Carrizozo outlook. [volume] (Carrizozo, N.M.) 1910-1945, 1919-01-31
COLD WATER PARTY
FIFTY YEARS OLD
Was Organized for National Po-
lltical Action In 1869.
FIRST PoLLED 5,6o7 VOTES
John p. 81. Johns Stirring Campaign
Of fss4-oreat Work Of Miss VIII
lard and the w. c. 7. v. In
Supervising lntemperanee.

0uppFcbbiUH lUteWpcFaVCes
Flnnl triumph for It's cause came TO
the national Prohibition party almost
ut the time Of It's golden jubilee, II
came into existence fifty years ago
next September in Farwell hall, Chi
cngo, by the act Of a convention OF
about 600 delegates representing 10
stntes.
For several years the formation OF
such n pnrty had been discussed be-
cause the leaders OF the Republican
and Democratic parties had virtually
ignored the advocates Of prohibition.
The Good Templars, organized In 1851
as n society OF total abstalners, urged
such action, and other leaders believed
II necessary. At n state temperance
convention held in Pennsylvania In
1867 the plan was first publicly broach-
ed, and two years later on May 20,
1869. the call for the Chicago CONVEX
ton was put out by the grand lodge OF
the Good Templnrs In session at Os-
wego. N. Y. A committee TO formulate
the plans was named, comprising John
Russell, Detroit; j.. A. Spencer, Cleve-
land, o.; James Black, Lancaster, Pa.
John n. s%tearns, New York, and Dan
Tel wilkins, Bloomington, III. The con-
vention called by this committee or
ganlzed the party on September 1.
adopted n platform and appointed n
national committee OF which John Rus
sell was chairman.
First National Ticket.
Nearly three years later, on Wash
lngton's birthday, 1872, the leg party
met In convention In Columbus, o., 10
place a national ticket In the field.
James Black was nominated for presi-
dent and John Russell for vice presl-
dent. Mr.. Black was n prominent Good
Templnr and also was one OF the
founders of the National Temperance
Society and Publication house and OF
the Camp Meeting association ut
Ocean Grove, n. J.. Mr.. Russell, also
II leader Of the Good Templars and n
Methodist minister, was known ms the
father Of the Prohibition party, for he
published n newspaper, the Penlnsular
Herald, which led the way In advent
ing the organization OF the party for
political action.
with MI their devotion to the cause,
the Prohibition leaders had no hope Of
success In the election OF 1872, and
they were not disappointed. Their
ticket received only 5,G07 votes. This
did not discourage them, and four
yenrs later they put Green Clay Smith
Of Kentucky and Gideon r. Stewart
on the tIcket These gentlemen re-
ceived 0,737 votes. General Neal Dow
OF Maine, who had gnlned fame MS the
author Of the Maine Prohibition law,
was the next presidential candidate,
In 1850, with II. A. Thompson IN sec
ond place on the ticket. They pollsd
only l0,3G6 votes,
ST. Johns Hot Campaign.
When the plans were being laid for
the campaign of 1854 Frances II. VII
lard and her fellow workers Of the W.
G. r. u. entered the field. They sent
10 the Republican convention a great
petition asking that consideration be
given the pleas of the temperance nd
yocates, but Il was ignored aud even
thrown into the dirt on the door, and
Miss willard promptly turned to the
Prohibition party, Her help was well
coined and John +. st. John OF Kan
sns was put nt the head of tho cold
water ticket, Already he was n nota-
BILE figure, for he had fought IN the
Ciyll war as lieutenant colonel of the
lf3d regiment OF Illinois volunteers
and later served two terms ms COVER
o Of Kansas. lie was u Republican,
but his party thought him too warm a
friend of the prohlbltlonlsts and he
was defeated for reelection In 1882.
Accepting the Prohibition nomination,
he went into the campaign with all
his ylgor and delivered stirring
speeches all over the country, espe-
clally paying attention 10 New York
state, where me fight between James
q. Blaine and Grover Cleveland had
made things very warm. 81. John was
out 10 beat the Republicans. and he
succeeded, for the Prohibition vote
was large enough 10 lei Cleveland win
New York state and, In consequence,
the nation. The Prohlbltlonlsts polled
the surprisingly large vote OF 150.G2G.
That the Republicans credited them
with giving victory to the Democrats
was proved by the fact that IN more
than a hundred cities At. John was
burned In eiigy.
The Prohibition convention of 1896