The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1896-06-03
The First Bolt.
The Prohibitlonists and Allied
Cranks Wind Up IN Row
at Pittsburg.
The Minority Walk Ont ona Non's-
nate an Independent Ticket.

P11rsBuac, May % -Oce CT the
first acts Of the Prohibition convention
when it reasseoa tled in exposition bali
this morning, was to send a telegram
of sympathy ,c the mayor OF ST. Louis.
The wemen were given heariug
in favor Of woman suffrage AID other
reforms advocated by the women's
Christian Temperance uuiop. A com-
mittee 0: FIVE ladies was appointed to
consider these requests and report on
them. Dr.. J. K. Funk. Of New York,
chairmas Of the committee Oh platform.
then reported the platform as agreed
upon by the majority of the committee.
Tie fret six plauks, deDuocatory Of
the liquor traffic aud proposing straight
out prohibition, ne said, had been unan-
imously adopted. The seventh
plank, which declared that 20 citizens
should be denied the right to vote on
account of sex. he said, had been
adopted by ouly a small majority
When Gov. St. Johr rose to present
the minority report. be was received
with loud applause from the broad
guage faction, which increased as be
read the minority money plank, as fol-
lows:
Resolved, That all money be issued
bv the government only and without
the Intervention of any private citizen,
corporation or banking institution. 1t
should be based upon the wealth, sta
bility and integrity Of the nation, and
be fall legal tender for all debts, pub
lie and private and should be of suf-
6c;apt volume to meet the demands Of
the Legitimate interests in this coun-
try aad for the purpose Of honestly
liquidasing all our outstanding obliga
tioos payable 70 coin. We demand the
free and unlimited coinage Of silver and
gold at ratio Of 16 to l, without co.,
sul,ing any other nation.
% the action to make these recon-
meuda,ioDs, part CT the majority report,
the fight begao.
Indiana delegates demanded that the
vote be taken BY call of States, aud
New York aud Pennsylvania delegates
to sufficient number seconded this
motion. The vote vas then taken oo a
motion to table Governor St. Johns
proposition. and resulted as fellows
Yeas 80; uoes 1872, so the convention
refused to table the motion to make the
minority report part Of the ajority
report. The previous question was
then ordered, and Gov. ST. John was
recognized to close the debate amid
scene of much excitement He explain.
ed that making the minority report,
par, of the majority did not make the
recon incubation OF that committee part
of the platform, each plank could be
voted upon separately. The fret Eve
plauks relating to proh'bitry leg;sla-
ton for the suppression of the liquor
traffic we're read aod unanimously
adopted. 40 ioeEectual effort was
made to table the sixth plank, calling
upon the churches to support the pro-
hibisioo ticket at the polls When the
womac's suffrage plank was reached, a
bot debate arose. Without disposipg
Of it, q recess was taken at IL 90 until
2 80 p. u.
A. the afternoon session, the conven.
ton proceeded to the immediate con-
sideration of the free silver plank.
After three hours hot debate, the free
silver plank was defeated By vote Of
387 ayes to 427 noes
The chair declared the free silver
resolution lost and the convention pro-
ceeded to tbe consideration Of other
parts of the platform, against which
there was uo strong oppositl'n. bu:
before much progress had been madt
MIR Patton, Of Illinois, upset the whole
course Of proceeding aud precipita;ed
a lively debate by opposing the uoh-
sectariau school resolution as being the
work Of the American Protective
Uuioo. and be appealed to the conVen-
tioo not to adopt anything which would
prevent their eolisting all good citizens
to assist then iu fighting against the
run power He proposed substitute
platform Which omitted motion Of every
subject (womao suffrage iucuded) ex-
cept prohibition.
Gov. St. john, his voice showing
great emotion, rose aud said as the sln-
gle plank meu had been successful and
had induced the convention to dodge
the greatest question Of the day, the
silver question, be was it favor of turn-
ing over the whole organization to them,
and if they must have single plank
platform, he was Inclined to think this
was as good one as could be bad.
Meantime, Mrs. Helen Cougar aud
other prominent woman suffragists,
nauifesting great excitmeut. deman-