The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-01-11

poets Democratic support, or has, indeed,
| made oyertures to secure it, or any part of
IL. Doubtless the judge would not object
to Democratic assistance 1T the proper
time, but he knows. or if he doee not
he ought to, that Senator Squire has
friends among the Democrats, and that in
case the Democracy sees 1T 10 take part in
the Republican hght. the chances are that
Squire would get more of the Democratic
votes than he. 4 combination between
Calkins and the Democratic managers by
which the Democrats are 10 support him is
an inlpossibility, for this reason: The
Democratic managers could not deliver
the goods. There are some Democrats
who will not vote for a Republican under
any circumstances. Sharpstain of Walla
Walla pretty plainly voiced the general
Democratic sentiment the other day when
he said: Il was elected to the legislature
as Democrat, and because am a Demo-
crat my constituents expect me to vote as
Democrat, and ! consider that would
be false to my party and recrcant to its
principles if l do otherwise In the
emergency of deadlock, however, the
probability is that some Democrats-.ot
duty to help settle the question
In case the remote possibility of dark
horse being elecred less remote, however,
than the possibility of Caikins election
becomes q reality, whom is the senatorial
lightning likely TO strike? There are sew
erai candidates ready 10 put their lightning
rods up. They are General Tom Ewing,
Nelson Bennett and DR.. G.. v. Calhoun.
General Ewing declares, with a super
tiuity of emphasis that makes his sincerity
slightly doubtful, that he is not never was
and will not be a candidate. Mr.. Ben
nett's protestations are scarcely less earn
est. DR.. Calhoun is not known to be in
the field, but he certainly would not object
to the use of his name if there was a fair
chance of success. Ex-Governor Moore
has been mentioned. but he is unquestion-
ably not candidate, tentatively or Sc
cretiy. His residence east of the noun
tains alone forDids the use of his name.
Possibly Mr. John f. Convey, of Olympia,
might be induced to enter the race, though
ii is doubtful. But if ii ever comes to the
point OF taking up new candidate there
will be no lack of available senatorial tim
Der.
The estimates in the preceding para
graphs are based upon the assumption that
Calkins has possible 30. If he has
that number there are 60 more Republi-
cans, and if these all vote for Squire a
deadlock will not occur. There are no
other Republican candidates but Calkins
and Squire, and it is scarcely probable that
there will be more than two or three scat
tering votes Ii an emergency should
arise by which scattering votes hold the
balance of power, Squire has as good and
| probably better chance of securing them
than Calkins. If Squire gets them it will
elect him. If Calkins gets them it will not
elect him or materially change the situa-
ton. If Senator Squire should lack few
votes of election on the first ballot it
would require but slight change to give
him the necessary number. His support
| is spontaneous, united and determined.
| The managers of the senator have no fear
that it can be rendered less compact or en-
thusiastic. Senator Squire has the pres
tige of one decisive senatorial victory un-
der almost precisely the same circum-
| stances. The opposition of rs Republican
votes made just as much noise aud claimed
| just as many votes as the Calkins people
now claim. The narlhcr of votes neces-
y
Squire received 76 out of a possible 105,
triumphing on the first ballot over the
combined Republican, Democratic and
scattering opposition votes. The single
element of difference between the contests
of 1891 and 1859 is the increased Democratic
vote. As it is. however, il is not enough
to materially reduce Squire's chances of
success on the hrst ballot from his chances
in the previous election.
Something of sensation has been Gre
ated in Tacoma and Olympia over the
probable ineligibility of Byron Barlow,
member Of the lower house from Pierce
county, to his seat i'll the legislature The
alleged discovery is made by Democratic
Tacoma paper, which announces with
great display that Barlow .1is not in it,"
and apparently rejoices in the fact that
Calklns is likely to lose one vote. The
case is as follows: On November 4 Mr..
Byron Barlow was elected a member of the
legislature from Pierce county. a few
| days after he was appointed by MaySr
| kandle to position on the board of pub
| lie works. Section IA. article 2, of the con-
| stitution reads as follows
| No person, being a member OF congress, or
| holding any civil or military Office under the
| United States, or any other power shall be ELI
| gible to be member of the legislature, and IL
/ any person, after his election as Il member of
! the legislature, should be elected 10 congress or
be appointed to any other Office, civil or MILL
| tary, under the government OF the United
| States or any other power, his acceptance
1 thereof shall yacate his seat: Provided, That
officers in the militia OF the state who receive no
annual sslary, and local officers and postmasters
| whose compensation does not exceed 500 per
annum, shall not be eligible,
| Mr.. Barlow, it will be noted, was ap-
| pointed member of the Tacoma board of
public works after election to the legisla-
tire. The Tacoma paper claims that Mr.
Barlow's eligibility depends upon the con-
struction of the word power" as TO
whether it refers to foreign powers or to
the state or local government. II is appa-
rent, however. that Mr. Barlow's incum-
bency is dependent solely and simply on
| the position of single comma If a
comma is placed after the words "local
! officers in the proviso, and there is none
| after the word 'postmasters," Mr.. Barlow
| is eligible, for in that ease the proviso
would except from the operation Of the
article ''iocal officers ard ''postmasters
| whose compensation does not exceed $500
| per year, RI there is DO comma after
Officers and one after .'postmasters,' .
| the clause would read, local officers and