Omaha daily bee., 1889-06-06
NON-PARTISAN CONVENTION.
The Third Partyites Downed In the
Prohibition Camp.
WOULD TAKE THE DEVILS DUES
Ono Enthusiastic Rerormer Secs no
Objection TO Even Satan Be
coming Member If
He'll Pay the Fee.
LINCOLN BUREAU OF THH OMAHA BRs, !
1929 Il STREET.

called 10 oruer to-uay at O'CLOCK Dy John
A Dempster, of Fillmore county. On TAX.
ing the platform he called upon Rev. Heau.
nan, of Butler county, TO offer prayer, after
which he read the call and proceeded to
state the object of the meeting. Among
other things he said
~ want 1t distinctly understood that the
object of tho convention is purely non-parti
san. We have met together, not as republi.
cans, or democrats, or prohibitionists or
| union labor men, but as representative peo-
pie of the great state of Nebraska who de.
sire the suppression of the liquor traffic in
the state. Let it be understood from the
first that the convention shall not be per-
mitted to consider the ACKNOWLEDGEMENT of any
person, clique or clan, and that it shall es-
chew politics in every sense of the word"
Mr.. Dempster was roundly applauded at
the close of his remarks, indicating that the
two or three hundred people gathered in
Bohannan's hall were in hearty sympathy
with what the speaker had to say. TO his
whats the further pleasure of the house."
G. a. Atkinson was named and
elected temporary chairman, and Erick
johnson and A, Q. Corbin temporary Sec
retary. Atkinson, on staklng the gavel, en-
phasized Dempster's opening remarks, and
the house proceeded to business. Deputy
Attorney. General Stewart moved the ap-
| campaigr and constitution and bylaws, two
from each of the three congressional dis
tricts. The following gentlemen were APP
pointed: From the First John NJ Stewart,
of Lancaster, and John G. Yutzy, of Rich
aIdson; the Second. w. S. Randall, of Clay,
and DIR. Fitch, of Adams; the Third, FIRE.
mont Everett, of Burt, and w. w. Woods,
of Sheridan, AT this point several orators
| aired themselves on the question of perma-
nent organization, but the gentleman from
Seward got there and the temporary organic
| alton was made permanent. To calm the
storm, b. F. Wright, of Charles City, Ia,
president of the Temperance State alliance,
was called for, and he spread the eagle for
fully half hour, but instead of calming the
storm he created one. The preliminary
one was but a little ruction. But he
doubtless accomplished the purpose for
which he was called. The "amen corner''
| was the whole room when he had finished
his address. He had promised the assistance
| of Iowa in the struggle, and the mind of one
could not help but wander to the record of
"holes in the wall'' all over the state.
DR.. Creighton, of the Wesleyan university,
| took up the cry, having been called TO make
a speech. He read extracts from magazine
| regarding the happiness in Kansas since the
abolition of the traffic in that state.
If not prohibition party it was a prohibit
| tion convention that gathered at Bohanan's g
| hall. If bipartisan the same kind of talk
was INDUCED in during the late campaign in
| all parts of the state by third-party prohibi-
Jionsts. But the convention was enthusi-
astic If not large, and the afternoon was put
in by speech makers, ,expecmentalists, if
| you will, but some of them were rattlers.
Colonel G. j. Cole, of Illinois, added his
mite to the interest of the occasion.
The committee on constitution reported,
and highly interesting discussion ensued.
The actors spread themselves, and the lis
teners cheered as points were made. 1t was
| finally decided that the title of the organza-
| tion should be the Nebraska Non-Partisan
Prohibition league, and the articles were
| changed to conform with the name. This
was gall and wormwood 10 the third party
| ties. They struggled earnestly to have the
word nonpartisan stricken out, but 1t
| availed them nothing. A prominent lady
was heard to sGy in an audible voice, ''That, S
q terrible mistake"
One article of the constitution provides for
| the organization of auxiliary leagues in
every county of the state, also that county
| leagues have authority to organize auxiliar-
les in every school district of each county.
Persons of every age or sex can become
| members of any league by subscribing to the
constitution and paying the sum of 81. An
effort was made to prescribe membership,
but it wouldn't work. One enthusiast said
he would accept the fee from Satan himself
| if it would help TO down the terrors of alco-
hol.
An effort was also made to fix the age of
| membership at nineteen years. This, too,
was voted down.
Adjournment was then taken until 7:30
o'clock this evening.
To the evident disappointment Of great
| many people who attended the evening and
concluding session of the non partisan con-
ventlon, who climbed the tiresome stairways
of Bohanan's hall to listen to the flights of
oratory, it was decided to complete the or
ganization of the state league and adjourn
sine die. Accordingly c. A. Atkinson, of
Lincoln, was elected president; John A.
Dempster, of Geneva, and Mrs. Angie New
nf Lincoln vicn-nrnSilnntS.
Robbins, of Lincoln, secretary; Henry Hill,
of Beatrice, treasurer.
The following executive committee was
also selected:
First Congressional District-E. o. Kit
ride, of Beatrice; Mrs. Jennie Holmes, of
Tecumseh; g. r. Creighton and John NJ
Stewart of Lincoln; fl. Gillteson, of Wahoo;
John Dale, of Omaha.
Second Congressional District-Dr. II. p.
Fitch, of Hastings; +. S. Abbot Of Crete !;
ii. G. Harman, of Ulysses; w. .. Randall,
of Fairfield.
Third Congressional District - Thomas
Darnel, Of st. Paul; James Whitehead, of
Redfern; Fremont Everett, of Lyons; A. @.
Squires. of Thomas county.
Judge Wright then addressed the conspic-
uously light house, arousing considerable en-
thusiasm, and the contemplated three days
convention came to an abrupt close. Not
| more than two hundred and fifty people
stayed to hear the judge sound the note of
war. All in ali the convention did not prove
| to be q crowning success.
The following were among the prominent
Nebraskans in attendance at the convention I:
Profs. Brown and Perry, of Doane col
lege, Crete; Adjutant General Cole Repre-
sentative Whitehead, of Custer county:
Editor w. S. Randall. Of the Fairfield
News; Rev. Moulton, OF Geneva; Senator
L. G.. Hurd. of Clay Center; ex-Representa-
tive Alexander, of Nemana county; S., s.
Jones, of Blue Springs: SuDerntendent
squire, of Bedford; Representative Nc
Nickle, of Gage county; DR.. Fitch, of the
Hastings Independent, Rev. George Scott, of
Sutton.
The School Census.
The school census for the past five years
has arranged an annual increase of 10000
school children. The number of school chill
dren multiplied by 3.2 gives the popula-
tion of the state. This was verified by tho
federal census in 1880, and also By tho state
census in 1885 The school census of 1889
I