Birmingham state herald., 1896-05-29
ST. JOHN AND SILVER
Hold Their Own in the Prohibitionist Conven- ton at Pittsburg-Some PIanks
 of the Platform.

Pittsburg, May 2S.-One of the first acts of the prohibition convention when it reassembled in Exposition hall this morning was to send telegram of sym pathy to the mayor of St. Louis. The women were first given hearing in fa- vor of woman suffrage and other reforms advocated by the Woman's Christian Temperance union. committee of five ladies was appointed to consider these requests and report on them.
 pr. J. K. Funk of New York, chairman of the committee on platform, then re- ported the platform as agreed upon by the majority of the committee The first of the blanks, denunciatory of the liquor traffic and proposing straightout prohi- bition, he said, had been unanimous. The seventh plank, which declared that no citizens should be denied the right to vote on account of sex, he said, had been adopted by only. small majority. The other blanks upon which there was some division in the committee were:
 Clause 8. That all citizens should be protected in their right to one days rest a week.
 g. Non-sectarian schools to be taught in the English language.
 TO- Election of president vice president and senators directly by the people.
 Il. Liberal pensions.
 12 Exclusions of pauper and criminal immigrants.
 1S. The naturalized citizen not to vote until year after natur alization.
 A. Favoring arbitration.
 15 Inviting cooperation of all persons favoring these views.
 When Governor St. John rose to pre- sent the minority report he was received with loud applause from the broad gauge faction, which increased as he read the minority money plank, as follows:
 Resolved, That all money be issued by the government only and without the in- .,tx ff. .aff tynf a. ton or banking institution It should be based upon the wealth, stability and in- stegrity of the nation. and be full legal tender for all debts, public and private and should be of sufficient volume to meet the demands of the legitimate inter- ests in this country, and for the purpose of honestly liquidating all our outstand- ing obligations payable in coin. We de- mand the free and unlimited coinage of silver and gold at ratio of 16 to l, with out consulting any other nation.
 The other points on which the minority asked action were as follows:
 IT, Preserving public lands from mo- nopoly and speculation.
 IS. Government control of the railroads and telegraphs.
 posing only such import duties as are necessary to secure equitable commercial relations with other nations.
 And, lastly, clause 20, favoring the adODtiOn Of the initiative uHu TelerenuuHi as a means of obtaining free expression of the popular will.
 On the motion to make these recom- mendations part of the majority report the fight began. Indiana delegates de. manded that the vote be taken by a call of states. and New York and Pennsyl- vania delegates to sufficient number seconded this motion. The vote was then taken on a motion to table Governor St. Johns proposition, and resulted as foi- lows: Yeas BIO. nays 492. So the conven- tion refused to table the motion to make the minority report part of the majorl- ty report.
 The previous question was then or dered. and Governor St. John was recog- nized to close the debate amid scene or much excitement. He explained that making the minority report part of the majority did not make the recommenda- tions of that committee part of the plat form: each plank could be voted upon separately The first five blanks. relating to prohibitory legislation for the sup nression of the liquor traffic, were read and unanimously adopted. An ineffectual effort was made-to table the sixth plank, calling upon the churches to support the prohibition ticket at the. polls When inc woman's suffrage plank was reached 2 hot debate arose. Without disposinR of if A recess was taken at 1920 until 2:30 D.