Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-02-25


the majority report.
The minority report favored woman suf-
fraga, and demanded the suppression OF
the liquor traffic.
Upon motion of Jerry Simpson to lay the
minority report on the table viva Toce
vote was taken, showing the convention
was split almost evenly.
Miss Willard called Tor formal division,
but points of order and parliamentary
twists of every sort interviewed.
Coached by Powderly Miss Emma Cur
tiss, of Colorado. a handsome young woman
with swapping black eyes and dashlng
gainsborough hat, captured the floor and
proposed the following substitute: I'VE
demand that the question of universal
suffrage be submitted to the legislatures OF
the different states and territories for fay-
orable action.n
The substitution was made by crushing
majority amid volleys of cheers. :.
Powderly hurried to the platform and
held a hasty conference with Miss
Willard. Soon afterwards. before
the roll call, which was demanded,
could be taken. the announcement was
made in POwderly's name that Miss Cur
tiss' proposition had been Withdrawn as
part of the platform, TO be offered later on
as a simple resolution.
To the surprise of everybody and the
chagrin of Powderly, Gen. Weaver and
other leaders, Miss Curtiss- arose and de-
clared she had done no such thing.
The idea of dealing with the liquor
question by separate resolution
instead of in the platform had
been preached several tunes
during the confused discussion and had
been favorabIy received. 1t was now appar-
emily the purpose OF Powderly, having kept
Miss Wizards minority report out OF the
platform to placate her and her friends by
/ having the convention adopt the Willard
plank as 4 resolution in place of that OF
Miss Curtiss
When the roll call was finally
reached on what bad now become Miss
Curtiss' minority platform report, the vote
was taken by states. While Secretary
Hayes declared minority report carried 254
to 246, counting the knights, solidly aye,
unofficial tally keepers made the totals very
! different, 352 noes to OBS ayes, defeating the
minority report even counting the knights
as voting 81 ayes.
Meanwhile, Miss Willard and Lady Henry
| Somerset stepped out of the hall unob-
served, and did not again return.
After half an hours painful uncertainty,
the convention slowly got together again.
IgnatiUs Donnelly was granted three min
utes and to the somewhat general surprise,
! declared all the business of the convention
/ could easily be finished up
/ within half an hour Defer by
unanimous consent the little woman suf-
frage matter he smoothly urged, adopt the
| noble majority platform report, appoint
! committee to act with the national COM
/ mittee of the Peoples party to call ma
| tional convention TO nominate president
ana vice-president of the United States,
| and the thing was done. The idea took
! like wildfre among the harrassed hungry
! delegates.
Two minutes later the majority report
had been swallowed at one gulp, being
g,1l Tod
of dissent. The great pent up vol
ume of doubt and despair now
seemed 10 be lifted TO the roof in the
| enthusiastic cheering that broke forth on
! every hand-hats, papers, umbrellas flags,
| everything portable within reach, was
/ flung into the air. and there was ten min
utes of continuous applause, stopping only
| with five minutes of tremendous
''GLOEY. GLORY HALLELUJAHf'
The woman suffrage resolution as a sub
| stitute for prohibition was lost sight OF in
the excitement, and the convention instead
! took up 4 collection to pay expenses, and
| Endorsed the laws fOrbiddIng option deal
| ing. but did not specifically mention the
! proposed Hatch statute.
When the woman suffrage resolution did
at last come up Acting Chairman Terrell
/ in response to an inquiry announced
| that it had nothing to do with
prohibition. Washburn of Massachusetts
/ tute for both Miss Wizards majority
| planks prohibition and woman suffrage, the
idea being wherever throughout the nation
woman suffrage was secured, prohibition
would soon follow. The previous question
( was called and Miss Curtis resolution, now
| thoroughly separated from the platform,
was adopted without further opposition.
The convention proper then ended.
Without stirring from their seats the
delegates. after Terrell's gavel fell ostensi-
bly, adjourning the convention, went right
on, but with Gen. Weaver in the chair, and
he appointed the much-talked-of committee
as follows: Gen. Van Wyck of Nebraska.
c. w Macune Of Texas, VI. !. Branch of
Georgia, j. II. Powers of Nebraska,
r. B. Mcguire OF New York, L. L. Polk of
North Carolina, J. II. Willetts Of Kansas,
President Humphreys of the national col
ored Alliance, Pierce Hackett of Missouri,
II. NJ Barnett of Illinois qN. NJ. B. AZ, L.
P Morrill, of Louisiana (colored), john
Sets of Ohio, Mary E. Lease of Kansas,
Mrs. DR. Dobbs of Texas, Benjamin Terrell
of Texas