The Topeka state journal., 1916-07-18
Leader Tells of Preparedness
of Prohibition Party.
National Chairman's Speech
Prefaces Convention Opening.
MUSTER ROLL OF 100000
Voters Signed Up to Support
Party on Election Day.
Name Capper, White and Shell.
don of Kansas as Promoters.

st. Paul, July 1s.-Hints of a change
in the name of the Prohibition party,
which opens its national convention
here tomorrow were contained in the
address by which Virgil G. Hinshaw,
chairman of the Prohibition national
committee, today called to order a
''get together" meeting. He said in
part:
issued from Prohibition national head
quarters which read, in part:
I'VE, the undersigned. hereby issue
call to bring all voters and citizens
of America together into one national
conference, who believe in political
party committed by state and national
platform declarations to the complete
overthrow of the liquor traffic.
Governor Capper Signer.
'"This call was signed by one hun
dred persons, including some of the
foremost citizens of the land. 1t was
signed by Ben B. Lindsey the famous
| juvenile Judge; by ex-Gov. Eugene N.
Massachusetts, commonwealth; by Gov.
Arthur Capper of Kansas; by ex-Gov-
ernor Hodges and Ex-Governor st.
John of Kansas; by ex-Gov. William
Sulzer of New York; by Thomas Will
son, ex-consul to Hawaii and Brazil;
general of Connecticut; by Ira Land
rith, president of the Worlds Y NJ c.
A. convention; by William Shaw, gem
eral secretary of the Worlds Christian
Endeavor; by J. w. Bryan. congress-
man from Washington, and Charles H,
Randall, congressman from southern
California
THE purpose of the call was to
| bring into one political organization
all voters who believe in the national
l Tay- nj tffNrr H..
During the past four years there
has been carried on a supreme effort
to obtain the enlistment of five mil
! hon voters who will agree to support
such candidates and political party as
| stand committed by state and national
platforms to the prohibition of the Ii
quor traffic. Hundreds of thousands
| OF voters have been enlisted Men
high and low, from every walk of
Ire nave come to our rescue Pro-
Iessor irving Fisher of Yale organized
| MS committee of sixty, whose slogan
| Is: Whenever a political party pre-
fers the liquor traffic above the pub
lie health, morals and efficiency, such
political party must be abandoned. >
Belonging to this committee are David
starr Jordan, ex-Gov. J. Frank Hanly,
Governor Arthur Capper. William AL
len White, Prof. jacques Loeb and the
Rev. Charles NJ. Sheldon. This com
mlttee represents part Of the great
|
Turn Down Committee of Sixty.
''All three of the other political
parties in national convention assem-
bled turned down the committee of
sixty; turned down the worlds general
conference of the great Methodist
church; turned down the millions of
voters who sought either in person or
by representation the adoption of a
prohibition plank.
There is but one partv todav +ba,
stands committed by both state and
national platform declaration to the
prohibition of the liquor traffic. That
party is the prohibition party. Hence
there seems but two alternatives for
the hundreds of thousands who have
come to us, either to support the pro.
hibition party or engage in the forna.
ton of a new party.
And it Is for this conference to de.
eide what it will do There are tho,,.
sands who believe that the name 'pro.
hibition' has become so popular ir
SOUND that any other name would not
be SO good. There are still Others
who believe that some other name
could be chosen that might more near
ly represent the multitudes who thi,
year will join hands with us
May Change the Name.
THE matter of a mere name, how
ever, is insignificant. 1t is irnportan
though that we extend the hand of in
vitation to the millions of American
voters who this year refuse to bow
the knee to the Baal of political un.
: righteousness, that we shape a def.
mite policy, a definite program, and
that we look to an organization tbs
character of whose platform is in har.
mony with the five million move.
ment.''
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