The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-01-19
GOSSIP OF POLITICS.
Talk About the Democratic
Candidates for Mayor.
REPUBLICAN, CENTRAL CLUB.
Mucn Enfhusiasm shown ut Meeting for
Organization Last Mythical
in the Wards.

That the leading Democrats of the city
nave not yet agreed upon q candidate for
mayor Is evident from the eagerness and
interest with which members of the party
alscuss the men who might possibly come
before the convention.
For week the current of opinion in the
party has been running toward J. t. Rom
AID, and his friends feel quite confident
that he will receive the nomination. The
TACT is. however, that Ronald is not the
unanimous choice of the Democracy of
Seattle. His candidacy is favored not
50 much on the ground that he would
make good mayor, as that he would
run Well with certain classes
OF voters. HELL catch the laboring
men, is the main argument urged for
Ronald. Though the proletariat is in
chned to shout for him, he will neverthe-
less meet with strong opposition from the
Ola line party men. The machine politi-
clans are anxious to run a straight Demo-
cratic ticket at the city election, in order
10 strengthen the organization for the
coming Struggle in state and national poll
tics. This desire, which holds them back
from any union with ''citizens ticket, {"
also dampens their ardor for Ronald. They
feel that if they are going to put up
Democratic city ticket in the year of the
presidential election, the head of it must
be a man whose Democracy is unques-
TONED. And certainly J. T. Ronald has
had too many iridescent dreams to pose
as thick-and-thin Democrat. Then, too,
John Collins, whom Ronald fought for the
nomination for mayor in 1890, is now in
the saddle as chairman of the county COM
mittee, and Collins might find it agreeable
to take revenge by riding rough shod
over Ronald in 1882.
The ''better element" of the party is
strongly inclined toward d. III. Gilman;
and the leaders of this wing have been
waiting for his return from the East to
urge upon him the nomination. Ronald
himself expresses willingness to get out
of the way for Gilman. Some interest was
added to the discussion of the latter's
strength by yesterday mornings Telegroph,
which printed the following official state
ment from Mr.. Gilman, who is part owner
OF the newspaper:
The two great parties are organizing actively
Tor the city campaign in March. The Democrats
expect to put up a clean and strong ticket but
thus Tar there is no conveyance of opinion as to
the probable candidates d. H. Gilman has been
No one has ever supposed that Mr.. Gil
man wants the Office, but the better ele-
ment has been hoping that he would
accept the nomination, and the Teieqraph
does not say that he would refuse it. Mr..
Gilman has never been anxious to see the
mob name the candidates, and perhaps he
might therefore regard himself as better
man at the head of the ticket than Mr..
Ronald. Mr.. Gilman, as a corporation
man, would be weak among those who are
throwing UP their caps for Ronald, and
then. too, Mr.. Gilman's alliance with the
Great Northern railway might not make
the friends of the Northern Pacific rail-
way any too ardent for him. He is too
clever politician not to be aware of these
facts.
The names of John Y. Ostrander and
George Donworth are still on the lips of
those who talk politics, though Ostrander
certainly doesn't care for the nomination.
Donworth Is like Barkis, but if he doesn't
get the place at the head of the ticket the
nomination for corporation counsel may
be given as a consolation. The work
would suit Err. Donworth's tastes, and the
pay is So, 600 a year-$600 more than the
mayor Will get if the proposed char
ter revision is adopted. Yesterday Doc
tor and Alderman J. p. Sweeny was men,
toned. His Democracy is unquestioned,
and though he has not taken very active
part in politics until the last year or two,
still he has the glory of being the only
Democrat now in office elected by the'city
at large. When the vacancy occurred in
the board OF aldermen the Democrats put
him up and he astonished himself and MS
friends by going in. There is feeling
among some that he, as the C. ampion of
the party in the upper house, should re-
ceive promotion.