Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-05-27
First of the National Conventions
Called to Order.
FIGHT FOR THE SINGLE ISSUE WON
Chauncey Dunn Protests Against
"Gag Rule"
CHAIRMAN STEVENS SEATED

PITTSBURG, May 27.-There was no
tagging on the part of the delegates to the
national prohibition convention today.
Tney were all there bright and early, and
long before the hour for calling the con-
vention to order had come the delegates
had all assembled in Music Hall at the
exposition building. There were thousands
of prohfbitionists from all parts of the
country who had come to watch the pro-
Ceedings.
The galleries were crowded, and so was
the main floor. All were intensely interest
ed. 1t was the seventh national convention
Of the party, and according to those old
war horses of prohibition who have taken
part in every national convention the party
has ever held, it was the most exciting.
Never before has the party had ques-
ton to settle which caused much con-
tention as has been developed here during
the last few days over the money plank
OF the platform. A part of the delegates
are strongly In favor of adopting plank
in the party platform declaring in favor
OF the free coinage of silver On ratio u
10 to i. This wing also 6esii es to declare
Tor the government owner ship of railways
and telegraph lines, for Woman's suffrage,
for the abolition of trusts and monopo-
lies. for restriC ted immigration. and as one
of the leaders put it for Everything that
anybody wants..
The opposing faction believes that the
prohibition party should cCnfine its declar-
ations to the one issue of prohibition. And
ever since the delegates began to assem-
BILE, the war between the factions has been
increasing in bitterness.
Gold Men Won.
The single issue or gold standard faction,
as it Is called, scored the first victory last
night in the national committee when it
elected A. A. Stevens of this state to act
as temporary chairman of the convention.
BY this defeat the free silver wing was
only intensified in Its desire to dominate.
lie leaders of each side had met before
the hour for calling the convention to or
der for the purpose of making final prep
arations for the fight in the convention
hall. AS the prominent men of the party
came into the hall they were each in turn
given an ovation of applause. And as the
hour Tor calling the convention to order
approached the enthusiasm increased.
1t was long after 10 o'clock when Samuel
Dickie, chairman of the national central
committee, stepped upon the platform and
called the convention to order. When he
mad done this he called upon the Rev.
Lewis A. Banks, ID, of Brooklyn to in
woke the blessings of God.
The call Of the convention was then
read, after which II. L. Castle of this city
made an address. welcoming the delegates
to the city. In the course of his address
Mr.. Castle said:
Welcomed to Pfttsburg.
six months ago the executive committee
were invited to come to Pittsburg. You ac-
cepted our invitation, and 1 have the honor
Of welcoming you to our city as the rep
resentatives of an army of 800, 600 of the
most loyal and single-hearted patriots and
of 100000 of as devoted. consecrated women
as ever gathered under any banner or
made warfare against any enemy. You
nave come from all sec lions of this vast
country. From east, from west from
north, from south, you have come to our
splendid city of Pittsburg. The city's nat
Lral boundaries include the spot where
Washington first demonstrated his abil-
tiles to be leader of men. The city where
the republican party in purity and truth
fulness, was born for the saving of the
country.
'Pittsburg asked the privilege Of enter
tanning the republican convention but St
Louis opened a free bar and modern re-
publicanism could not resist the temptation
of free drink. We did not ask for the
democratic convention. Pittsburg has a
horror of dead things. There Is a great
fitness in democracy's going to that city
of the plains, where there Is such a SPLEEN
did chance for burial ground, beyond the
possibility OF contamination of air or water
l feel sure speak the heart of Pittsburg
when l welcome you to Our city, and bid
you by its industry and surroundings,
that has made this city great, learn the
ROAD 10 greatness.
Then, after reviewing the history, pro-
gress and growth of the prohibition move
ment, he concluded as follows:
And may God Almighty bless your COM
Ing, and may an Almighty God, through
you, curse and blight and wither and de-
stroy the legalfZed liquor traffic, the great
est foe to God and humanity ever invented
in hell OF patented on earth"
When the applause following this address
had died, Chairman Dfckie made a brief
which he ha Dlxai Mr.
the citizens of Pittsburg for the cordial
treatment the representatives of the proht-
ton party had received He had attended
many conventions of the party. He had
attended it when 1t was factor of minor
importance In the eyes of the older politi-
cal bodies, but he thanked God that he had
lived to see 1t become of such proportion
that 1t was now recognized throughout the
nation. Both speakers were frequently in
terrupted by applause.
Chairman Stevens Seated.
When he had finished response to the
address, he said he had the honor to in
trcduce the gentleman chosen to act as
temporary chairman by the national COM
mite, Mr.. A. A. Stevens Of Pennsylvania
When he had said this, Chauncey Dunn
of California arose and said he had a
minority report to offer. He would present
the name of E. ]. Wheeler. and moved it
be substituted for that Of Mr.. Stevens.
ne was tOlu " Sll OCWn by DlCkte.
but refused.
An uproar followed cries Of sit down."
Mr.. Stevens took the chair. Mr. Dunn re-
fused to sit down, and appealed from the
decision Of the chair. He was again told
to sit down, and there was another storm
Of disapproval
I'm asking Mr.. Dickie to rule upon nv
appeal" yelled Mr.. Dunn. I'VE won't SUBJ
NIT to this gag rule
There were cries from all parts of the
house for Mr.. Dickie to come forward and
make ruling on the appeal. He came out
at length, amid Kisses and bowls, and said
that there could be no appeal taken In an
unorganized body.
Finally, for harmony's sake, Mr. Wheeler
withdrew his name, after the police had
been called to eject unruly delegates Mr..
Wheeler was loudly cheered, and there
were denunciatory cries against what his
supporters termed outrageous gag rule.
1t was the first clash between the free
silver and gold standard delegates on the
convention floor, and the single issue
crowd won.
Mr.. Stevens, the temporary chairman,
finally succeeded in restoring order, and
then proceeded to address tho convention
He briefly reviewed the history of the pro-
hibition party, telling the causes which led
Up to its organization. He told Of the diff
ferent conventions the party had held, and
paid a euloPiStic trihute IN oacb or tho