The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-08-30
COLLINS rs ON TOP.
He Beats His Enemies in King
County Democracy.
LONG AND STUBBORN FIGHT.
Chairman Elected After Thirty-6ix Bal
lOts-Bitter Feeling Exists Between
Two Warning Factions.

After thirty-six ballots. the Democratic
county central committee reelected
John Collins chairmsn. The bat
tie against Mr.. Collins was
stubborniy fought by his many enemies in
the Democratic party in King county; but
In the committee he and his friends
had enough proxies from the
country to carry the day. The election of
Mr.. Collins indicates shat the cam
paign will be like that of two
years ago. when the candidates ig-
nored the central committee and
organized an independent committee of
their own. The two committees
were at odds, and the campaign,
so far as the Democrats were concerned,
was a complete and unmitigated tiasco.
There Is much bitter feeling on both sides,
and in view of the disafection from the
state ticket the task OF getting the two
factions together will be an impossible
one.
The committee made its first attempt to
organize week ago Monday. The consti-
tuition adopted by the committee makes it
necessary for any man to have a
two-thirds vote in order to be
elected, and this rule has caused the long
deadlock. The first session lasted from 2
O'Clock in the afternoon until after the
next morning. John Collins, who is
making desperate attempts to hold his old
place as chairman was then in the minor
ity. Twenty-four ballots were taken, and
on all but one Of them either B. E. Ben
nett or w. II. Talbot had q majority of
the votes, but Collins had enough to keep
either from the necessary two-thirds.
The meeting of the committee yesterday
was another display of the deep and
abiding harmony in the Democratic ranks.
The session began at o'clock, but SO many
proxies from the country had been gath
cred in by both sides that a committee on
credentials had to be appointed. This
body did not finish its WORK and make a
report until o'clock.
From eighty-five to ninety votes were
represented and on most of the ballots
Collins had from forty-five to fifty and F.
A. Mcdonald, of the Ninth ward, the rest.
From time to time the members fell to
pickering and there was a tendency to dis
order, but fortunately J. T. Blackstone, the
chairman of the meeting, was an excellent
presiding officer. and Charles Esplin, jr., a
quick and accurate secretary. The work
of these two officers steered the gathering
clear of many rocks and shoals.
Alter half a dozen ballots Mr.. B. F. De
Bow appeared in the role of that New
York Democratic congressman who in-
trOduced an unconstitutional bill and
then asked: "What is the constitution
between friends?" Mr.. De Bow rose
and blandly moved that the constitution
be suspended, or the rule in requiring
. tvro I'D ~.
then be declared sufficient to elect.
Mr.. De Bow pleaded that the Republicans
were organized and in good sighting trim,
SO it was extremely necessary for the
Democrats to stop squabbling and
get to work. When Mr.. De
Bow had drawn pathetic
picture of the depIorable condition of the
King county Democracy, NJ. Blackstone
promptly ruled the motion to suspend the
constitution out of order. There were one
or two circumstances, but Mr.. Blackstone
declared that the motion was nonsensical
and not for a moment to be entertained.
The balloting then began again. At the
end Of the eighth John w. Considine, the
leader of the Collins forces, proposed q
compromise. He offered to allow
the Mcdonald men to choose
the secretary, treasurer and
executive committee, if John Collins could
be chairman. The honor to- Mr.. Collins
would~hus be purely nominal; for he
would be wholly shorn of his power.
Several caucuses were held and the com.
promise rejected. On the next ballot, the
ninth. Collins had fifty-two votes and Nc
Donald but thirty-six.
The eleventh ballot stood: Collins, 81:
Mcdonald, 80. On the twelfth ballot Col
Inns was elected. receiving exactly the
two-thirds vote, 50, to the % for Mcdonald.
For secretary John Y. Terry, A. A.
Lane, Charles Esplin, jr., and
James B. Hardin were put
up. Esplin withdrew. Terry was
the choice of the anti-Collins men
and Lane of the Collins faction. The first
ballot stood: Terry Al. Lane S5, Esplin 8.
Hardin 2, ]. S. Porter 1. The second was:
Terry 49, Lane 35, Esplin Ii.