debate were led by Rev. w. L. Mills, of
Ohio, and Delegate Bascom, of Massa
chusetts. The latter gentleman moved to
extend the debate on the suffrage plank
to four hours, the leading speakers to be
selected by the two parties and confne the
u6DdJ6u ~ buSLIs Oh blllS InO P1SFAOu5
question was moved, and it was voted
down. The rules were then adopted as
reported and thus the first battle on the
suffrage question ended wi hOut a deci
sive victory for either side, as various
delegates favoring the extension of time
oppose woman suffrage. The delegation
from Texas which, under the call, was
entitled to 26 regular and 10 provisional
delegates, was then permitted to cast the
full vote, the credentials committee Civ
ing the state credit for but %.
A special motion by Rev. w. 81. BOole,
OF New York, to limit debate on the suff
rage plank to three hours, ten minute
speeches, was defeated, and the report of
the committee on finance was pres ented.
1t recommends the adoption of the re-
tional committees plan, already formu
lated, for an assessment by states with
the additional provision that voluntary
contributions be taken IN the convention.
Tho report of the committee was aGoQ5-
ed. resolution from the Iowa delega
ton was then presented, containing a
memorial to Rev. Geo. c.. Haddock-
sour Marty red Prohibitionist."
The convention under the leadership
of j. G.. Evans, of Illinois, next proceed
ed to the
COLLECTION OF VOLUNTARY CONTRIBUTIONS
and there was seen one of those enthu
siastic occurrences so peculiar to prOhl-
bition conventions. Almost the instant
Mr.. Evans completed his preliminary
appeal a subscription of $1,000 was re-
ceived from p. f. Sturtevant, of Boston,
followed a second later by another
$1,000 from r. d. Mcdonald, of Cali
fornia, who was placed before the con-
yeation of 1884, for the head of the
ticket. Then came James B. Hobbs, of
Illinois, with 81, 900 and W. j. Demorest,
of New York, who first put down $500 and
afterwards raised it to $1,000. From
this the amounts Sent down to $500 and
they came in thick and fast. The Mis-
souri, delegation, in conjunction with W.
II Crane, pledged $1,000, as did also a
delegate from Portland, Ore, and j. K.
johnson. of Grand Rapids, Mich, like
sums. The subscriptions, as they grew
smaller in amount, increasing in number
until the total reached nearly $4,000.