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LIFE OF HON. HALE JOHNSON.

PROHIBITION CANDIDATE FOR VICE PRESIDENT.

THE subject of this biographic sketch was born in Montgomery County, Indiana, August 21, 1847. He resided there, receiving such education as the schools of the place afforded, till the breaking out of the War of the Rebellion, when, though quite a youth, he enlisted in the 135th Indiana Volunteers, and served in the cause of the Union till the end of the war.

In 1865 he moved to Illinois, and took up the study of law. On his admission to the bar he made Newton, Ill., his permanent residence. He soon acquired a lucrative practice there, which he still enjoys. Commensurate with his rise at the bar was his growth in the confidence and esteem of his community. He became an active member of the Republican party, and was promised the honor of an election to the State Legislature, but on his failure to secure the adoption of a Prohibition plank in the platform of that party, in 1884, he left it for the Prohibition party, with which he has cooperated ever since.

He

In 1884, he attended the National Prohibition Convention at Pittsburg, where he favored the nomination of John P. St. John as a candidate for the Presidency. has always been regarded by his party as one of its ablest exponents and most earnest workers. Nor is he less a worker in other directions. He is a devout and highly es teemed member of the Christian Church, a past-com

mander of the Grand Army of the Republic, and a colonel in the Veteran Commandery.

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He was a delegate to the Prohibition National Convention of 1896, at Pittsburg, May 27th and 28th, where, during the heated controversy between the "broad g gage and "narrow-gage" factions, he distinguished himself by a masterly effort to harmonize the antagonistic forces. The impression he made on the Convention proved to be so deep that he was singled out as the one most fitting to bear the honors of a nomination for the Vice Presidency of the United States.

His name was presented to the Convention in an eloquent speech by Chairman Dickie. His running opponent was ex-Governor L. C. Hughes, of Arizona, whose name had been before the Convention as a candidate for the Presidency. The ballot resulted in 309 votes for Johnson and 132 for Hughes. The motion to make the nomination unanimous was carried without dissent. The final result was the signal for an ovation such as had crowned the. nomination of Joshua Levering as candidate for President. Mr. Johnson was escorted to the platform and introduced to the Convention, when he accepted the responsible trust and acknowledged the high honors in one of his characteristically, eloquent and inspiring speeches.

THE NATIONAL PARTY AND PLATFORM OF 1896.

THE NATIONAL PARTY was formed of those who bolted the Prohibition Convention at Pittsburg, in May, 1896. The bolting body was known in Convention as "Broad Gagers." They nominated the following ticket at Pittsburg:

For President, CHARLES E. BENTLEY, of Nebraska. For Vice President, JAMES H. SOUTHGATE, of North Carolina.

Their Platform and appeal to the people of the United States, are as follows:

LIBERTY, JUSTICE, EQUALITY.

To the People of the United States:

The inalienable right of each citizen to affiliate with that political party which he regards as the best exponent of his own views, will hardly be questioned in a free country.

Neither will it be disputed that this right involves the right of any body of citizens to organize a new party, whenever they are unable to find among existing parties one which they regard as a satisfactory exponent of their views.

But when a new party is organized and other citizens

are invited to sunder former party ties in order to give it support, it is but just and proper that those concerned in the organization of such new party should present to the people a fair statement of the reasons for its organization and of the grounds on which support for its ticket is claimed. i

The National Party was organized at Pittsburg, Pa., on May 29, 1896. There were present participating in the organization of this party over three hundred men and women, representing twenty-seven States. The purpose of this party is to secure control of the government in State and Nation, and so administer it that "Liberty, Justice and Equality" may prevail.

The principles and purposes of this party are set forth in the following platform:

The National party, recognizing God as the author of all just power in government, presents the following declaration of principles, which it pledges itself to enact into effective legislation when given the power to do so.

1. The suppression of the manufacture and sale, importation, exportation and transportation of intoxicating liquors for beverage purposes. We utterly reject all plans for regulating or compromising with this traffic, whether such plans be called local option, taxation, license or public control. The sale of liquors for medicinal and other legitimate uses should be conducted by the State, without profit, and with such regulations as will prevent fraud or evasion.

2. No citizen should be denied the right to vote on account of sex.

3. All money should be issued by the general Government only, and without the intervention of any private citizen, corporation or banking institution. It should be

based upon the wealth, stability and integrity of the Nation. It should be a full legal tender for all debts, public and private, and should be of sufficient volume to meet the demands of the legitimate business interests of the country. For the purpose of honestly liquidating our outstanding coin obligations, we favor the free and unlimited coinage of both silver and gold, at the ratio of 16 to 1, without consulting any other nation.

4. Land is the common heritage of the people and should be preserved from monopoly and speculation. All unearned grants of land, subject to forfeiture, should be reclaimed by the Government, and no portion of the public domain should hereafter be granted except to actual settlers, continuous use being essential to tenure.

5. Railroads, telegraphs and other natural monopolies should be owned and operated by the Government, giving to the people the benefit of service at actual cost.

6. The national constitution should be so amended as to allow the national revenues to be raised by equitable adjustment of taxation on the properties and incomes of the people, and important duties should be levied as a means of securing equitable commercial relations with other nations.

7. The contract convict labor system, through which speculators are enriched at the expense of the State, should be abolished.

8. All citizens should be protected by law in their right to one day of rest in seven, without oppressing any who conscientiously observe any other than the first day of the

week.

9. The American public schools, taught in the English language, should be maintained, and no public funds should be appropriated for sectarian institutions.

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