Albuquerque citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1907-1909, 1908-07-15
PROH|B|TION|STS ARE.
HOLDING SESSION
TODAY
Expect to Nominate and Fin
iSh UP All Business
This Afternoon or
Tonight.
TAWN WRIGHT TO
ACCEPT THE CALL
If Georgian Will Not Take Noml-
nation There Are Other Good
Candidates In the Party
Platform viii Declare for
Tariff Revision.

SOluInDuS, w july l0.-Ine PrOnl-
bition national convention opened to-
day in Memorial hall with more than
5000 delegates, alternates and visitors
present. New York, Massachusetts,,
Pennsylvania and Ohio We're the
states most numerously represented.
Memorial hall was tastefuly deco
rated for the occasion. In addition to
liberal display of the national col
ors the decorations included pictures
of Frances Willard, Clinton B. Fiske,
Gen. John Bidwell, oliver w. Stewart
Silas c. swallow, Neal Dow and a
number of other Prohibition leaders,
past and present.
The initial session was given over
almost wholly to the opening formal
tiles. The gathering was called to
order by Charles r. Jones, chairman
of the national committee. After the
opening prayer the delegates listened
to several addresses of welcome deliv-
cred in behalf of the Prohibitionists
of the state of Ohio and the city of
Columbus Temporary organization
was effected and the necessary COM
mittees on credentials, resolutions,
ETC., were appointed. A recess was
then taken to give the committees an
opportunity to prepare their reports
The invocation was by Rev. L. L.
Eaton of Illinois, and immediately fol-
lowing this Robert IL. Patton of
Springfield was introduced as tempo
rary chairman. In his address he a
tackled the positions of the Republican
and Democratic parties on the liquor
question and cited proof that Abra-
ham Lincoln favored prohibition of
the liquor traffic.
Following Patton's address the var
ious committees were announced. 1t
Is believed the work of the conven-
ton will be finished this afternoon
and tonight, and it seems probable
that several candidates for first place
on the ticket will be presented to the
convention if Judge Seaborn Wright
of Georgia does not consent to take
the nomination.
Seaborn Wright, who is mentioned
for the head of the ticket, is a Geor-
gian, and in the opinion of many OF
the party leaders he would make an
excellent presidential candidate. The
fact that he halls from the south.
which section of the country recently
has been swept before a wave of pro-
hibition, is advanced as an argument
in his favor. The only objection to
his nomination appears to be the fact
that he is a Democrat and has never
been allied with the Prohibition party
in politics, though he has been a most
ardent supporter of the anti-saloon
movement.
Judge Samuel II. Artman, who is
mentioned for second place on the
ticket, Is a resident of Lebanon, Ind.
He came into prominence year or
so ago by handing down a decision
against the constitutiOnality of licens-
ing saloons. According to his decision
the state of Indiana had no more
right to license liquor selling than to
license gambling, being dangerous TO
public morals and public safety. Like
5eaborn Wright, Judge Artman has
never been Identified with the Prohi-
bition party heretofore. He was
elected To office on the Republican
ticket
Many Of the delegates express the
opinion that the party should not find
il necessary to go outside the Prohi-
bition ranks to find their cand dates.
They point to the fact that there are
still many well qualified leaders with
i'm the party. such as samuel Dickie Of
Michigan, Rev. Slas c. swallow OF
PENNSYLVANIA, Oliver w. Stewart of IL
llnois, A. c. Wolfenbarger of Nebras-
ka, Felix r. McWhirter of Indiana,
Frederick Wheeler of California, Al
fred Manierre of New York, Joseph
p. Tracy of Michigan and DR.. J. b..
I Cranfill of Texas.
Next to the candidates the makeup
of the party platform is the subject
most discussed today. The platform
this year, it Is believed, will almost
certainly declare for tariff revision.
| Whether the labor anti-injunction
question will come up or will be no.
ticed in the platform is still TO be de-
termined, There will be no back
down in the prohibition plank by rec
ognizing the work of the Antl-Saloon
league and other temperance organ
izations in getting local option laws
passed. The platform will declare in
strongest terms, as heretofore, for
out-and-out prohibition,