The morning call., 1892-10-02
COLD WATER POLITICS.
The Prohibition Party Now
Hard at Work.
ITS ENERGY AND ACTIVITY.
Speakers Constantly in the Field Delivering
Five Hundred Addresses weekly-Gen.
eral Bidwelps Vindication.

Eyes," said A. G. Sheahan, secretary Of
the Prohibition party's executive committee,
yesterday to CALL reporter, I'VE are max
ing the most active canvass the party has
ever made in this State.
"We started our field work in June last
and since then have had to last night 355
speeches made In various parts OF the State.
Among our speakers are our chairman,
j. NJ. Glass Of Pasadena, who has been con-
tinuously on the stump since the LIST day of
June; Ia. j. Beauchamp Of Ohio; j. A.
Brooks of Kansas City. No.; r Foster
Stow OF Missouri, some of the candidates
for Congressmen In the State and can
ddates for other Offices.
beginning with next week, until the
close of the campaign, we shall have the
assistance of Mrs. Mary Clement Leavitt,
the round the world organizer OF the w. C.
T. u, who will speak and lecture daily I'M
der the auspices Of the State Central Com
mittce.
'Of course, you understand that I have
only been speaking Of the work of the
State committee so far. but you must under
stand that we are not doing all the work.
The counties are thoroughly well organ
lied, and each has Its own speakers-all
live, active and hard at work.
"From now on till the Sth OF November
there will be over 500 lectures week de-
livered throughout the State, of which fifty
at least will be under the direction of the
State committee. and the remainder under
the co unity committees.
"Sinews OF war? Oh. yes" he continued,
"we are we'll supplied with the Sinews of
war. Our people came up more literally
than ever before. Each county pledged IL
self to contribute certain amount toward
i'm, tl.~s-
been kept. Then we have had a number of
private subscriptions and have been able TO
pay all our bills promptly. We have never
run behind. OF course do not mean that
we could not spend more money If we had
il, but We are well supplied for the cam
paign.
1.-The prospects? They never were
brighter, never better We shall poll more
votes than ever before in the State, on the
coast and in the United States. We have
secured, as you know, all the necessary sig
natures for filing our ticket with the Regis
trar, and that action has been taken and our
candidates will have to appear on the ticket
with the proper heading. The signatures
were easily obtained. much more so than
We had any idea of, and much more quickly.
ave shall have full tickets everywhere.
OF course our stronghold is the southern
part of the State. where we have, In
some counties, within a few votes OF q
majority, and rank second OF all the par
ties. The pledges we are constantly re-
ceIving OF active support and certain votes
are most encouraging.
by the way. have you seen our pledge
our milllon-voter pledge? Here is one"
and he produced an agreement which after
recting the evils OF the liquor traffic and the
necessity for united action continues: 1--WE.
therefore, agree TO vote al the Presidential
election in 1892 for the candidates Of the
Prohibition party for President aud Vice.
President, provided the signatures Of one
million voters be secured to this agreement"
What are our prospects for getting the
million signatures? Why, my dear sir. We
have very nearly gotten the whole number
now, and before the close of this month we
shall tar exceed that number. One old gen.
tleman in san Jose alone has secured over
sixteen hundred $500 pledges. What do
| you think of that? Aud there are many
more rs active as lie and as enthusiastic,
| and IN proportion TO the time they have at
| their disposal receiving as many pledges
"a said before. our main strength has
! lain in the southern counties, while San
! Francisco and the mountainous districts
| have been opposed to us. One reason for
| this may have been that we have had moth
| ing 70 say ON any other issue Of the day, bnt
| this year we have declared ourselves in
| favor OF reciprocity, and our speakers dis
cuss the problems of the day. political and
social, as they have never done before, and
| there is little doubt but that this will add
y
"The Prohibition party has made no COM
promise or fusion or any other kind OF a
deal with any other party in the State or the
country, nor will IL do so. The bitter ex-
perence of the past has taught oar people
wisdom. and there will be nc chance this
year TO sell US out.
1--WE have issued general challenge on
behalf OF the State committee TO discuss
the questions Of the day with either the Re-
publican, Democratic or Peoples party,
and in addition to that eaen county commit
tee, or at least very Arge majority OF
them. have issued a separate challenge on
its own account But we have not had any
one affiliated with or in authority In any Of
these parties willing to take up our chai-
lenge.
No; General Bidwell is not taking an
active part in the campaign" continued
Mr.. Sheahan, in answer to question; ''he
considers Ii beneath the dignity Of candi-
date for the Presidency to do anything OF
the kind. and in this view ne is sustained
by our people Y0u have, OF course. heard
OF tie SANDER that was hurled against him
that he had made his fortune in the manu-
facture and sale Of wine and brandy, and
now was using that fortune to prevent
others doing the same.
"The matter has been fully investigated,
and the facts are these: In 1860 General
Bidwell planted ten acres of wine grapes,
and five years afterward, Under the suppo-
stion that California wines were properly
temperance uIink, commenced the manu-
facture Of wine. He had been elected to
Congress, aud was away in Washington for
about two years. On his return his wine
man told him be had now a thousand gallons
OF wine made. and that it was necessary to
erect distillery. This is the first intima-
tlon the general had Of the kind.
HE gave the wine to hospital In San
Francisco for medicinal purposes, dug up
his vines and burned them, and has never
mad anything to do with the business since.
He never sold gallon OF wine in his life.
but has been true to his principles. 70
"One other point before you leave. We
are getting up a better class of literature
than ever before. 1t is better written,
more concise and more readable, and our
methods Of distribution are more sys-
tematic.
I'VE have prepared for great campaign
this fall. aud we shall be heard from ON
alprfian law -