The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-08-19
Prohibition Nominee for Presi-
dent Formally Accepts
In a Speech Delivered in Music
Hal, Chicago.
FICTITIOUS ISSUES
Alone He Declares, Separate the
Two Old Parties.
Not a Line Of. History Will Be
Changed by Election of Either.

Chicago Aug. 19.-At Music hall last
evening in the presence of a large and
enthusiastic audience Eugene W. Chat
In of Chicago, accepted the nomination
for the presidency by the Prohibition
party. The address formally notifying
Mr.. Chain of his selection as the head
of the Prohibition ticket was made by
Prof. Chas Scanlon of Pittsburg on
behalf of the committee on notification
appointed at the national convention in
Columbus. Ohio, July 16.
In accepting the nomination Mr..
Chain spoke in part as follows:
''On the 4th of March, 1909 our ma
tional government will have completed
its one hundred and twentieth year of
constitutional history. During that
time 20 men have occupied the presi-
Dental office. All have been men of
high distinction. and few of them of
eminent ability. For the first time
since the death of Washington, Deem
Der IA, 1893, we are without a living
ex-president. When Lincoln took the
oath of office five former presidents
were living-the greatest number in our
history. They did nothing to help him
in the great struggle. which resulted in
the passage of the thirteenth amend
ment to the constitution. which marked
higher standard of Christian civillza-
ton. They were the representatives
of two dominant political parties, Wing
and Democratic, which for about so
years opposed the bringing of any great
new question into the political arena.
I'VE are now approaching the close
of another so years where two domin-
ant political parties. Republican and
Democratic, have allied themselves
with the most gigarfic crime that ever
cursed the world, and by their attitude
make known to the American people
that they do not propose to permit
them to have a chance even though the
majority may favor 1t. to destroy the
liquor traffic and add another amend
ment to the constitution, which would
mark the highest achievement of civili-
cation in the worlds history.
Fictitious Issues.
"Twenty-seven presidential cam
paigns have been more or less fiercely
fought to gain control OF the govern
ment. Most of them have been bat
ties over fictitious issues which had
little or nothing to do with the ad
ministrations which followed. In not
more than six instances would line
of American history have been
changed if the defeated candidate had
been elected instead of the successful
one. This party strife over false is
sues for the sake of obtaining office,
has made moral towards of many of
our public men, and transformed
some of our chief executives into mere
pawns upon the party chess board :;
for no man lives in history and in
the hearts of the people who does not
stand for the highest moral sentiment
of his day.
THE makers of the federal con-
stitution wisely provided that once in
four years the people should have an
opportunity, through the election of
president and a house of representa-
tives. to record the advance made in
morals and adopt new and necessary
methods of government. If one or
more political parties are to be kept
in power twenty-five or fifty years,
each succeeding administration, carry
ing out the policy of the past. and re-
fusng to enact into law the progress
have violated the very spirit of the
constitution. and turned our Demo-
cracy into despotism, making the
political boss dictator
I'VE are dangerously near that con-
dition of things in the pending presi-
dental campaign. The attempt made
by the Republican and Democratic
parties to create a fictitious issue is
the most farcical in our history, in
the face of the fact that during the
past four years the question of the
prohibition of the liquor traffic has at
tracted wider attention of the press
and the people than all other public
issues combined.
Platform Is Plain.
Mr.. Chairman, the platform
adopted by the national convention of
the Prohibition party over which YOU
presided is so plain and comprehen-
sive, that no voter need read IL a sec
ond time to understand exactly what
It means. I have studied the plat
forms of all other political parties.