The Washington herald., 1908-07-11
PROHIBITION CONVENTION
By FREDERIC ]. HASKTN.

The Prohibition party national conven-
ton Will meet in Columbus. Ohio. next
Wednesday, July Is 1t is the largest Of
the conventions in point OF number. as
there viii be more than 1900 delegates.
The Republicans worry along with 992.
and the Democrats have 1,OO2 members
III their convention. In another way the
Prohibitionists are ahead Of the two old
parties-they have a campaign fund all
ready for the fray. On June !. the last
public announcement, il amounted 20
$S5'lO6. sent in by 5,42S individual con-
tributOrs. At least Sl5O,OOO is expected TO
be collected between now and the cleo
ton. Publicity Of campaign contributions
and expenditures is an accomplished fact
with the Prohibitionists.
The convention Will meet IN Columbus.
where the first national nominating con-
vention OF the party was held. thirty-six
years ago The candidate OF that con
vention. James Black. Of Pennsylvania.
received 5.G0S votes in the election Of 1872.
-Four years ago Silas c. Swallow, on the
same ticket. polled 26O. .303 votes. The Pro
hibition party has injured longer than
any other third party IN American his
tory. 1t has accomplished very little for
the success OF its party organization, but
1t has been remarkably successful in its
agitation against the liquor traffic.
The Columbus convention will nominate
candidates for President and Vice Presi-
dent OF the United States. urge its ad-
herents TO nominate State and county
tickets all over the Union. declare the
paramount issue 10 be the abolition OF the
alcoholic liquor business, and exult IN the
wonderful spread Of the prohibition senti-
ment which has manifested itself in the
four years since the last convention.
For the first time since 1854 there fs a
chance that the attitude Of the Prohi-
oition party may cut a figure in the com
ing campaign. There is also q chance
that the party may take the position that
the time has come when the cause no
longer requires a separate political or
ganizatiOn. but this IS unlikely. In the
campaign Of 1884, the Prohibition vote in
New York was charged with having de-
Ieated Mt Blaine. That year the Prohi-
billion convention split on the question OF
a Kansas factionaI issue. One wing
nominated S. G. Pomeroy, of Kansas.
while the regulars named Gov. John p
St. John. Of the same State The Pome-
roy party died before the election St
John made an active campaign, and his
candidacy was hailed as a haven Of
refuge for those mugwumps and inde-
pendents who could not support Blaine.
and who would not go over 10 Cleveland.
The party received more publicity IN
that campaign than in any one OF its his
tory. The New York Sun encouraged II
until II found out 1t was helping Cleve-
land; Democratic papers patted IL on the
head. and the Republican press IN some
sections attacked 81. John with much BIT
terness. After the election some Repub-
lican writer's accused the PrOhibitiOnisJs
Of all kinds OF high crimes and treasons-
Until that year the Republicans had al
ways been regarded as the friends Of
the ProhibitiOnists. Since that time the
"drys'' have contended, with some rea-
son. that neither OF the old parties was
on their side.