Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1892-06-11
IRICHMOND'S RACE.
The Well Known Madison Attorney
10 Head the Prohibition
Forces.
He is Named Despite His Known
Wish to the Con-
trary.

4
convention was called to order in the as
semby chamber by Chairman Cronk, of
the state central committee He stated
that it was the desire of the executive
committee that Hon. S. D. Hastings, of
Madison, should be the temporary chair
man and appointed him.
J. E. Clayton, of Milwaukee, was elect
ed secretary, and A. J. Benjamin, of
Whitewater, was elected as his assistant.
Prayer was offered by Rev. E. L. Eaton,
of Evansville
Temporary Chairman Hastings, among
other things, then said:
las | look into the intelligent and de.
termined faces before me, am impe!led
] TO ask in the language Of a somewhat no
/ iorious politician at national convention
held in neighboring city few years
/ hence, WHAT are we here for?' Not for
the purpose for which he and his confreres
! had met, not to secure office or official pa
tronage, not for a selfish end Of our own.
| We are here because we love our
country and our fellow men,
and the earnest desire of every
| heart Is that we may be
enabled to do something to save and to
bless. We know what we are about, we
/ have counted the cost, and are willing to
assume all the responsibility of our ac-
ton.
Coming thus together for such pur-
pose, with DO selfish nd TO accomplish,
should we not expect to secure the cor
dial sympathy and earnest prayers not
only of all the churches, but of all good
cltlzensP Yet the great mass of those
around US regard us as cranks and fanat-
! les But are we fanatical n our estimate
Of the real characteristics and result Of
the liquor traffic and in the means and
methods we propose for 10 suppression ?
An Independent party was our last re-
source and we did not organize one until
the stern logic of events forced us into it.
Many Of us know what was involved in
the organization of new party in favor
of an unpopular reform.
Liquor is sustained and upheld by
law. 10 can only be reached by the law
making power and there is but one proper
way to deal with it., and that is to treat it
as we deal with all other great crimes
prohibit and suppress it. All forms of
license and regulations have been tried,
and they have all proved absolute failures.
| The two great poltica. parties of the day
absolutely refuse to entertain the only
remedy that can possibly avail Hopes
had been entertained that a peoples party
would take up the reform, but they had
been disappointed.
There is no doubt In my mind that ut
1 the presidential election in 1896 the great
| majority of those who are pow working
in the prohibition and in the people s
party will be standing side by side, one
and the same organization.
| This, then, IS the situation in which
we find ourselves as we assemble in con-
yention today.
During the twenty years that have
| elapsed since our national party was or
ganizsd this great evil has gone on in
creaslng in power and malignity. We
must rally to destroy all these parties
and the union of all the opponents of the
saloon In new party. We must not be
disappointed because more do not openly
| JOIN our ranks
| But we must remember that the
| darkest hour is just before morning In
! the great and stirring events of coming
years the prohibition party has a most IN
| portant mission TO fulfill Let US not fall
ter in our great work. Let US grid on our
armor anew, stand firm, girt ourselves like
men and in Gods own good name. He
will give US the victory"