Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1891-09-10
Drawing Party Lines.

The New York Voice reports the re-
cent prohibition convention IN North
Dakota in full. The Voice IS the nation
al organ OF the prohibition1sts and main
tains that cause impartially against
both the old parties. The Voice asks
why the organization OF the third party
is feared if the republican party is doing
all it can to enforce the law. The follow
ing is the report OF the proceedings COW
cred by a special dispatch:
A successful prohibition conference,
called by Chairman Samuel Dickie of the
national committee, has just closed it's
sessions in this city. Its principal bust.
ness was to complete the state organiza-
tion begun one year ago at Grand Forks.
Shortly after the call for the conference
was issued few republicans undertook
to head off the movement by calling at
the same time and place citizens meet
ing to organize an enforcement league.
1t seems to have been their purpose to
meet with US, outnumber us,
and declare the reorganization of
our party unnecessary. To avert
the well-laid trap Chairman Dickie
insisted upon securing hall rather than
the court house, and which being rented
and paid for would be under our control.
He alss announced through the evening
paper that to the deliberations Of the
congress were invited all who proposed
to act with the prohibition party.
The conference met and completed the
organization of the State com mittee,
which was instructed to call state con-
vention in March for the purpose of Sc
lecting delegates to the national conven-
ton and transacting such other business
as might properly come before it.
Baffled and chargined at their failure
to capture us the republicans had repair
ed to the court house and having met
under call, asking all friends of law and
order to combine without reference to
party they proceed at once to pass reso-
luton condemning the action of our con-
ference in going on with the organization
of the prohibition party. This resolu-
tion was passed five minutes before our
members reached the court house. When
We arrived there they proceeded to call
our names without informing us of the
resolution adopted. Their evident intent
was to put us in the attitude of denounc-
ing our own action. The game was
slick one and was engineered by G. A.
Pollock, but it did not work. Chairman
Dickie got wind of the situation and hav-
ing asked and secured the courtesy of
the floor proceeded to ventilate the little
scheme in breezy manner. He de-
nounced the trick and insisted that under
a non-partisan call such an act was an
outrage and that the only manly and
honest thing was to reconsider and vote
down the resolution. After pouring hot
shot into the masqueraders he closed by
saying that unless promptly reconsider
ed and tabled he would advise every SELF
respecting prohibitionist in the room to
take his hat and walk out of the hall.
The motion to reconsider prevailed. and
Mr.. Pollock, wiser if not happier man
was permitted to withdraw his little
boomerang. The league then compelled
the organization to adjourn. In the
evening Chairman Dickie delivered a
convincing address to large and apprec-
iative audience. I learned that after
final adjournment of the league nineteen
disgruntled republicans put their names
to some expression of dissent from the
prohibition party program. On the
whole it was great day for our party in
North Dakota. We will be heard from
IN November, 1892.