New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-09-05
PROHIBITION CONVENTION.
OPPOSED LIKE THE LIQUOR MEN TO HIGH
LICENSE.
STATE COMMITTEE sELEcrED-pREpARINe
FOR PLATFORM AND NoMINA
TIONS TO-DAY.
IBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE.

lBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE.]
syracuse Sept A-Most OF the shining lights OF
the Prohibition party kept away from the prayer
meeting which preceded the morning session of the
convention. Some 400 delegates were present, how
ever, about 100 of them On the stage, which
was set with what a scene painter would call
"paatial Interior" a harmonium. rostrum
and two of red chairs The walls and galleries
we're hung with American flags and with white
placaris bearing such inscriptions as Our Name and
Dur watchword Prohibition Save the Boys and
smoking Strictly Prohibited" The delegates sat in
groups according 10 their counties, the names Of which
inscribed onghandlcd Chinese fans he'd aloft
BY .s,vse next the ases. Edwin p. Ide, Of Brooklyn
presided The first hafhour was given up to prayer.
and then MIR Ide called for two minute testimonies"
This the signal for great outburst of enthusiasm
sandgaSses had been provided to restrict the eoquence
Of the speakers. but half dozen jumped TO their feet
at once, and Mr.. Ide frequently had to call time
The testimonies of intensely emotional
nature and earnest old lady declared that she
enjoyed the convention more than a camp meeting'
John Wesley Whitfield of Utica had this TO say about
The Republican party
"A friend of mine asked me tn go TO a Republic an
caucus day tive age. ! said, No, can't go with
you because God Is not with you. There was
time when God was With you, and there was time
when God was with SAUL but the Lord left Saul and
went over TO David. and today are going with
David's party and the Lords party And when the
Lord forsakes party, the Lord have mercy on It,
This statement was received with enthusiastic ap
plause, but Mr.. Ide, in closing the meeting asked
everybody to top miserable vtuperaton and not
to take notice when Democrats or Republicans say
nasty mean things Or. W. H. Boole, president OF
the National Prohibition Park, al Staten Island, began
10 express contempt for this pacific attitude. but Mr.
lido stopped him. saying:
81 know my father was Christian when he voted
the Republican ticket"
Dr. Ilooie met this with loud " No" whereupon
Mr. Ide advanced pugnacousy TO his end of the plat
form aud erred excitedly
do you say my father wasn't Christian when he
voted the Republican tcket!"
"He wasn't" replied Or. Boole boldly.
"He was.n retorted Mr.. Idc, and for moment IT
looked as though he would step down and give the az
rressve Boole thrashing. The Doctor. however
headed him or with a call to order. Three or four
strong lunged delegates also nterposed and Mr. lde
good naniledly allowed himself TO be pacifed. saying
We'll let 1t pass; we are all In harmony together
and LLOYD Thomas and others occupied the rest OF the
time in spoken and tuneful proestations Of meekness
After the prayermeeting was over the hall began
TO fiji. workmep arranged potted palms and flowers
on tho stage behind the space for the footghts men
+ F. Wheeler the chairman of the State Committee,
appeared at the rostmm with a gavel and white
waiscoat and called the convention to order with
series of blows of such force that the head OF the
yave few off and hit the New-York delegation IN the
front row. The red silk banner of this delegation
meantime had been displayed against the highly
decorated proscenium but not satisfied with these
distinctions William T. wardwen jumped on chair
said there was a squabble the seating arrange
ments and insisted that 1t be understood that the
New-York men had not taken seats from the onon'
iaga County men by force, but had accepted those
assigned to them. After this little breeze, the silver
Lake Quartet sang a prohibition song and then the
Rev Dr. Durham, of Oneida County, Offered prayer
rims of
temporary chairman. lie elected round of applause
by declaring that the Democrats Of New-YOrk are as
much a liquor party and the Republicans more a
liquor party than they ever were before Governor
Hls bid for the support Of the liquor men, he said,
was important only as giving official testimony that
there are still enough of them in the Republican
marty 20 be worth bidding for by Democrats. Re
publcans he declared, defeated Warner Miller. in
spite of the fact that 10000 Prohbitoniss voted Tor
him Senator Blair was accused of having PREACHER
ously absented himself and permitted the defeat OF
prohibition in New-Iampshire and cries of Shame"
rose from all parts of the hall.
aour principles" continued Mr. Hopkins. /" forbid
any alliance with any party any movement which
would subordinate prohibition to party success. or
the success Of any candidate any party to the
temporary gain of official measure itself dependent
upon a party of compromise for its possible good.
This IS war of humiliation. Prohibition must win
through party making this a dominant issue. Let
this state next year, If they WILL They cannot do
any less and claim any honesty of purpose. But
let them submit 1t as their own measure. or the
peoples, and not alone. Let them hereafter
start and kill It their lines Of effort
effort II they please; but let understand and pro.
claim that they have submitted It for defeat and
let us keep battle lines lnbroken and insist
that enemies shall bury their dead The time has
como when should declare for the absolute out
lawry of the liquor traffic. even to the conscatiOn of
all property and the multiplying of all deeds and leases
covering real estate employed in carrying It on.
Gentlemen give $4,000 votes for the nominees OF
this convention and will revolutionIze the politics
Of this country within ten years.
These sentences were received with applause which
made the walls and galleries shake. Somebody pro
posed three cheers for the temporary chairman. which
were given, and Mr.. Hopkins gayly drank the con
yention's health In glass of water. Joseph A.
Bogar,ils of New-York. and W. Z. Werner were made
temporary secretaries.
On motion OF Judge Groo, of MiddletOwn, one mem
Der from each county named By the delegates or
the Committee OF Permanent Organization. IL. Clay
Bascom then moved that all resolutions De submitted
without reading the Committee on Resolutions wher
appointed This brought the belDgerent Boole again
10 his feet lie protested against what he called
the imposition Of the gas law.
Having now in my pocket" be shouted a resoltt
ton which have given notice that want 10 present
feel that that motion was made to choke me on
Mr. WaTdwcn told him that he was entirely mis-
taken. and Professor Edwin " Wright of New-York
also rose, and shaking his finger at Dr. Boole, SAT-
that the convention was entirely TOO wise 10 burder
itself with thousand sense.ess resolutions DR.
pools replied that heIe was moth ng senselss aoon
him and that whatever might happen 20 the par.
sf.cr 4 got N office, none OF us members haa ye
developed a senseless head. This amused the dele
gates who broke into laughter. and the rsouIon Ma
Carried In spite Of asc.ble staten Islander Ihe
the quartet sang more and everybody went mum
10 lunch. ..,. ,,ond.res
W. f. Werner who read the report OF the commute
ON Credentials said that SS4 delegates had reported
OF whom seventy eight from Newfork SOunly
This Rev. c. II. Mead. John NandenbnrS, W; Jen
nlngs Dernorest. Horace Waters. {. Hnmphreys
C. IT, Hitchcock and Justus Miller, were appointed
committee on finance. The committee on resolutions
consisting OF one member from each county wa
els aunotnfed