Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-09-05
WATKINS PLEADS
FOR The PROHIBS
Vice Presidential Candidate,
Accepting Nomination,
Hits Old Parties.
ROOSEVELT CHIEF BUTT
re ers to Sneering Answer to Cues
ton, What About Liquor
Traffic7"

Ada, Ohio. Sept. Sin this, his home
city and the seat Of Ohio Northern
university, with which he was so long
connected, Aaron s Watkins was to-
day notified OF his nomination for the
vice presidency by the national con-
vention OF the prohibition party Many
. prohibition party leaders from various
parts of the United States were pres
. e1t. In his speech of acceptance, Mr..
Watkins said
I. Mr.. Chairman, Members Of the Ma
tional Committee and Fellow Citizens:
/ am happy to accept at the hands OF
tho greatest party on earth the honor
+ j. has recently bestowed upon me in
choosing me To represent the party
in the campaign Of 1912 as its candi-
date for vice president. For the first
time in our history candidates have
: heen renominatcd on the national tick
ct. trust that ample reasons existed
in the minds of the delegates urging
them 10 this action and hope that Mr..
Chain and | as candidates shall so
conduct ourselves in the campaign
that none OF those who compose that
great body at Atlantic City will ever
Cegret their choice
POLITICAL CONTRAST OF 1912.
1T is not only an honor to be re-
: chosen for this important position but
IL is an honor 70 be chosen by such d
convention II was the greatest con
vcntiOn held IN 1912 Other conven-
lions have met merely TO struggle
over the choice OF man and IN the
awful bitterness engendered and the
disgTaceful struggle that ensued issues
we're buried out OF sight. The conven-
ticn Of the prohibition party. Oh the
OtDer hand acted with perfect uuan-
unity upon the main issues TO be set
tied and with more or less indifference
as TO the candidates presented, and
oily a small portion OF time was de-
voted 10 the matter OF nominations.
There are many men in the party who
would not only make excellent candi-
dates, but who could certainly be re-
lied upon as amply able TO fill the Of
fees Of president and vice president
Il given the votes OF the people. Mag
u.hcent men were proposed from var
iuus states for each OF these Offices,
men for whom l would be proud to
vote. In fact would have considered
{ a greater honor TO vote for any OF
the proposed candidates than TO be the
nominee OF any OF the other parties.
Our convention met with opposing
ideas and with various plans in the
minds OF the delegates Each man be-
loved firmly that his plan was the
most practical and the most effective
one, and that victory could be secured
more surely in that way than in any
other. These conflicting ideas were
most vigorously urged. but in spite Of
all the differences Of opinion and the
parliamentary struggles entered into
the convention ended with perfect
harmony and with hope on the part OF
all for an enthusiastic and successful
campaign To the observer who did
not read between the lines, there
seemed to be, at times, noise and con-
fusion and even a trace OF bitterness
IN the air, but the session as compared
with some other conventions, was a
remarkably peaceful one.
"In the other conventions, squad
OF city policemen we're compelled TO
be on duty all the time and to flourish
their clubs on several occasions. In
our convention. only one city police
man was on duty and he only occa'
stonally, while a member of the 50
ciety OF Friends. with a mild and be
rignant face. characteristic OF the
Quaker people, was chosen as ser
geaut-at-arms TO manage the conyen
ton
OPENED WITH PRAYER.
1T was opened by the singing OF
gospel songs and by a real and not q
formal prayer. and never failed to
respond to the plea for order and bar
IRONY II was conducted by clean men
and not single saloon in Atlantic
city was enriched by their presence.
"It ia an honor 10 be nominated by
the only party with a united front. a
progressive platform, and candidates
in harmony with its principles. The
political situation this year is chaotic
in the extreme The old parties are
seriously discredited and the new par
~ so recently born. while PROCESSING
70 be a protest against one-msn power
and steam rollers. is nothing but the
heightened shadow OF the Big Chief
Moosevelt
The Lamp Of Experience is Just
az Indispensable now as in Patrick
Henry's day Men are to be judged
not by their selfpraise and selfas
sumed names. nor by their boastful
manner and strenuous advertising
RaaI nrograss would disown many OF