The 1908 Prohibition National Convention was held at Franklin County Memorial Hall in Columbus, Ohio, July 15–16, 1916. It nominated Eugene W. Chafin for president and Aaron S. Watkins for vice president.

Logistics

Franklin County Memorial Hall, venue of the convention (photographed in 2020)
Cover page for official publication of convention

The convention was held in Columbus, Ohio. The general sessions of the convention were held each evening at Franklin County Memorial Hall.[1][2] The convention was held July 15 and 16.[1][2][3]

Upon arriving in the city, delegates were escorted from Union Station to their hotels by a brass band sitting on a water sprinkler vehicle (a literal "water wagon", playing on a euphemism for alcohol abstinence).[3]

Presidential nomination

Heading into the convention, indications arose that the presidential balloting could be contentious. Some party leaders sought to nominate a ticket that included a Southern Democrat and Northern Republican.[3][1]

Mentioned as possible candidates ahead of the convention were:

The convention nominated Eugene W. Chafin of Illinois.[5] Chafin was also a contender, at the time, for the party's nomination in the Illinois gubernatorial election.[4]

The nomination for president took three ballots. The top failed competitor was considered to have been William B. Palmore, who received many votes on the first ballot but placed weakly on the third (once it became clear Chafin was headed towards securing the nomination). Chafin did not receive strong support on the first ballot, receiving only 195 of 1,083 votes. His support increased on the second ballot. His state, Illinois, had largely cast its votes for Daniel R. Sheen on the first ballot. However, on the third ballot, Illinois's delegation flipped to Chafin. Also flipping to Chafin on the third ballot were the Indiana, New York, and Wisconsin delegations. Receiving 636 votes on the third ballot. After Chafin secured the nomination, the convention voted to make his nomination unanimous.[4]

Presidential vote[a]
Candidate 1st 2nd 3rd Unanimous
√ Eugene W. Chafin 195 376 636 1,087
William A. Palmore 273 418 415 -
Alfred L. Manierre 159 121 4 -
Daniel R. Sheen 124 157 12 -
Joseph P. Tracy 105 81 7 -
Frederick F. Wheeler 72 73 - -
Oliver W. Stewart 61 47 - -
James B. Cranfill 28 - - -
George R. Stewart 7 - - -
Charles Scanlon 1 - - -

Chafin notification and acceptance of nomination in Chicago (July 18)

Chafin was formally notified of his nomination and accepted it on July 18 at a meeting held at Chicago's Music Hall. The speech formally notifying him was delivered by Charles Scanlon. The meeting was attended by many top Prohibition Party officials. Party Chairman Charles S. Jones called the notification meeting to order, with Samuel Dickie serving as the meeting's chairman. Among the other speakers at the meeting were Clinton N. Howard (New York activist), Felix T. McWhirter (treasurer of the national party), and Daniel R. Sheen.[5]

In his acceptance speech, Chafin declared

Vice presidential nomination

The convention initially voted to nominate William B. Palmore for vice president. However, he declined this nomination. It then proposed to nominate Aaron S. Watkins (a professor from Ohio) for vice president by acclamation. The delegates were eager to adjourn in time to catch early evening trains home from Columbus, thus Watkins was a compromise choice to whom there was hope there might be no opposition. However, various delegates brought force various motions that delayed the nomination vote, and ultimately forced a vote by ballot to be taken for vice president.[4]

Three candidates were put forth in the vote: Watkins, T. B. Demaree of Kentucky, and Charles S. Holler of Indiana. Watkins's nomination prevailed with an overwhelming nomination, and the convention then adopted a motion by the Kentucky delegation to consider his nomination unanimous.[4]

Vice presidential vote[4]
Candidate Unanimous 1st Unanimous
√ Aaron S. Watkins - ? 1,087
William A. Palmore 1,087 - -
T. B. Demaree - ? -
Charles S. Holler - ? -

Notable speakers

On the opening day of the convention, several former presidential nominees of the party spoke to the convention. This included former John St. John (former governor of Kansas), Joshua Levering, Silas C. Swallow, and John G. Woolley.[1]

Notes

  1. ↑ Information on the actual balloting is conflicting. The New York Times reported that when the National Committee met in 1907 they had allotted for 1,508 delegates to the National Convention, but there were only reportedly 1,083 and 1,087 votes on the first and second ballots for President respectively. This also clashes with those results reported by "Ohio Elects the President", where it is posited there were 1,025 votes cast on the first ballot and 1,273 votes cast on the second.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Prohibitionists In Convention". San Luis Obispo Daily Telegram. July 14, 1908. Retrieved June 16, 2026 – via California Digital Newspaper Collection.
  2. 1 2 Order of Business and Book of Reference of the National Prohibition Convention held at Memorial Hall, Columbus, Ohio, July 15-16, 1908. Prohibition National Committee. 1908.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Prohibitionists Gather; Delegates to Columbus Convention to be Escorted by Water Wagon". The New York Times. July 13, 1908. Retrieved June 16, 2026.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "Prohibitionists Name E.W. Chafin; Vice Presidential Nominee Is Aaron S. Watkins -- Both Men Are Gubernatorial Candidates. Carrie National A Speaker Platform Declares for Prohibition of Inter-State Traffic in Liquor, and Uniform Marriage and Divorce Laws" (PDF). The New York Times. July 17, 1908. Retrieved June 16, 2026.
  5. 1 2 3 "Chafin Accepts the Nomination". Evening News. August 19, 1908. Retrieved June 16, 2026 – via Virginia Chronicle Library of Virginia.
source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1908_Prohibition_National_Convention