Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1884-06-15
rsE yorxG MEMS GLIB.
...d fall for the Declaratisa Of
ns Principles.

Epros PosrIsrELLIcEscEn:
leaning thatzthe newly formed
.venno Mems independent Political
c,sn;, vas TO hold meeting Friday
OIa; On;ra AZ the Court House, and being
s.a,ssfed in general in movements Of
~ .lass of citizens, and therefore desir-
IL n know the special purposes of this
e.en;zatiop, the writer attended this
o.sshsrinq, in his purpose to ascertain
.hst are tie principles which It advo-
80 in the present campaign. he was
S.ssnnointed, for if it has any distinct
- nytusipIes the speakers of the evs-
s;rg did not deign to reveal them. A
Aarssin purpose was evident, however,
10 nlesee the members of the club
s.ssoys hand TO uniformity of action, and
- nIing this attempt with other noto-
s;cns facts, the conclusion was vividly
snrQested that the real object OF this so
eisty is 10 commit its entire member
hin 10 q support OF some unknown
nolioy, and then carry 1t bodily to the
esmps of lawlessness. Certainly the
srsrcises of this meeting conformed
hetser 10 that theory than to any other.
Ths first speaker treated bis audience,
rho we're waiting 10 hear from him an
snthorjtative declaration of the prin-
s;rlss OF the body, with dissertation
~ he necessity of united actisn; this
,.as his sole effort. The next, in a very
indefinite way, alluded to the necessity
"A a rolicy which should conserve the
buainsss interests Of the city, which he
conceived to be IN danger from some
aause which he did not take the pains
!. 10 specify, and in an impassioned man
uer appealed TO the young men t. save
the community from the impending
peril. The third orator stumbled into
4 reference to "the other side," and
then caught himself and denied that
there is any other side; so that not even
negatively were we permitted To obtain
glimpse of the inwardness of the mat
t4r. The entire parport, both of his
witficisms and his appeals. was the
same uniformity, the wisdom of the
body 10 determine the course of the in
dividual.
At this point one of the siRners of the
roll OF membership pertinently asked
the sense of the meeting as to the adep-
,ion of pledge requiring all to support
its ticket, ihtimating that he was un-
favorable TO such action. and should
feel constrained to withdraw from tho
club If this test were to be imposed.
This suggestion caused considerable
confusion and apparent dismay, but
was finally settled by being declared out
Of order, and fourth speaker vocifer-
ously expatiated ON the need OF young
men in politics, but prudentiy refrained
fr0m giving any special reason for their
present. activity. After this came the
speech Of the evening, which brought
the proceedings to an abrupt termina-
ton One OF the selected vice presi-
dents, in carefully premeditated ad-
dress signified his adhesion TO the be
lief that young men should give heed 10
public affairs, and then proceeded to
touch on the matter Of the discussion,
limiting keenly that there seems to be
a shroud of mystery about the object of
the organization, and that he should
not identify himself with 1t till his mind
we're satisfied. He proceeded to declare
very emphatically that he should take
no pledge to bind his action shat II he
entered the club hs should preserve his
independence. and that If they present
Cd an undesirable nomination he should
reserve and exercise the right TO repudi-
ate IL.
The applause which greeted these as
sertions was in striking contrast to the
scattering sounds of approval which
had previously been called forth, and
showed that he had touched the pulse
OF the meeting.
This new turn gave a wholly different
phase to the situation. There had been
no previous intimRtion that the pro
ceedings would close at this point |;
there had rather been hints that the
organization would be completed, pre-
sumably by the adoption of the pledge
hoped for, but the club WAS evidently
much iarther from the point now than
at the beginning of the evening, aud so,
Tor want OF anything better 10 do, the
melton TO adjourn WAS carried, aud the
gathering dissolved. A lame and impo-
tent conclusion, surely. IL this special
meeting had any other purpose than TO
secure promise of uniformity, IL GER
tainly failed TO reveal II, and was man-
aged with exceedingly poor Judgment.
II II was called in advocacy Of any
definite principles il declined TO make
them known, and TO the uuinitiated 1t
seemed an ignominious fasco--its last
state worse than its first. Two COM
ments may be allowed-the first is, that
the law and order ticket commends ID
self fairly TO the suifrages of young
men. Its issue is not 'extrene," unless
10 declare that existing laws must be
obeyed Is an extreme position. Its
issue is simply. shall any business be
allowed 10 override the law, or shall II
be compelled to submit to the statutes
Npresents no purp se of more stringent
enactments-says only that law must be
respected. IL is not easy to discover
how any young man can oppose II with
ont thereby declaring in favor of law
violation. and the writer is persuaded
thai three-fourths of these present Fri
day evening would repudiate suoh q
position when IL IL once fairly under
stood.
The other comment is this: the Law
and order ticket has the very fairest
promise OF success. A large number of
soiid citizens have signified their pur-
pose 10 support il. and the women are a
Practical unit in its favor, and are de-
tefmined 10 vote; il does not therefore
heed assistance from outside sources.
But II the managers of the "Youne
Mems Club" desire TO secure for it a
majority that will astonish even its sup
pcrters, they have only TO persist In the
: sndeavor TO force an agreement OF uni-
iormity, and then carry the entire or
Ran'xatien to point where the indiyid-
uels would not have gone themselves.
relying on the pledge to hold them to-
Resher. This kind of management has
no. been without its success In the past.
oot " has become antiqufted and worn
oul Our local politicians may not
nave forgotten that within two years an
attempt was made in New York to fierce
an unwelcome policy and ticket on the
party then dominant, the endeavor being
Supported by no less august apersonaee
.nan the President of the United States.
4 at she polls the people of the Empire
nsats recorded their opinion by giving
zoe opposition ticket the unprecedented
majority of nearly two hundred thous-
saa, while the country at large respond
oy changing the lower House of Con-
knS from strongly Republican to n
Gonely Democratic body. A similar
.uh. on a smaller scale, Ia likely ~
.rw a0low similar movement among us.
Lee friends of law. a. estimating the
e1cct on their own success, may look on
1n eomplaceney, but as agreeing al
NRetnef on the responsibility of young
Men 70 interest themselves in Political
saNrs. We regret 10 see their initial en-
lsasor meet with such an untimciy fate.
II the puhiin ;,a3g,,a.,s has rsfsnraaf-