The Aberdeen Democrat. (Aberdeen, South Dakota) 1???-1909, 1908-09-04

Declares Prohibition Issue is One for
Political Parties 70 Settle Gives
His Opinion of Best Way to Settle
Il Claims That Prohibition Does
Prohibit.

Claims That Prohibition Does
Prohibit.
Ada. Ohio. Sept. Before large
audience In Browns Auditorium Of
the Ohio Northern University to-
night Professor Aaron s. Watkins was
ofacially notified Of his nomination
as the candidate for vice president
by the national prohibition party.
The event was made the most OF by
the citizens Of this town and vicin-
ity, who crowded the streets and uni-
yersity campus. Political partisan-
ship temporarily was laid aside In
the 2honnoring OF an esteemed towns
man.
Mr.. Watkins said in part:
The Prohibition party is the great
est party Of our country from the
simple fact that no matter though it
as comparatively small party In
numbers there haaneYer been any
man who was able to overshad dow It
or become greater than his party,
which has frequently happened to
both the republican and democratic
parties, and is undoubtedly the situ-
htion today. We are asked by the
Teplbl lican party to 30 record our
kotes as to furnish an minimizing
endorsement Of Mr.. Roosevelt and
his administration. We are asked
;Onl the other hand to endorse Mr.;
lsrRan because he y q brilliant ora
tor. great campaigner and one of
the most skiilful politicians that,
America has ever produced. We CON
tend that no man Is great enough
to ask for the ballots OF a fellow citi-
zen. Ballots should be given for
principles and not To Individual men
I'VE ask careful consideration ef
the principles which we represent,
which have been 80 clearly and fully
represented in your hearing tonight.
We ask that you read the brief,
pointed, brave declarations of the
party. which are not swamped by a
mass Of verbageand are not 30 un-
certain and equivocal that they may
possess any meaning or none at all.
We have taken position on the
greatest problem that faces the Ame-
rican thought Of today and It Is the
only correct position, and is SO ac-
knowledged by many who do not vote
with US, for the American people, In
principle at least. are practically
prohibitionists.
Pledge Signing Gone BY
The day Of personal work In the
matter Of pledge signing and person
al total abstinence mas gone BY. at
least on the basis Of expecting 1t to
be final solution OF the question.
We do not believe that total abstin~
ence Is possible so long as church
and school and other reformatory In
fuence are counteracted at every
step BY schools, established under the
authority and sanction OF the ma
tional government, for the distinct
purpose of training converts In the
practice Of drink. We still maintain
that the individual character must
be the final solution of the question,
but In the mean time, we initiate tne
greatest Of political economics who
taught his children to say Lead US
not into temptation. e
We would remove the open saloon
and curtail5 as much as possible all
Illicit liquor selling for the simple
reason that we want prohibition as
a step In the right direct ION, 6ss an
influence which would help men to
stand Individually Tor the right.
~ ~ often assumed that s third
party prob ibitionist has no confidence
In any method Of solution Of the
|liqour trafic except the political one.
Nothing could he farther from the
truth.
IA the state cf which I am . sciti-
zen hundreds sof municip ipaIitiss have
|Yoted ont the 1loon- II every scdlDes
mo matter VINO has the mans cement
|o fine contest. the third party pro.
Continued On Pare 81.