The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-08-25
Democrats Adopt a Resolution
DenOuncing the Canal.
THEN MODIFY IT A LITTLE
Seattle Delegates, Instead of Fight
ing Bravely, Beg for Mercy.
King County Betrayed to Her Enemies
by the Timidity of Those Who should
Have Defended REORGANIZATION to
Be Made Today Riotous Scenes.

OLYMPIA, Aug. 2A-tspecisl.HTh first day
OF the Democratic state convention was COM
menced by fierce struggle between King
county aud Pierce on the LAKE WASH
ington canal question. King won a
partial victory by forcing the
rejection OF the Pierce county plank, which dis
tinctly condemned the canal project Kings
success lay in carrying plank giving a
general Endorsement of public improve
ments--a plank in every way walker
and less favorable to the canal than that offered
by Pierce in the Republican state eonven-
ton fought by the King county Republic
iicans and voted down. In other words.
the King county Democrats accepted terms
on the canal less favorable to King county and
her interests than the Pierce county
Republicans were willing to concede two
weeks ago. The day was IA busy one
among the delegates. In the morning King
county broke the triple alliauce between Pierce
county and the supporters of the two gubeI-
Material aspirants, Dr. n. q. Baock, of Wallis
Walla, and b. I. whay, of Clarke. This alli-
ance. formed primarily for the purpose
OF beating canal plank, would
also have killed James Hamilton
Lewis as a candidate for governor But several
OF the Lewis haters OF King county joined in
the effort TO strike blow at the canal in order
to down Lewis Three or four times during the
day the alliance wasruptured and again patched
Up.
When the convention met early in the after
noon the King county men did not dare test
their strength by opposing the temporary
ganzaton proposed by the state COM
mittee. Louis X. Church, OF Snohomish,
also went in by common agreement for
permanent chairman. In the committee on
resolutions there was hot battle over
the canal plank. King county offered
an Endorsement of the improvement, but
this suggestion was rejected. Pierce offered
denunciation, but that was voted down, 20 to g.
The plank agreed upon was general approval
of necessary public improvements. The
friends of James Hamilton Lewis accepted
this, for, althoug h it is admitted that
the Democrats cannot carry King on that etrad-
ding declaration, yet Lewis is so anxious to be
nominated for governor that he yielded and was
drawn into the vain compromise.
At the evening session of the convention,
lasting until after O'Clock, Pierce county tried
to carry her anti-canal plank through. There
was an angry contest, breaking at
times into riot and stopping
short only at actual blows. Disgrace
the Pierce and King delegates, and altogether
the proceedings were unruly and shameful.
Pierce county at first carried the anti
canal plank by vote of l67 to 16e,
anu then, when King county had received this
lasting insult, Skagit changed five votes, and
after over an hour OF rloSing the anti
canal plank was rejected. The union
between B. F. shaw, with seventy-four votes,
n. g. Blalock, with 76 and Pierce county, with
81. was to have been carried out after the first
ballot for governor by the throwing Of the CON-
bned strength i'm the second ballot 10 which
ever of the two men ha the most votes.
The crushing of the alliance materially i'm
proves the chances OF James Hamilton Lewis
for the nomination. He could have had the
nomination by supporting the anti-canal
plank, and since he is so anxious for the honor
that he is willing to stand on the shiliy-shally
plank, he may win that glory.