Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-06-27
Prohibition Party National Conven'
tion Opens in Chicago Today.
Big ATTENDANCE At MEETING
Friends Of John G. WooIIey Claim
First Place.
GOSSIP AS TO CANDIDATES

| in the 1st Regiment Armory 10th street
| and Michigan avenue OF the 1904 dele
gates who were entitled to seats in the ma
| tional convention more than three-fourths
| were in attendance when Chairman w. Oil
yer Stewart of the national executive COM
| nfittee called the convention to order this
| morning, and 1t Is expected that by to-
morrow, when the nominations for Presi-
| dent and Vice President will be made. that
| nearly thousand representatives of the
past year will take part in the choosing of
| the national leaders Nearly all of the
| eastern and central western states had full
| delegations present, the absentees In most
instances being from southern and Pacific
| coast states.
| Three avowed candidates for the presi-
| dental nomination in the field-John
| G. .WoOley of Chicago, editor of the New
Voice and a prominent platform advocate
| of the cause of prohibition; Hale Johnson
of Newton. Ill, and Rev. Silas C. Swallow
| of Harrisburg, Pa. The latter has a nigh
| reputation as pulpit orator and had many
| supporters among the delegates from east
| ern states. Friends of Mr.. Woolley ex-
| pressed themselves being confident of his
| nomina ton on the third fourth ballot.
| claiming for him the almost solid support
| of the Michigan. Wisconsin. Maryland, Mis-
| souri, and Nebraska delegates. a majority
| Of the votes of the New York, Kansas, Cali
| fornia and Ohio delegates and half of the
vote of Illinois. Last night Mr. Wooliey
| was also assured of the support of the
| Delaware delegation. a representative of
| that delegation asking to be allowed to
| place Mr. Wooiley in nomination. This,
according to Mr.. Woolley's partisans, prac-
| tically assures him the nomination.
| Source of Mr.. Johnson's Strength.
For Hale Johnson, the votes Of the North
| and South Dakota delegations solid, ma
.iority from Minnesota and half of Illinois,
n.i1 1nc rJno -nta n
were assured. A majority of the votes of
i the New England states, Colorado, Penn
| sylvania and Indiana delegations were
claimed, the Indiana delegates desiring
the nomination for President of an eastern
man on account of the vice presidential
| lis.
For Vice President besides Prof Nc
| Whirter, Henry B. Metcalf of Rhode Is
land, w. B. Wttherspoon OF Alabama and
| w. W. Smith of New York. are candidates.
| The vice presidential nomination. however,
| probably will be governed entirely by the
| result Of the balloting for President, the
| nomination of a western man being almost
certain to result In the choice of an eastern
| man for second place on the ticket and
vice versa.
| Nearly $500 prohibitionists, including the
delegates to the national convention and to
| the state convention which met here yes
| terday. gathered at the Palmer House and
marched through the downtown streets to
| the 1st Regiment armory Previous to the
parade the reception committee had met
Joshua Levering of Baltimore, prohibition
| candidate for the presidency In 1896. who
arrived this morning, and escorted him to
the Palmer House.
Opening of the Convention.
1t was exactly 1890 am. vixen Chairman
Stewart Of the national committee raped
| for order. At that time nearly all the del
cgates were in their seats. while the gal
| leries surrounding the big drill room OF the
1st Regiment were filed with spectators.
Just previous to the fall of the gavel the
| delegates from the New England states
marched into the hall in a body, each dele
gate carrying a canteen, with the letters
~. s." invested, and bearing the legend,
"Anti-Canteen." They were literally ap-
plauded After the convention had come
deliver his formal address. He spoke in
part as follows:
Speech of Chairman Stewart.
Mr.. Stewart said: 1t affords me great
pleasure in calling this convention to order
to congratulate you on this great gather
ing The prohibition party Is not dead. 1t
Is not asleep. 1t IL wide awake and full OF
life. Slowly but surely has the realisation
come to US all that this year affords the
greatest opportunity in the history OF the
party. I have said often that If we had the
spirit of 1883 or 1892, along with the op-
portunity 1900 brings to US. we could poll
1.00O,0O0 votes. have said that in the
raising the party to the zeal and enthusi-
asm of those years. This convention
proves beyond doubt that the task is not
an impossible one.
This is to be q history making convention.
and you who are here as delegates to par
ticipate in Its deliberations occupy posi-
tons of no small honor and responsibility.
That you will discharge your duties in
proper manner is not doubted. l am con-
fident that your platform declarations will
be acceptable to all the members Of the
party 1t Is not an easy thing to prepare
! a platform upon which great reform or
ganization is to go before the country, but
our duty Is so clear and so plain that this
convention could not go far astray. We are
set for the overthrow OF the liquor traffic.
We intend that the American saloon shall
be outlawed. On that account we have
political parties and have banded ourselves
together as prohibittonists.
The Saloon Ought to Die.
We are agreed that the saloon ought to
die. and upon that declaration we are ready
to face the world. This convention is to
nominate candidates for our party. There
are many able men from whom to make
the selection.
1t is a source Of rejoicing to know that
whatever contest there may be for the hon.
ors of this convention. it will be on the
part OF all a IrlenQly rlVa.ry. II In It's Wis
dom the convention chooses as its standard
bearer him who lives in this city by the
lake, the mention of whose name always
thrills our hearts, he will be loyalty fol-
lowed by prohibitionists beyond the Alle-
ghanies and Rockies, well as by those
of the great Mississippi valley. Should
your choice be him who will be named by
the keystone state your support will not be
less enthusiastic and If southern Illinois is
to have this honor in the person of her ia
vorite son the nomination will meet with a
hearty response from all portions of the
land.
feel 1t an honor to call this convention
to order Following our time -honored and
proper customs, we will come first to the
Throne Of Grace and ask the hep of Him
who holds the destinies of nations in His
hand to guide us in all deliberations of this
convention.
Chairman Stewart then introduced DR..
John H. Hill of Chicago, who delivered
lengthy address Of welcome Several mem
bers Of the first prohibition convention,
which was held in Chicago in 1860. were
in the hall, some Of them as delegates
and at Dr. Hills request they were escort
ed to the platform.
Chairman Stewart then announced tenn