The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-07-10
THEBRETHREN FIGHT
Democratic Rumpus Over the
County Conventions.
A VERY TANGLED AFFAIR,
One Set Of Primaries and Delegates for
Two Conventions-Squab for
Local Offlces.

Yesterday afternoon the executive COM
mit.ee OF the Democratic county central
committee met and made arrangements
for the coming primaries and county con-
yentions. The primaries will be held in
each voting precinct of the county on
August g. In this city and Ballard only
those whose names appear on the registry
lists will be allowed TO vote. Each precinct
will be given a delegate-at-iarge and one
delegate for every twenty-five votes cast
for Thomas Carroll for congress in the fall
of 1890 The total number of delegates
will be about $50, and the same men will
serve in two county conventions. The
first is to be held August Is, to
choose delegates to the state convention
at Olympia August "a The second county
convention, to nominate county officers.
will be held month or two after the first
one. J. NJ. Carson, John Y. Terry. John
Collins. T. 0'Meara and Michael Phillips
were appointed committee TO select
Judges for the primaries.
The committee had a long and stormy
session before an agreement could be
reached on the questions OF the primaries
and conventions. Several of the members
wanted open primaries. so that gangs of
heelers from the First ward could be run
in as voters at all the polling places, as
was done when delegates were chosen for
the last Democratic county convention.
But after sharp debate the close primar-
les. where registry books are used. was de-
cded upon. The anti-Lewls faction
wanted one set of primaries and one con-
vention for choosing delegates to
olympia and nominating county Of
he -
Hamilton Lewis hoped that the quarrel
for county officers might divide his
strength so that he would fail of the united
support of the county st Olympus. Some
aspirants for county Office. who hope to
cling TO the tail of the Lewis kite or TO
force trades with the Lewis or anti-Lewis
men, also wanted general scramble at
the convention. But the straight Lewis
men, generally SPEAK ing, would have pre-
ferred two primaries and two conventions,
so that the question of Mr.. Lewis's candi-
dacy should be as far as possible freed
from other matters. The result of the
fight was compromise, with one
set of primaries and two conventions
--an outcome at which nobody seems
particularly pleased. while some are ex-
ceedingly angry. The fact that the same
delegates act in both conventions will in
volve at the primaries the conflicting in-
terests of those ambitious for county
offices, so that direct trial of strength
between Lewis and his opponents cannot
be held. But on the other hand. with two
conventions month apart, making bar
gains and carrying them out will be task
beyond the power Of most amateur poll
ticians.
At the first convention the Lewis men
will bend all their energy to keeping the
one question of the gubernatorial nomina-
ton before the eyes of the delegates; but
in view of the fierce struggle now on for
the nominations of sheriff and prosecuting
attorney, that task will be almost impos-
eible.