The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-04-22
A NEW IDOL SET UP.
The Only James Hamilton Lewis
May Have Rival.
EUGENE SEMPLe is THE MAN.
The Anti-Lewis Faction Would Like to
Have Him Run and Divide
King County.

The local Democracy is still in tur-
MOL, and everybody has found that the
fight over the confirmation of J. NJ. Car
son as comptroller has aroused enmities
that are not easily allayed.
Since last Monday night the guberna-
torial aspirations of the only James Ham
ilton Lewis have found new rival. 1t
will be remembered that Mr.. Lewis was
opposed to Mr.. Carson's getting the
comptrollership; and Mr.. Carson was.
and doubtless is still, as cordially averse to
seeing Mr.. Lewis receive the Democratic
nomination for governor. Mr.. Carson has
never hesitated, when it has seemed to
him necessary, to express his not too high
opinion of Mr.. Lewis political strength,
and naturally these words have not en-
deared him to the heart of the admiration
loving Lewis. The painful part of it was,
however, that Mr.. Lewis had enough
strength to defeat Mr.. Carson's confirma-
ton, and Mr.. Carson owes his victory on
Monday night to the fact that his friends
by much beseeching induced Mr.. Lewis to
call off the dogs of war.
Mr.. Lewis, however, did not gain much
by this concession, for he could not hope
to win the support of the comptroller, ID.
H. Gilman, Judge Thomas Burke and the
Telegraph, even had Mr.. Carson been con-
firmed a dozen times in succession. On
the other hand, the men who had been
fighting Carson have felt very greved and
indignant that Mr.. Lewis went over to
the enemy. Accordingly they have been
seriously thinking of joining the Telegraph
in its opposition to Mr.. Lewis. For
months the Democratic organ has been
hon ffsra Vh cnr1Id q
brought forward as gubernatorial candi-
date from King county to divide the sup
porJ for Lewis; and at last Ex-Governor
Eugene Semple has been chosen as the
man. He has been territorial governor,
and he is now member of the state har-
Dor line commission. 1t is said that he
has a number of friends from all parts of
the state who have been asking him to en-
ter the field. Though he has not yet de-
cided to contest with the elegant Mr..
Lewis for the laurels, the fact remains that
strong pressure has been brought to bear
upon him. Of course he is certain of the
direct or indirect support of the Telegraph,
and one of the questions now of interest to
him is how many of the anti-Carson fac
ton are angry enough over the contirma-
ton to desert Lewis.
The struggle for place on the delega-
ton to the national convention at Chicago
has narrowed down to D. O. Finch. w. III.
White, John Collins and F. A. Mcdonald,
for Percy w. Rochester has drawn out.
He said yesterday that directly after the
city election he thought he would like
place on the delegation, but since then SO
many other candidates had appeared that
he had decided to draw out. Were he to
stay in he would have to give the matter
more attention than his private business
would allow him to at present. He be-
lieves that the delegation from Washing
ton will be solid for Cleveland.
The Democratic scalp hunters are not
relaxing their efforts, and although the
mayor is yet silent as to his further inten-
tions, the number of candidates is undi-
minished and their activity undated.
No action has been taken by the mayor
as to the expected vacancy or vacancies on
the park board, but the suggestions to the
mayor of suitable successors are as lively
as ever. C. Daniel Stevens, of the Puget
Sound and Alaska Steamship Company, is
now talked of as the successor of C. n.
Evans, if, as many Democrats claim, he
should be removed. F. A. Mcdonald, of
the Ninth ward. U. R. Niesz, E. F. Wit
tier and w. S. Relic have also been talked
of, but are not now believed to be in the
race. Mcdonald has asked that his name
be not considered.
The Democrats who affect to believe that
Commissioners Rinehart and Hebron
will resign rather than submit to the con-
slant annoyance are divided as to who
shall succeed them. ]. w. Van Brocklin
will be the Republican member, but the
chances of L.. ID. Ross and Percy Roches-
ter are believed not to be good. If any
change takes place in the secretaryship,
C. G.. Heifner will seek to be appointed, al
though w. r. Hudson has also been
talked OF. Douglas Young has also
been thought OF as bookkeeper in the
water department. but the superintendent
will be practical engineer. If there is
any change in the city engineers office the
incumbent will be civil engineer.