The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-05-27
PROHIBS. WILL SPLIT
THEY ARE BADLY DIVIDED or THE
FINANCIAL QUESTION.
No Matter What Kind of a Platform
Is Adopted, Either the silverites or
h Gold Men VIII Secede.

~PITTSBURG, Pa, May 26.-That there will
be a split in the Prohibition party as a re-
suit Of to-morrow's convention leaders of
both factions freely admit tonight. The split
will come, they say. over the money plank
In the platform. As yet scarcely a word has
been said regarding prohibition. Money. the
root Of all evil, has been the all-absorbing
topic of discussion. and it has come to be
a bitter and acrimonious discussion, and the
opposing factions have said many unkind
things1of each other in the hotel Hobbies. The
bitterness of feeling increases hourly, and
when the convention meets it promises to be
a battle of determination.
If a gold-standard plank should be adopted
in the party platform by the delegates from
the East. then those favoring the coinage
of silver at a ratio of 16 to / VIII secede.
If. on the other hand. the so-called free-sil-
yer delegates adopt a free-coinage plank,
then the gold-standard crowd will leave,
and should the convention fail to declare
for woman suffrage the feminine portion of
the convention will sever its connection with
the party. Ii promises TO be a memorable
convention for the Prohibitionists, and bids
fair to wreck the party. As yet no move.
has been made by anyone OF the contending
factions for a compromise: Each faction
seems possessed by an undying confidence In
4No Jill . Us ~ ~%- "a
at the idea of making terms.
There were three caucuses to-day. One
was held by the women. who decided that
unless a suffrage plank were inserted in the
platform they would cave the party; then
the free-silver wing caucused and declared
platform or none at all. and finally the sin
gle-issue crowd came together and an
nounced that neither free silver. woman suf-
frage, nor anything else but prohibition
should be mentioned in the platform.
The broad gauge or free-silver people
have been bitterly upbraidins Samuel Dickie
for what they term his 'traitorous conduct
He is national chairman and a delegate from
Michigan, and is the only one from Michi-
gan VINO is out for a gold standard in money
affairs. Ex-Governor st. John and the other
leaders of the .'broad-gauge' wing have
openly accused Mr.. Dickie of violating the
instructions of his people. In reply to these
accusations, Mr.. Dickie said that ex-Gov-
ernor St. John and his free-silver clique
were guilty OF uttering untruths. He justi-
fed his actions In advocating a gold stand
ard by the statement that he had informed
the Michigan convention when 1t instructed
him by a majority of 100 for free silver.
that he did not intend to abide by such in
structions and asked that another be select
ed to take his place..
The leading candidates for the presiden-
tons as to where they stand on money mat
tiers. Joshua lowering. after announcing
his adherency to a gold standard, said: IF
gauge platform / cannot assent to the use
of my name. Neither could l be a candi-
date in case the party saw fit to place In
charge of the coming campaign officials
who entertain views opposed to my own on
these matters of isGue."
Rev. DIR Bently meets Mr.. lowering half
way and reiterates his statement, except
that his is Numerically opposite in tenor.
He said: I'VE, in the West, cannot go back
to our people and tell them that we want
their votes for prohibition alone. We have
had hard times in tie West. Our people be-
lieve the currency system Is at fault and
must have a plain spoken declaration from
us on that point. We are for free silver,
equal suffrage and prohibition"
The free-silver faction claims to have an
overwhelming majority OF the delegates.
Ex-Governor st. John is Of the belief that
the broad-gauge candidate will be nominal
ted on the first ballot. I'VE have a major
ity OF one hundred now, and / think II will
be increased by Tomorrow" he said.
Samuel Dickie, OF the slngle-issue faction,
is equally sanguine that free silver will be
defeated. But, whichever way IL may re-
suit. Mr.. Dickie is of the belief that the
outcome will be a split in the party.
AT a meeting of the national committee,
tonight, A. A. Stevens, a narrow-gauge
man, was chosen to act as temporary chair
man OF the convention Tomorrow. L. j.
Wheeler, of New York., was the candidate
OF the opposition, but a vote had been cast
and II had been shown that the gold-stand-
ard element had been successful, and the
silver men withdrew. The latter, however,
were not disheartened. They counted on
their strength in the convention as pre-
scented by their lieutenants. At this stage
the committee adjourned, and as to who
will win in the convention depends upon the
ability Of those who favor the winning card.