Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1920-07-22
PROHIBITION PARTY
OPENS Thirteenth
ANNUAL CONVENTION
W, J, Bryan Is Discussed as
Candidate Hinshaw
Praises Accomplished
Watkins Delivers Keynote

LINCOLN, Neb., July 21.-The Pro
hibition party opened it's thirteenth
annual convention here today pre-
pared to give over much Of the three
days of day and night sessions to
jubilation over the downfall of John
BarIeycorn. To this end, several
celebrations have been arranged and
dozen or more orators have pre-
pared speeches felicitating the party
on its fight against liquor and con-
demning the Republican and Demo
cratic conventions for lack Of def
| mite action on the question.
Indications were that such matters
as nominees and platform planks
would give way for at least two
days to the jubilee
The opening session, however,
found the delegates apparently fac
ing the peculiar situation of being
almost unanimously in favor Of Will
liam J. Bryan as their presidential
nominee, and yet being divided as to
whether the convention should name
| the Nebra skan as it's leader in the
fall election.
The Bryan boom today had become
the foremost question before the
delegates. Mr.. Bryan's friends here,
who claim to be speaking for him.
firmly reiterate previous statements
that he will not accept the nomina-
ton, will not run on any ticket and
feels that the party should not name
any candidates, combining its activi-
ties instead to local campaigns.
Groups of delegates yesterday plan
ned to try to have Bryan nominated
unanimously regardless Of his own
| views. A series of night conferences
by other delegates resulted and to-
day there was q definite movement
to prevent Mr.. Bryan's nomination
on the ground that he should not
be placed in an embarrassing posi-
ton, although the delegates working
against his nomination declare they
personally favor 1t II he would ac-
cent. Nominations are not scheduled
until Friday.
Hinshaw opens Session
The convention was called to order
by Virgil G. Hinshaw, national COM
mittee chairman, and the usual pray
ers and singing followed. Aaron s.
Watkins, of Germantown, o., was
made temporary chairman and de-
1ivered the keynote address. Com
nittees on credentials, organization,
rules and resolutions We're appointed
and at the afternoon session it was
planned to hear their reports.
Calling the thirteenth quadrennial
convention of the prohibition party to
order here this morning, Virgil q,
Hinshaw, chairman of the prohibition
national committee, told the dele
gates they had come together to Sc
lect a burial lot for John Barley
corn" The other political parties, he
said, "out of respect to Johns re1a-
tives have voted that he shall lie
in state for another four years to be
viewed by the American people
"The Democratic platform is silent,
the Republican platform Is silent"
the prohibition national chairman
continued. Harding owns brewery
stock, he is not prohibitionist at
heart. Cox is wet. The future is
before us, the campaign is upon us.
1--WE want to do the wisest thing
the best thing for the prohibition
movement and for the country. 1t
was our fervent wish that every po-
litical party would this year fall In
line with the Constitution Of the
United States, with the congress of
the United States, with the supreme
court of the United States, and rec
ognize openly an davowedly the set
Element of this question. The other
parties have failed. What shall we
do?"
Other Measures Discussed
Turning to measures other than
prohibition which the party had
championed, Chairman Hinshaw said,
| GAS we assemble here for the thir-
| teenth time in fifty-one years we do
so with a realization that we have
! had part in more than one battle and
! for the solution of more than one
| problem. While we have been a
party with an eye single to the So
luton of one great problem we have
at the same time aimed at the solu-
ton and reached the solution OF
many problems.
For example, we stood for woman
suffrage in 1872, which was forty
years before the Progressive party
was born and forty years before any
other party assumed the same posi-
ton. We advocated civil service re-
! form the same year and thus pre-
coded the Democrats by four years
and the Republicans by twelve years.
We championed the direct election of
United States senators in 1872. The
Republican party never championed
that issue and the Democratic party
not until 1900 or twenty eight years
thereafter.
I'VE favored two-cent letter pos
tage in 1872 and thus beat every
other political party to that propo-
sition by the space of sixteen years.
We stood for international arbitra-
ton in 1876; the Republican party
did not advocate 1t until 1904, or
twenty-eight years thereafter and the
! Progressive party not until 1912, or
thirty-six years thereafter. We OPP
posed lotteries and gamblers in 1875;
no other political party ever opposed
such in platform or in convention.
eve went after the land grabbers
and spectators in 1876 and thus
] Continued on Page 2, Column ~