The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-04-19
THE PROHIBITION PARTY.
ITS NATIONAL CONVENTION TO BE
HELD At PITTsBURG, PA,
ON MAY ~.

~ 49,
Great Gathering Expected-At
Least Nine Hundred Delegates.
Narrow Gauge and Broad Gauge
Reformers-The Issue Between
Them-Candidates for the PresI-
Dental Ticket.
Copyright.
New York. April 1s.-The national con-
vention Of the prohibition party will meet
IN Machinery hall. Pittsburg. Pa. on May
q next. Provision has been made for 1.160
delegates and certainly as many as 800
will be present; and an attendance Of at
least 5000 persons at its sessions is as
sured.
The delegation is constituted on the fol-
lowing plan: Each state is entitled to
four delegates-at-large, and TO twice as
many delegates as the number Of con-
gressmen representing 1t at Washington,
and may send one additional delegate for
every 100 voters or major fraction there
OF, cast for Bidwell and Cranfield, candi-
dates respectively for the presidency and
vice presidency of the United States in
1892. Each territory and the District of
Columbia may send two delegates. Under
this scheme New York is entitled to 10
seats, Illinois to a. Ohio to Y. Pennsylva-
MIA to 50. These four commonwealth are
supreme In the councils of the party. The
six New England states have a delegation
consisting of 81 members. A special train
will run from Boston for their accommo-
dalton. Special trains have also been en-
gagged to run from New York, Chicago and
st. Louis The northwestern delegation
will leave Chicago together under this
arrangement. and st. Louis will in the
same manner be made a place of rendea-
vous for the southwestern delegation.
As the date of meeting approaches the
issue which now divides the party is be-
coming more sharply defined. In COM
mon with the republican and democratic
parties, that of the prohibitionists is split
on the financial question. This is the
chief cause of the division into narrow
gauge and 'broad-gauge" prOhibitionists
the former favOring a single issue-pro-
hibition, pure and simple, as the policy of
the party, unlike the matter, which con-
sists largely of free silver advocates, who
contend that the platform should cover
all the leading political issues.
The two men who lead respectively the
'narrOw-gauge' and the "brOad-gauge''
advocates are John G.. Woolley of Chi
of Kansas. MIR. Woolley is widely known
as an earnest worker in the ranks of
the Christian Endeavorers, and as an
accomplished orator. Every reader, IL Is
probable, has a general acquaintance with
the somewhat erratic career of Mr.. st.
John. Both these gentlemen have declin-
ed in advance a possible nomihation for
the presidency. In a Characteristic let
ter, addressed to a personal friend, Mr..
WOOliey says. Il am not willing to be
bound hand and foot to any party, or
to agree to abide the action of any eau
GUS" and he holds himself at perfect lib
erty to leave the prohibition party when,
by so doing, he can better serve the sim
gle purpose of his public life This pur-
pose he defines to be, ''to mobilize the
voting church in American politics upon
the logic of common honesty that cannot
help thinking and will not lie"
There Is abundant latitude of choice for
the practically barren honor of being the
presidential candidate of the party. A
name prominently mentioned on the mar
row. gauge" side, is that of Joshua Lever
ing. of Baltimore. He is one of the leading
merchants of that city, and is otherwise
prominent on account of his interest in
many local charitable institutions and his
wealthy manufacturer of Pawtucket
Rhode Island, has many admirers, and will
probably be given a large vote in the con-
vention. Like Mr.. lowering, he is a mar
row-g gauge" prohibitionist. OF the broad
gauge" candidates, G. e. Bentley, of Lin
coin, Nebraska. is probably the best
known. He Is a Baptist minister, and an
earnest temperance worker. Still another
candidate for the nomination on the
broad gauge" side is r. s. Thompson of
Springfield, o., proprietor of a prohibit
Zionist journal.
A contest for the national Craftsmanship
now held by Professor Samuel Dickie, of
Albion, Mich, is hardly looked for The
present incumbent of the office-which he
has held eight years-will probably accept
reelection under pressure from his friends;
but l.. B. Logan, state chairman, Ohio; ].
NJ. Dunlap, state chairman, Indiana; Pro-
lessor A. Hopkins, of Rochester. New
York and DR.. II. A. Gibbs, state chairman
in Massachusetts, are named in connection
with the office. David Wechsler,