Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1908-07-23
CHICAGO MAN NAMED
PROHIBITION LEADER
Eugene w. Chain Is Nominated
for President by the Aqua
Pura Party.
WATKINS IN SECOND PLACE
Shortest Platform in History of Ma
tional Conventions Is Adopted
at Columbus.

Columbus Correspondence
Eugene ". Chain. of Chicago, was
nominated for President of the United
States by the Prohibition national con-
vention Thursday. For Vice President
the convention named Aaron S. Wat
kins, of Ada, o., a professor in the
Ohio Northern University Both can
didates are gubernatorial candidates of
the Prohibition party in their respect
i've States. The shortest platform on
record and one containing for the first
time in the history of important ma
tiOnal parties in this country a decla-
ration in favor of equal suffrage was
framed for the candidates to stand
upon.
Republican and Democratic candi
dates and platforms were scored alike
and evidence held to prove that Lincoln
was ProhibitiOnist was presented a
| the opening session of the Prohibition
party's national convention. Both Taft
| and Bryan were stamped as friends OF
liquor in the address of the temporary
chairman, Robert II. Patton of Spring
field, III.
Mr.. Patton held the attention of his
audience throughout his speech and al
times moved his hearers to great enthu
siasm.
Take off your coat" and Hit hin
again. cried the delegates, and these
shouts were iIterspersed with "Amens.'
paid his compliments to the late Her
man Raster of Illinois, author of the
personal liberty plant of the 1872 Re
publican platform. He read a letter
from Wade H. Ellis. attorney general
of Ohio and author of much Of the Re
publican platform Of this year, declar
ing that he could find nothing in the
Raster plank Inconsistent with Repub
lican doctrine
Caught with the goods!" shouted
some one in the audience.
Passing from the Republican party
Mr.. Patton spoke of that very talkative
man from Lincoln" and said that in
the last sixteen years MI Bryan has
championed everything loose under the
sun in the way of a political issue ex
cept the prohibition question:
The convention was called to order al
10 o'clock in Memorial Hall by Chair
by Rev. e. L. Eaton of Illinois, and
after the formal reading of the call fol
the. convention the name of Robert H
Patton of Springfield, H., was an.
nounced as temporary chairman.
Following the address of Mr.. Patton
the POLL of states was called for the an
nOuncement of committees. An address
of welcome to the delegates was de
livered by Mayor c. A. Bank of Column
bus, and response was made by W
P. f. Ferguson of Chicago.
P1anI<s in the Platform
]. Submission by Congress to the sew.
eral States of an amendment to the fed
eral constitution prohibiting the manu-.
facture, sale, importation, expectation OF
transportation of alcoholic liquors fol
beverage purposes.
2. Immediate prohibition of the liquor
traffic for beverage purposes in the Dis
| trict of Columbia, in the territories and in
all places over which the national govern
ment has jurisdiction, the repeal of the
internal revenue tax on alcoholic liquors
and the prohibition of interstate traffic
therein.
3. Election of United States Senators
by direct vote of the people.
4. Equitable graduated income and in
heritance taxes.
). Establishment of postal savings
banks and the guaranty of deposits in
banks.
6. Regulation of all corporations doing
an interstate business.
{. Creation of a permanent tariff com
mission.
s. Strict enforcement of law instead of
the official tolerance and practical license
of the social evil which prevails in many
of our cities, with its unspeakable traffic
in girls.
g. Uniform marriage and divorce laws
10. An equitable and constitutional en-
| ployers' liability act.
II. Court review of Postoffice Depart
| ment decisions.
-. Prohibition of child labor in mines
workshops and factories.
49, Legislation basing suffrage only
upon intelligence and ability to read and
write the English language.
IA. Preservation of the mineral and
forest resources of the country and i'm,
provement of the highways and water
ways.