The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1906-03-02

F :
Prohibitionists are showing their
political sense zfor once, at%least, in
turning to their own use the wave
of civic reform that is sweeping over
the country at large. This quick
eniug of the civic conscience and.
perception has opened the ears of
the general public to the propa-
ganda of the Prohibitionist, a nd he
hae never been slow to tell the peo-
pie his story. :
The date for their state conven.
ton this year is an early one, being
announced for the 9TH and 9th of
March at the New Auditorium in
Minneapolis.
While they are expecting a larger
attendance than the party has ever
had at any of it's conventions, and,
consider the business to be trans
acted at this time of more impor.;
lance than ever before, yet it is evil:
dent from the list of speakers on the
program for their great rally on the:
evening of the 9TH that their atten-.
ton is not to be wholly confined to.
business. The public may certainly.
be justified in expecting to hear.
some interesting facts from such a:
man as Homer l.. Castle, the Little:
Giant" of Pennsylvania, whose
name and history are familiar to
anyone who has followed the history
of his work in connection with the
election of VIM. H. Berry to treas
urer of that state, and the. defeat of
the corrupt Quay gang who had
been in control there for 80 many
years; and from Oliver W. Stewart,
of Chicago, whose reputation as one
of the greatest platform speakers of
the day has already been established
in the minds of Minnesota people.
Mayor David P. Jones will give the
address of welcome. Joseph G. Nor
| rison, of Fergus Falls, will preside
las temporary chairman, and will
sound the battle cry for the future
campaign. An abundance of good
music is also promised.
| AS to the business to be taken up
at the convention, platform will
be adopted, state ticket nominated
and definite plans outlined for one
of the most vigorous campaigns in
the history of the party. In 1904
the Prohibitionists~:. concen&rat ted
their efforts in a number of legisla-
tive districts, operating upon the
hypothesis that Republicans and
democrats, Populists and independ
ents would unite to elect men to the
Legislature who were clean, honest
upright men, and who would go tc
that body pledged primarily te
work for legislation hostile to the
n liquor traffic; for rigid control OF
regulation of railroads and public
utilities; for more stringent provis
ionIfor protecting the people agains>
other monopolies; to use their influ
ence to secure ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
n toward a constitutional amendment
h providing for the election of -Presi
dent of the United States and United
States senators by direct vote of thu
III people, and to more obligation t.
the principle of initiative referen
q dunn.
4 These, in brief, are thu" principles
of the party, and on that platform
the Legislative vote of the Prohibi
ton party increased in the districts
4 where a campaign was conducted
more than 1000 per cent, and two o.
three of their nominees were lief
outside of the breastworks by less
than 100 votes each. Enthused anl
encouraged by these results, they
Ieet out on the campaign of 1906 i'm
mediately after election, and hav,
1canvassed the state with unusua
ivigor through the winter of 1904
land with only such partial cessa tio'
las the business of the summer sea
|son compelled until the presen
Itime, covering nearly every county
/ in the state. 49,.
Among the probable nominees 70
.lgovernor this year; are heard thu
thames of c. w. Dorset, of Minneap
lolis, former nominee by this part!
:; in 1904; D.,U. Weld, of Window, VIII.
j made a splendid run for state treas
urer last election; T. J.. Anderson
\ of Belgrade; Geo. d. Haggard am
Chas. NJ. Way, of Minneapolis.
q The railroads have agreed upon
one-fare rate for the round trip, ex
vi cent from min tn f1iata Mt ff,i rtv III 70