Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-08-29
ESPECIAL rELEeRAM TO THE p,srArcH., :,

funds and naming State Committee. There
was much enthusiasm manifested.
ESPECIAL TELEeRAM TO THE pispArcH.I
HARRISBURG, August 28.-The Prohi.
bition State Convention consumed twice as
much time as that of the Republican. which
nominated Speaker Boyer for State Treas
urer. The machinery was not so we'll lubri-
Gated, bus the 600 delegates who made up
to-day's convention did not mind the delay
in completing its business. as they were de-
lightfully entertained with quaint and in
spring prohibitlop music by the Silver
Lake Quartet and Prof. Daley, OF Jefferson
county, and speeches by a number of Re
publican converts to the third party on &C.
count of the overwhelming defeat of the
prohibitory amendment and the incorpora-
tion of plank in the Republican platform
indorsing high license.
The convention bristlei with evidences Of
the determination of the partisan Prohibi-
tionists to continue the warfare for the
abolition of the liquor traffic without regard
to the long time it might take to accomplish
their purpose. The sentiment seemed to be
blow received by constitutional prohibition
would materially strengthen their party,
and particularly does the veteran prohibi-
ton advocate, A. A. Barker, and his Co
worker on the State Committee, A. A.
Stevens, entertain such an opinion. Both
these men. have authentic advices showing
that many persons who have steadily voted
the Republican ticket in the hope that the
party could ultimately deal death blow to
the rum power. have lost all faith in the
dominant political organization as temper
ance reformers and decided to join their for
tunes with the third party people.
SOME NOTABLE CONVERTS.
The convention had a demonstration in
the speeches of q number of notable converts
that the political Prohibitionists are gather
ing strength. Among those who heretofore
voted the Republican ticket and have
determined hereafter to vote the
straight prohibition ticket, is Rev. B. B.
Hamlin, presiding elder of the Altoona
Methodist Episcopal district, who made q
very humorous speech in describing how
confidingly he had trusted the Republican
party to- establish prohibition and how
gIoriously he had been deceived He had
been Republican all his life, and at the
last Presidential election had voted for Har-
rison. As to the prohibitory amendment,
he was sure that it would be carried by an
immense majority, but as 1t had been de-
feated overwhelmingly be would let the
Republicans tenderly care for the tariff
while he would sustain prohibition in COM
pany with the third party.
Judge Amos Briggs, Of Philadelphia, also
announced that he had left the Republican
party for good, and would hereafter train
with the political Prohibitionists. Judge
- u = II
announced his conversion, and as an evi-
dence of the new faith that was in him be
contributed 500 for himself for use of the
Prohibition State Committee. and $50 for
each of his sons.
WILL VOTE STRAIGHT NOW.
During the progress of the convention
Prot. Dickie, at the instance of Vice Chair.
man Stevens, asked the delegates who had
never voted straight prohibition ticket TO
arise in their places, and about 25 stood on
their feet, amid the wild applause of the con-
vention. About as many wentthrough SIM
liar performance when asked how many
had voted for the first Presidential ticket in
1872, when Judge Black, of Lancaster was
the standard bearer of the new party.
Agib Ricketts,, of Luzerne, was slated
last night for temporary chairman, and the
position was given him without a contest.
Ricketts, made a hit by announcing that he
wouldn't make a speech, the audience ap-
plauding the sentiment in vigorous fashion.
Rev. w. r. Covert, of Westmoreland, who
was chosen permanent chairman, also re-
Trained from making q speech, and this
deviation from the usual custom of inficting
dull addresses on convention was q very
welcome relief to the delegates. Prof
Dickie, of the National Prohibition
Committee, gave his Pennsylvania friends
a number of pointers, which seemed
to have taken deep root. He suggested that
prohibition be treated as an economic ques-
ton among men who could not be con-
trolled by moral considerations. Could the
grocer, the butcher or the general dealer
once be convinced that when he stops his
customer from drinking beer that customer
purchases more of his wares, and is, there
fore. more profitable customer, q substan-
prohibition of the liquor traffic.
sLowNEss OF A COMMITTEE.
The regular business of the convention
was much delayed by the slowness of the
Committee on Resolutions in reporting the
platform of the convention. The committee
consisted of A. A. Stevens, james Black,
E. j. Wheeler, S. W. Murray, j. A. Nc
Connell, b. S. Ames, James Hayatt, Rev.
NJ. w. Barr, j. D. Gill, Gales Buell., A. A.
Barker, ., Q. Jeremy, Tallie Morgan and
Mrs. d. Dodson. There was no disagree
ment on the vital feature Of the platform,
but simply on phraseology. Several hours
were consumed in whipping it into verbal
symmetry.
Meanwhile John Yeldell, who was on the
stage, was introduced by the Chair as the
man who was not hanged in South Caro-
lima. Yeldell was little off color as an
orator and did not indicate whether he was
a party prohibitionist The convention was
rslieved when he quietly took his seat.
Rev. John M. Palmer, colored candidate
for Congressman-at-Large, in 1886, on the
ticket, as usual captured the
audience by his witty remarks. The con-
vention was subsequently, enthused by the
receipt of a communication from the
Woman's Christian Temperance Prohi-
bition Union, of Harrisburg, in which it
said:
The more we look at the failure of the non.