The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1896-06-04
CHOICE OF THE PROHIBITION
NATIONAL CONVENTION AT
PITTSBURG.
HALE JOHNSON FOR VICE PRESIDENT
Free Siveritcs Boltcd Because Their
Silver Plank Was Rcjected-Thin-
nest Kind of Il Narrow Gauge
Platform Was Adopted


following ticket:
For president, Joshua u. Lowering of
Maryland.
For vice president, Hale johnson of
Illinois.
The free SILVER plank was rejected. and
the candidates were placed upon the
thnnest kind of narrow gauge plat
form, emb0dying merely the principle of
Prohibition, and even emitting the
woman suffrage plank which has been
n feature of its platforms for years past.
Ex-Governor John u. st. John, sec
onded by nearly all the western delegates,
made Il gallant fight for the free coinage
of silver. and Helen NJ. Cougar of In
diana and Mrs. l.. A. Pool of New York
struggled i'll vain for woman suffrage,
but the narrow gauge people controlled
the convention and took everything.
When the nominations FOR president
were reached, the name of Charles Il.
Bentley of Nebraska, the broad gauge
candidate, was not presented, his boom
having been burstel by the overwhelm-
ing defeat of the silver forces at the
afternoon session. 1t was 'ong after
midnight before the last business was
concluded and the convention adjourned.
1t was $3.50 O'Clock before the second
days session of the national Prohibition
convention was called to order. The at
tendance at that hour was light, as many
of the delegates had been laboring in
committees until early morning hours.
When comparative quiet had been OBJ
tanned. Rev. Gideon Macklen of Ohio
offered prayer.
A resolution was then presented, eX-
pressing sympathy for the sufferers of
the st. Louis cyclone, and it was adopted
by standing vote.
Mrs. Francis Il. Beauchamp of Lex
ington, Ky, presented Il memorial from
the WOmen's Christian Temperance
Union, adopted at the national conven-
ton mt Baltimore last fall, 1eaflirming
allegiance to the Prohibition party.
After the consideration of some other
matters Il report from the committee on
platform was called for Chairman
Funk stated that the narrow and broad
gauge factions were unable to agree and
that two reports would be presented.
The narrow gauge was the n.ajority re-
port.
The committee on platform presented
two reports to the convention The
narrow gauge declares it's agreement
with the United States supreme court
that the statistics of every state show
that more crime and misery result from
liquors than any other source; that
liquor dealers corrupt legislation and
make good government impossible; that
the party is unalterably opposed to the
drink traffic, and declares for its total
suppression for beverage purposes, re-
jecting all compromise measures,
whether license, local option, taxation or
public control. Wage-earners attention
is called to the enormous waste caused
by the liquor traffic at the cost of produc-
ton and that the success of the Prohibi-
ton party will remove this great burden
from industry; that they stand for good
government and honest money; that there
is no greater peril to the nation than the
competition of political parties for the
liquor vote, and calls upon voters to en-
force the declaration of the churches
against the liquor traffic.
Inc minority report, which was pre-
scented by the broad-gaugers, has the fol-
lowing declarations on the money ques-
ton:
THAT all money should be issued by
the government only, and without the
intervention of any banking association
1t should be based upon the vealth, sta
should be full legal tender for all public
and private debts and should be of suf-
hcient volume TO meet the demands of
the legitimate business interests of the
country and for the purpose of honestly
hquldating all our outstanding coin obi
cations, and we demand the free and I'M
limited coinage of both silver and gold
ut a ratio of 16 to l without consulting
any other nation"
pln ,,ly ia, Ia,
against the manufacture or sale of in
toXicating liquors for beverage purposes.
The uses of beverages for medicinal and
timer legitimate purposes should be CON
rolled by the state. Equal rights of
suffrage for both sexes is favored: gov
eminent control of railways; only Eng
fish in the public schools and no public
funds for sectarian institutions; election
OF president and vice president by popu-
lar vote; liberal PENSIONS; amended i'm
migration laws; none but citizens to vote
and naturalized citizens TO sote only
after being naturalizcd year, are other
recommendations.
The final declarations of the platform
are:
There should he proportional repre-
senation in state and nation, and the
initiative and referendum should be
adopted so as to secure free expression
VI tic populdr VIII. we Offer the I'M
perative mandate as guarantee against
The Misrepresentation of the people by
hen chosen to be their representatives
Ex-Governor st. John read the
minority report, and almost every SEN
tence was applauded. When he came
70 the free silver plank the broad gaugers
broke loose with cheers and prolonged
applause.
Mr.. st. John moved that the report be |
Incorporated as part of the majority |
report.
A motion to lay on the table was then |
made, but it was defeated. The motion |
to make the minority report part of |
the majority report was carried. The |
first seven planks, including the one |
favorlng woman suffrage, were then |
taken up and as they did not differ mate |
rally in either report were adopted.
The convention at 2:20 p. m. took a /
recess.
When the convention reassembled at |
2:45, Mr.. st. John announced that after |
a conference with Chairman Funk it |
had been decided to take up the money |
plank next.
The minority resolution favoring free |
silver was then read, and the entire |
afternoon session was given TO the dis |
cussion of the money plank. The argu-
ments were spirited, but, by the rule of !
the convention, speakers were limited to |
ten minutes each.
1t developed that the fight was not so |
much IN cold and uiIvar ~ ,paa tho |