The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1896-05-29
SILVER IS THE ISSUE
ProhibitiOnists Will Grapple with
the Subject at Pittsburg.
CONVENTION OPENS THERE TO-DAY
Bentley Insists on . White Metal Plank
and Woman Suffrage-Levering Will
Consent To No Other Issue
Than Prohibition.

Pittsburg, May 27.-Just before the
meeting of the prohibition national
convention to-day the chief issue to be
raised was declared openly and with
out qualification by the leaders of the
two wings of the party Each of the
chief candidates for nomination was
seen by the United Press rep
resentatives this morning. Mr.. Bent
ley of Nebraska, the so-called ''broad-
gauge" champion, declared that with
out free silver plank in the platform
and an endorsement of woman suffrage
he would not run on it, Mr. Levering
of Maryland, the ''narrow-gauge" man,
asserted in equally positive terms that
he would not consent to be the cham
pion of the party unless the issue were
confined to the one question of prohi-
bition, leaving out all others, and ex-
Gov. st. John of Kansas asserted that
without positive declaration for free
silver the party would not receive in
any western state one-sixth of the sup
port it would otherwise claim. Collat-
eral issues are being raised by the ''re-
form party" which held meeting last
evening and expects to exercise con-
siderable influence on the convention.
Prof. Seelye of Wooster, o., was elected
permanent chairman of the national
reform party, and Fl. e. Cole of Pitts
burg, permanent secretary. A commit
tee on resolutions was appointed.
Prohibition First, Then Free Silver.
Helen Cougar addressed the dele
gates of the new party. She scored
both old parties, picturing 1.-THE apostle
of protection" (McKinley) dramatically
as plating the first sheet of tin at Piqua,
and characterizing him as the dema-
gogue leader who planned the whole
tin mill scheme for the deception of
voters, the great Tenescal mine, which
the tariff was to benefit, having subse-
quently been sold for SIS and mule.
She claimed that the foreign syndicate
saloon was the cradle of both the re-
publican and the democratic parties,
and that national policies were domi-
mated by rum-bred voters. The only
hope for the country, she said, in her
opinion, was first in prohibition and
then in free silver; and the sooner
both were allied the better for every
one. She held that the currency had
been contracted in the face of increas-
ing population and en1arging business.
''Scarce dollars" she said, ''mal1e dear
dollars, and dear dollars make cheap
produce, low wages and idleness. Idle
ness made poverty and vice and
crime; and the United States was the
most criminal nation on the face of the
earth. The motto of the prohibition
party was: No liquor, no Ticker, no
diclzer.' The party" she continued,
twas pronounced dead and buried
every four years, but it's powers Of
resurrection were the wonder and ad-
miration of partisans."
Substance of the Platform.
Mrs. Cougar declared that vast
number of prohibitionists had come to
the conclusion that it was as necessary
for people to get something to eat as
to be prevented from drinking, and
that plenty of money was as essential
as closed saloons When delegates
were kept away from a prohibition
convention by gold bug, sound money
Cleveland -Mammon-C Carlisle Sherman
Mckinley rings, it was time to make
declarations broad enough to include
woman suffrage, land, money and pro-
hibition. Mrs. Cougar had her audi
ence with her and evoked enthusiasm.
The platform of the convention pledges
tho payv 1,a 1.+v to free oOinaU Ua at the "a