The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-11-25
PROHIS HAVE A JUBILEE
GREAT INCREASE IN THEIR VOTE
HAS ENCOURAGED THEM.
New Platform to Embrace Women
Suffrage and Initiative and
Referendum.

biee day in this city. From $3.50 in the
morning until late last night almost con-
tinuous meetings were held, for the purpose
of strengthening the position of the party in
Indiana. The business of the day opened
with a meeting of the state central commit
tee at the Y. M. G. A. rooms, at which. how
ever, little was done but to prepare for the
other meetings to follow.
AT 1880 there was a mass meeting at
Plymouth Church. over which Elder A. L.
Grim, of Charlottesville, presided. After the
customary prayer and music Chairman Hale
Johnson, of the Illinois state central commit
tee, delivered the address of the day Dur
ing the course of his remarks he said he
agreed with General Sherman. who said that
war is hell" The government, said he,
established a saloon attachment to the army
in the recent war, for fear that the descrip-
ton might not be fulfilled. He strongly de-
nounced the army canteen and the street
fairs which are becoming so popular in this
State. Continuing his remarks on the gen.
eral situation, he said moral conditions were
not improving, but, on the contrary, were
becoming worse and worse each year. Said
he:
There exists in our land to-day great
satisfaction on the part of many, but side
by side with it is a great unrest, and as we
boast that our government is the best in the
world there comes to us the conviction that
1t Is not the saints ideal, but the hypo-
critics pretense. We have no disposition
to disparage the good things we have
e0m4P} ls nor any e gloss over the in
be that the world at large is getting bet
ter, think it is certainly true that our
nation we are on the down grade
IF you are surprised at these sentiments,
let me give you some facts. EVangelists
tell us that in proportion to the amount of
exertion put forth the results for the last
ten or fifteen years have been less in this
country than ever before 1t was developed
at the national convention of the Christian
Church recently held in Chattanooga that
the number Of additions last year was less
than the year preceding, and only half
many as two years previous. saw it stated
short time since, apparently coming from
good authority, that the Methodist Church
had not made any gain in this country in the
last year. know 1t is true that the masses
are drifting away from the church, that the
common people do not hear the word gladly
as of old, and that it 10 a constant struggle
with all the churches to maintain them
selves. The Chicago Tribune is authority for
the statement that the number of murders
from 1880 to 1896 more than doubled. Presi-
dent Draper, of the University of Illinois,
declares that reverence for the law, which
is the essence of all good government, is de-
creasing in this country.
NEW PLATFORM DISCUSSED.
The afternoon meeting was devoted to
discussion of the recently prepared plat
form for the party. F. T. McWhirter, of
| this city, presided. In "a Review of the
| Late Campaign and the Outlook" State
| Chairman Homer ]. Hall strongly advocated
| the adoption of the platform which pro-
| vided for prohibition. woman suffrage and
| the initiative and referendum" He said
| heretofore there had been too much pol
| icy'' in the deliberations of the party and
| too much desire to conciliate other parties
| by the adoption of silver measures in some
! States and gold measures in others, to the
| extent that the party suffered by being con-
| Sidered nondeScript. He advocated the
| plan of putting organizer in every coun-
| ~, with the assurance or sufhc1ent backing
| to enable him TO make permanent Roadway.
| Our Platform was discussed by 3. f.
Watson Of this city along as,, much the same
] lines as the first speaker followed.
/. 5. Wade, of Lafayette, presented Our
Plan of Work" treating largely ON reasons
| why Prohibitionists should not affiliate with
! other parties, but be aggressively prohibit
| tionist" During his remarks he criticised
| the government for allowing the canteens
| to operate in the army and SAID that few
/ days ego, while in a Lafayette hotel, he
| was shown a picture of Company G, of the
| hundred and siXtieth Regiment. In the
! foreground were three baskets of beer bot
! ties, while in the center of the group stood
| his own son cutching two bottles of beer in
| his hands. He said he knew his son was
not possessed of this appetite when he was
| at home. and that if he succumbs to the
| drink habit the crime of it will rest with
| the government which tempted him by It's
] official sanction of the canteen.
| Edward w Clark of Indianapolis. in dis
| cussing Our Literature said the party
| needed papers of it's own in every State and
| county, the daily papers were all COM
mitted to the other parties and had no sym
| pathv with the prohibition movement. Said
! he: When / have to read of the passing
| of the Prohibition party | want to read it
| in Prohibition paper, and not in the In
| dianapols Journal, as ] had to to-day. It's
| interests are with the party which Will al
ways be an enemy to ours
/ The state central committee held a bust
| ness meeting last night at the Y. NJ. {.
| A. building, at which ten out of the thirteen
was decided to raise money to carry on the
campaign by the monthly pledge plan,
under which every Prohibitonist will be
| asked to contribute whatever he IS able TO
| the state fund. 1t was also decided 70 place
| organizers in every county Their duties viii
be to mix with the people and attempt
| by constant effort to secure votes for the
| party. The treasurer reported all debts paid
and d balance of "a cents left in the treas
| ury.
In discussing means for increasing the
| vote of the party in this State ii was de-
| cided to encourage the circulation OF party
| printed matter at all times. Rev. NJ w
| Harkins, of Anderson, in speaking on this
| subject said that the reform most needed
was a plan TO gather and distribute the
| news of interest to voters of the party III
| the counties in which the work = done from
/ time to time At present. according TO him:
] All news ie sent out from New York and
! Chicago and consequently most PfonlDltloh-
/ lists of Indiana know little or what IS going
on among their near neighbors. The So
/ old officers consisting OF Homer J. Hall
| Franklin, state chairman; Edwafd W.
/ Clark. indianapolis, secretary, ana W. !.