Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1893-08-19
The Republican State Convention
Meets at Des Moines.
F. D. JACKSON FOR GOVERNOR.
An Exciting Time Over the Adoption OF
an Anti-Prohibition Plank-Stato
Prohibition Thought to
he Doomed.

in the hall when Chairman Blythe OF
the state committee called for order.
Ex-senator Harlan was presented as
chairman amid great applause. lie
said he believed that there were
enough intelligent republicans in
America to overturn the demo
cratic administration, but they should
work increasingly to that end.
Among other principles of the rcpub-
lican party he enumerated such dis
elimination in tariff duties Ms should
protect American industries, whether
of farm or shop, ana sound financial
system which meant money-gold, sill
yer and paper, every dollar as good us
every other dollar
Ten candidates for governor were
placed before the convention and after
tNs ballots resulted in the nomination
of L. ID. jackson.
The committee on resolutions then
made its report and adopted n platform
which was practically the Minneapolis
national platform. 1t indorsed every
act of President Harrison, condemned
everything democratic and refused to
indorse prohibition, saying that PRO
hibition is no test of republicanism."
This plank in the platform in full is us
follows:
That prohibition Is no test OF rcpublioanism.
Tie general assembly has given TO the state u
prohibitory law Us strong rs any that has ever
been enacted by any country. Like any other
criminal statute. its retention, modification or
hn lot rnniu lad la .
sembly, elected by and in sympathy with the
people and 10 them IS relegated the subject, to
take such action rs they may deem just ana
best in the matter. maintaining the present law
In those portions OF the state where II Is now or
can he made efficient and gi's' TO the localities
such methods OF controlling and regulating the
liquor traffic as will serve the cause OF temper
ancc and morality.
The liquor plank resulted in long
sdraw-out controversy. Pandemonium
reigned for the next two hours and
speeches were made by Il score of dele
gates The convention was animated
by an exceedingly liberal spirit. The
nominee for governor is anti-prohibi-
ZIONIST, but the liquor plank in the plat
form was regarded by many as going
too far. The liquor plank as reported
was taken to mean an Endorsement OF
local option and Judge j. T. Struble,
of Toledo, moved'to amend it by strik-
ing out the closing portion, which asks
the legislature Ito maintain the pres
.ent law in those portions of the state
where it is now or can be made efficient
and give to other localities such meth
DDS of controlling and regulating the
LIQUOR traffic as will serve the cause of
temperance and morality"
The friends of prohibition regarded
this portion of the plank as practical
Endorsement of local option. They
We're willing. they argued. in the in
.terests of harmony, to drop prohibition
ms test of party fealty, but they
would not consent to have local option
substituted as the test. Motion sue
ceeded motion and charges of gag
rule were freely made. Finally
Chairman Blythe of the state central
committee made himself heard and
urged that order be restored and both
sides be given hearing.
At first the anti-prohibitionists we've
inclined to accept the amendment, and
Julius fischer of Davenport, seconded
Judge Strubel's motion. Spencer Smith,
OF Council Bluffs, formerly railroad
commissioner, raised the opposition to
the amendment with speech in which
he maintained that the adoption of the
amendment would leave the state in
practically the same condition as at
present. The sixty prohibition coun-
ties would control the legislature, leav-
ing the anti-prohibition counties to
deal with the curse of free whisky un-
der the operation of prohibitory law.
Ex-Gov. William Larrabee led the
fight for the change in the plank. He
said that personally he was not salts
fed with the backdown from prohibit
ton which would be indicated by the
plank even after the adoption of the
amendment. lie was willing to accept
4. however, in the interest of harmony.
The pisnk Is reported was local OPP
ton plank and prohibitionists should
not be asked to yield to taat extent.
At 7:15 p. m. the amendment offered
by Judge Struble was rejected by a
vote of 61S to 500 and the platform as a
whole was adopted the vote by which
the amendment was defeated.
The change in the policy of the re-
publican party in Iowa indicsted by
the vote is sweeping and the subject OF
excited comment The conventions
action means the certain repeal OF the
prohibitory law by the next legislature
as the democratic party has always oP
posed it
Last night the convention completed
its work by the nomination of the fol
lowing: Lieutenant-governor, Warren
S. Dunga, of Charlton; supreme judge
C. II. Robinson, of Storm Lake; rail
road commissioner, j. w. Luke, ofNew
Hampton: state superintendent, Henry
Sabin. of Des Moines.