, 1890-08-28
A WILSON VICTORY
Saturdays Meeting Of the Spo
kane Republican County
Central Committee,
The New Primary Law Will Be
Applied-Tho Chairman Purely
Ornamental.

man of the committee.
Roll call found the following
members present:
Dell Wager, Twin Prairie; I. N.
Peyton, Peone; +. NJ. Pugh, sal.
tese; n. Pratt, Chattaroy; j. f.
Strong, Five Mile; T.. II. Henderson,
Rockford; a. NJ. .Merriman, by proxy,
Deep Creek Falls; w. l.. Magers,
j. Glasgow, Medical Lake. j. IL.
Hughes, Cheney; j. b. Benway,
Marshall; f.. M. Wyatt, proxy B.
w. Shaw, Spanglc; A. Moore,
Graves; w. b. Webb, Rock Creek;
p. Gimble, Waverly; w. N. Rid
path, q. NJ. Forster, G. NJ. Pat terson,
Spokane Falls; A. Metcalf, Mount
Hope; NJ. ID. Smith, Spokane
Falls; J. \. Todd, proxy G..
+. Clough, Spokane Falls;
J. T.. Reed, Richland; A. I'll.
Wheeler, proxy Nj. III. Shinn,
Latch; Joseph Mast, Peone; Il. j.
Cole, stevens.
The chairman stated the purpose
of the meeting to be the appoint
ment of delegates for various pre-
cincts, fixing the time for holding
the county convention and to de-
eide the manner of holding the
primary elections, whether under
the new law or the old.
After the chair had stated the
purpose for which the meeting was
held, Mr.. G. M. Forster moved
that all persons not members of the
committee be excluded from the
room.
Mr.. j. II. Hughes opposed hold
ing u secret session of the committee,
and after further debate the motion
was lost.
The following gentlemen holding
proxies presented their testimonials
to the secretary, Mr.C. III. Patterson,
and were accorded seats as members
of the committee: Mr. w. l.. Magers,
acting for A. NJ. Merriman; Mayor
Clough, for j. A. Todd; B. w. Shaw,
for Il. NJ. Wyatt; and Nj. III. Shinn,
for A. fl. Wheeler.
Mr.. M. ID. Smith moved that the
convention proceed to apportion the
delegates from each precinct to the
county convention. Carried.
Mr.. A. Metcalf moved that the
basis of representation be one dele
gate for every precinct, one for
every twenty-five republican votes
cast at the last election and one for
each fraction of twelve or over.
Mr.. Forster moved to amend by
making the apportionment one for
every twenty-five, one for each frac-
ton of twelve or over, and no pre-
cinct to have less than one delegate.
The amendment was lost, and the
original motion was put to the con-
vention and carried.
Mr.. G.. NJ Forster made n motion
that the primaries be held one week
from yesterday, and that the Con-
vention meet at Spokane Falls on
the following Thursday.
Mr. Metcalf moved to amend by
deferring one week, and an amend
ment was made to the amendment
by Mr.. Hughes that the dates sug-
gested by the state central commit
tee be adopted, namely: The 10th
and Goth of September for the re-
spective meetings.
After considerable debate, the 9th
of September was substituted for
holding the primaries, and, on the
question being divided, and the
different sections being put separ-
ately, that date was chosen.
The date for holding the county
convention twas set for Septem-
Der Is.
Mr.. f. NJ. Pugh offered the fol-
lowing resolutions:
Resolved, That the republican primn.
ries be held under the new state pri-
mary law, and that q. f. Clough, W.
NJ. Ridpnth. C.. NJ. Patterson, j. II.
Hughes and ID. NJ. Smith be empo wered
To act as committee to put 1t in opera
tion.
Mr.. Forster objected to the resolu-
tion on the ground that the new
law was cumbersome, hard to un-
derstand and had not been read by
the people, especially in the country
districts.
BY courtesy of the committee,
Judge Houghton, a member of the
Legislature. which framed tue bill,
was tendered the use of the floor,
and made forcible speech I'm favor
of the bill. The Judge said that he
had been republican for the last
quarter of century, that the repub-
lican party was the party which de-
mandeG purity in politics, and that
now, if at the first election after the
passage of n bill ny the republican
party tending to that end, a repub-
iican committee refused to act under
1t, cry of corruption would be
raised, which would seemingly have
a good foundation. The opponents
claimed that some precincts, where
registration was not required, would,
by the adoption of this law, be dis
franchlsed, but in those precincts
the same laws would hold good as
now.
After the jndge's remarks, Colonel
Peyton offered the following, which
took the place of Mr.. Pugh's resolu-
tion:
law shall be adopted in all precincts
where the registration law prevails, but
shall not be applied to precincts where
there we're less than 25O votes cast at the
last general election.
After considerable debate the res
olution was carried.
Mr.. NJ. ID. Smith moved that Mr..
C.. +. Clough, w. NJ. Ridpath, G.
NJ. Patterson, Joseph Hughes and
Felix Pugh be constituted n conf
mittee of five to issue the call for
the convention, and act as general
executive committee, naming judges,
and attending to such other matters
as may be brought before 1t.
An amendment empowering tho
chairman of the county committee
to appoint the committee of five
was lost, and on vote the original
motion prevailed.
A motion that the county conven-
ton meet at 10 o'clock ON the day