The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-09-11
ton accused the other Of bribery, coe
cion and fraud.
MONEY IN POLITICS.

notorious
Be 1t noted that the old parties offer
no cure for all this corruption. Nor do
they furnish any remedy for the fright
full increase of crime. They ignore moral
reforms.
They do however. propose remedies
for the prevailing discomfort and bit
terness Of the masses. The Republicans
prescribe Tariff The Democrats.
Free Coinage Of Silver" Tariff has
been tried and failed to cure. The other
prescription is an experiment. fraught
as many believe with danger.
We aver that one chief cause of the
three great evils named is the liquor
traffic. AS was said by Abraham Lin
coin; ut Is cancer in society, eating
ont its vitals and threatening destruc-
ton" In his younger days, William
Mckinley described it as This most
degrading and ruinous OF all human
pursuits"
We propose plain remedy, to wit:
the destruction of the chief cause Of
social and political disease. The abo-
lition of the liquor traffic would feed
more hungry mouths, clothe more
ragged children, brighten more desolate
homes and save more money for the
poor, than legislation in any other di-
rection could possibly do. 1t would
divert over 1,200 millions of dollars an
nually-more money than all the gold
and silver coin in the countrywide the
channels of legitimate trade. Thus 1t
would open new markets for the far
mer's products and the merchants
wares, to a fare greater extent than the
tariff ever has done, or than free silver
ever can do.
WOULD DIMINISH CRIME.
That it would diminish crime i'm
mensely, goes without saying. That 1t
would lessen political corruption is
plain. The saloons are chiefly the places
in which voters are bought and sold.
We therefore affirm. with emphasis,
that Prohibition is the most important
political issue before the American peo-
pie whether considered from financial.
social or moral standpoint.
We heartily endorse the nomination OF
Joshua LcVering Of Maryland for Pres
idcnt and Hale johnson of Illinois for
vice-president. They are types of the
best American manhood; strong, clean,
Christian men. No one who votes for
them will throw away his vote. 1t will
count for God and home and native
land. million votes would not elect
our candidates. But they would give us
n moral power that would compel fav-
cradle legislation and soon revolutionize
the country.
We will do all we honorably can to-
ward elccting the ticket nominated here
this day.
To every patriot, to every philanthro-
piSt, to every Christian, we appeal in
the name of God and humanity and our
common country. In the unequal con-
test which we are waging with the
many who are influenced by avarice,
by depraved appetite, by personal am
bition CT by business policy, we have
the right to demand the aid of all true
men. Be you Protestant or Catholic,
Jew or Gentle, protectionist or free
trader, gold standard man or silverite,
If you believe that the saloon Is the
enemy of all that Is good, all that Is
noble. all that is pure, we ask you to
record this conviction at the polls, and
to cast ballot that shall stand the
test Of Gods all-searching gaze.
TO FILL VACANCIES.
On motion of MIR. Thomason, the
county committee was authorized to fill
any vacancy that may occur on the
ticket.
Tallie Morgan, of New York. who was
present, was made member of the
convention and requested to address
the body. He said that the old parties
are going to pieces and that this Is the
year for prohibitionists to make con-
verts. The virtue Of the country, he
said, was greater than the vice and for
that reason prohibition principles must
ultimately triumph.
Pierce Butler suggested that the
ladies be heard from and in response
to the chairman's invitation, Mrs. C. d.
Simpson and Mrs. Yost briefly ad-
dressed the convention.
Then, on motion of Rev. G. L. Maice,
Rev. j. c. Hogan was brought before
the convention and made one of the
radical addresses which have brought
him into prominence during recent
years. Among other things, Mr. Hogan
said
Il have given up going for the drunk
ards and am now after the deacons.
What we want Is an applicati ton of re-
ligion. We hear a good deal about
Christian citizenship in these days. but
| am of the opinion that It is a thing
Of imagination and very thin ina gina
tion at that, which exists only In spots
and these are prohibition spots"
The speaker proceeded to read eX-
tracts from the utterances of the last
general assembly of the Presbyterian
church and the general conference of
the Methodist church defining the atti-
tude of these religious leaders in a
political way and made some very caus-
tic comments on what he believed to be
temporizing with evil. AS he viewed
these utterances. mo sin or crime q
man may commit in the ballot box or
in his political relations would impair
his standing in the pulpit and pew
This he conceived to be desperate
condition Of affairs. as is also the fact
stated by him that 81 per cent. of the
church members of the country vote
with the old parties and so per cent. of
the ministers follow their example.
A COMPARISON.
| There is very little difference, Mr.
Hogan believes, between Colonel Inger-
soil and Father Endeavor Clarke. Both
are Christian gentlemen in some re-
spects, but as the speaker regards the
Christian Endeavor leader he deserves
severe censure for not throwing all his
| influence in the direction of prohibit
tion. He closed by saying: This is a
government of the saloon, by the
saloon and for the saloon, and want
! to make it a government of the home,
| by the home and for the home'
| After the adjournment of the conven
tion the new county committee met and
organized.
| E.RST GIN FIRED