The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-05-27
MUST RETIRE.
Prohibition Secondary to the
Financial Issue
At the National PrOhibitiOnCOn-
ventiOn at Pittsburg.
Strength of the Free Silver
Agitation
S SIGNALLY SHOWN
BY Its Invasion of the Cold
Water Camp,
And Practical Overwhelming
of It's Main Issue.

Pittsburg. Nay 27.-There was no lag
ging on the part of the delegates to the
national Prohibition convention today.
They were all astir bright and early
and long before the hour for calling
the convention to order had come the
delegates had all assembled in Music
hau at the Exposition building and
there were thousands Of Prohibitionists
from all parts of the country who had
come to watch the proceedings
The galleries We're crowded, and so
was the main floor. All were intensely
interested. II was the seventh ma
tlonal convention of the party, and
according to those old war horses of
PrOhi bitiOn who have taken part in
every national convention the party
mas ever held, it was the most eXcft-
Never before has this party had a
question to settle which caused so
much contention as has been developed
mere during the last few days over the
money plank Of the platform. A part
oI the delegates are strongly in favor
Of adopting a plank in the party plat
form declaring in favor Of the free
coinage of silver at a ratio of 16 to j
This wing also desires to declare for
the government ownership of railroads
and telegraph lines, for woman suf-
frage, for the abolition of trusts and
mOnOpOles, for restricted immigration.
and as one of the leaders put it, for
ever AIlAli5 Llell ANYBODY wants
The opposing faction believes that
the Prohibition party should confne its
declarations to the one issue of pro
hibition- And ever since the delegates
began to assemble the war between
the factions has been increasing in
bitterness The single issue or gold
standard faction, as it is called. scored
the first victory last night in the ma
tiOnal committee when it elected A A
Stevens of this state to act as tenn
pOrary chairman of the convention. By
this defeat the broad gauge or silver
wing was only intensified in its desire
to dominate.
The leaders of each side had met be-
fore the hour for calling the convention
to order for the purpose of making q
few final preparations for the night in
the convention hall AS the prOmi-
nent men of the party came into the
hall they were each in turn given an
ovation of applause, and as the hour
for calling the convention to order ap-
preached the enthusiasm Increased
1t was long after 10 O'Clock when
Samuel Dickle, chairman OF the ma
tiOnal central committee stepped upon
the platform and called the conven-
tion to order
The call Of the convention was then
read, after which H. T.. Castle Of this
city made an address welcoming the
delegates to the city In the course Of
his address. Mr. Castle said. Six
months ago through your executive
committee you We're invited to come to
Pittsburg. You accepted our invita-
tfon and now I have the honor of vel
coming you to our city as the repre-
semtatives of an army of 300 900 of the
most loyal and single hearted patriots
and of 500 600 of as devoted, cOnsecra-
ted women as ever gathered under any
banner or made warfare against any
enemy. You have come from all sec
tiOns of this vast country, from east.
from west. from north, from south.
You have come to our splendid city of
Pittsburg. The city whose national
boundaries include the spot where
Washington first demonstrated his
abilities to be the leader of men The
purity and truthfulness was born for
the saving of the country
Pittsburg asked the privilege of en-
tertaining the Republican convention.
but St Louis opened a free bar and
modern Repubicanism could not re-
sist the temptation of a free drink.
We did not ask for the Democratic
convention E2ittSburg has a horror
for dead things. There is a great fit
ness in demOcracyss going to that city
of the plains where there is such a
beyond the possibility OF cOntamina-
tiOn of air or water feel sure I
speak the heart of Pittsburg when
welcome YOU to our city and bid you
by its Industry and surroundings that
has made this city great, learn the road
to greatness
Then after reviewing the history, pro-
gress and growth of the prohibition
movement, he concluded as follows.
And may God Almighty bless your
coming and may an Almighty Cod
through you curse and blight and with
er and destroy the legalized liquor traf-
hc the greatest foe to God and human
ity ever invented in hell or patented on
earth"
When the applause following this ad-
dress had died away Chairman Dickia
made a brief speech in which he thank
ed Mr.. Castle and the citizens of Pitts
burg for the cordial treatment the rep-
resentatives Of the Prohibition party
had received He had attended many
conventions Of the party. He had at