Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-07-02
THEY WANTED GRESHAM,
There Was . Movement to Mako Him the
Prohibition Nominee.


Prohibition Nominee.
CHICAGO, July 2.-Now that the prohibition
convention is over and Gen. Bidwell ID the
fort was made to get Judge Gresham
to agree to accept the prohibition nomi-
nation. He was visited by an Illinois
delegate three or four days ago and was urged
to come over to the prohibition party and be-
come its nominee. Judge Gresham declined,
however, to consent to the use Of his name and
was not converted by the prohibition delegate
J. G. Williams, an Illinois delegate said to-
day that something was said to Judge Gresham
about becoming the nominee at Omaha.
The impression was received that Judge
Gresham would not consent to run, but he
could not say what might yet happen.
There was, Us must now be apparent to every
one, q decided hostility to fusion and the
obhteration Of the prohibition party en-
smt BY the prohibition convention,
arms all parties or persons who would
aid them. The object Of the visit to Judge
Gresham was to have him first made the pro-
hibition nominee, IL being expected that
his nomination by the peoples party
would follow, and thus, Il was argued,
the prohibition party would be the dom
inant one in the combination and political or
ganisation would receive an immense boom IL
the Gresham ticket secured the large vote at
the polls generally predicted for it. A split in
the two old parties, it was feared. would then
be brought about.
The noticeable feature Of the Cincinnati con-
vention was the strong sentiment in favor Of
cutting prohibition loose from church associa-
ton and making 1t the groundwork of q
political party in the ultra political
sense Of the worod, party which
omic nature and thereby draw TO itself all those
persons opposed to the liquor traffic and all
those persons with tendencies in the direction
of the principles Of the Farmers Alliance and
labor organizations. The prohibitionists sin
cerely believe that the time Is coming when
they will be a powerful party, and are Of the
opinion that there is existing spirit Of unrest
and discomfort with the old parties which will
break down old lines and cause . readjustment
of political affairs.
For this change they wish to be prepared and
in position to step forward as heir-at-law. It
was this which caused st. John and others to
object to the resolution making prohibition
and i. was only when it was
discovered that its rejection might cause q
Dol: that the opposition to It became less in
sistent. The prohibitionists intend to keep In
the field, end some Of the most sanguine be-
lieve that they will poll large vote in many
states.
The Rev. DIR. Evans Of Illinois said he be-
lieved the prohibitionists would gain immensely
in Illinois on the school plank. 1t was the only
party in favor of the 'little red school
house." and would receive thousands
of votes from people opposed to
the republican and democratic planks and in
favor of the existing school law. All he feared
was o tremendous exercise Of the old
party lnsh. There are in Illinois, he sold,
900 members of an order estab-
lished especially for the maintenance
Of American institutions and these votes he ex-
pected to be cast against the old parties on the
school question, with the defeat OF the republi-
can presidential ticket in Illinois as a conse-
quence.