The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-03-12
Forgetting the Motto, Public
Office Is a Public Trust"
THE EFFORT TO DOWN LEWIS.
Mayor-EIect Ronald Refuses to Be
Congressional Candidate and Thus
Aid the Movement.


mittee discovers that the bills are still
coming in and yesterday another co!lec-
ton was taken up.
Since Mr.. Ronald swept the city by such
a majority his enthusiastic friends have
been suggesting him as a candidate for
nearly every office except that of presi-
dent of the United States. Yesterday, for
example, the following dispatch was re-
ceived by the PosT-lgTELLIGEScER from
Spokane:
1t is reported that papers are being prepared
in Seattle in suit against Thomas Carroll, Of
Tacoma, claiming that he has not paid the
81 900 assessment made by the Democratic state
central committee in the last campaign. The
parties who put up the money for him will, it
is said, bring the suit.
News also comes from Seattle that move
ment is now on foot by the Democrats there to
nominate Mayor-Ele Ronald for congress from
the West Side.
The first part of this dispatch is fatty
denied by leading Democrats here, who
say they know nothing whatever of any
such suit against Mr.. Carroll, and declare
furthermore there is not the slightest
ground for such action against their for
mer candidate for congress.
As to the second part of the dispatch
Mr.. Ronald said yesterday:
/ cannot be responsible for all the words Of
people who at this juneture profess to be my
friends. / do not, however, for a moment
imagine that there is serious talk of nominating
me for congress nor for anything else. And I
now say fatty that no possible combination of
circumstances can induce me to accept any
such nomination. | said / didn't care to run
Tor mayor, yet was forced into the race. But
there will be no attempt to force me further, and
ii there is, ] shall squarcly refuse to bulge
/ have been elected mayor of Seattle by
good majority and ] shall stay by the Office
until my term has closed. I don't want to be
congressman don't want to be governor For
both of these offices am in favor OF the best
man the Democrats can put UP. For governor
believe James Hamilton Lewis ia the most avail
able candidate we can get aud SO I am for him.
Mr.. Ronald certainly stated his position
so explicitly that there can be no question
OF his position in the matter. William
Cochrane, of White River. who was pres
ent during the interview, also expressed
his hearty approval of Mr.. Ronald's atti-
tUde, and added that he himself was
strongly for Lewis for governor.
There is little doubt that this rumor
from Spokane originates with George Haz-
ment for squelching James Hamilton
Lewis pretty boom for the Democratic
gubernatorial nomination. The fight for
the bauble is now narrowing down be-
tween Chester II. Warner, of Colfax, and
James Hamilton Lewis, of Seattle. Only
last week Mr. Warner was in the CITY.
presumably on business; but it is
not improbable that he took a cursory
glance at his Western Washington fences.
lie knows that the older leaders of the
Democratic party here are frowning at Mr.
Lewis; for they have said so openly. In
deed, only few weeks ago, the Teiegraph
which Is the organ of ID. ii. Gilman.
Judge Thomas Burke, and other such
Democratic heavy weights-remarked:
Tho New York World describes Colonel James
Hamilton Lewis rs the probable nominee for
governor OF this state, and Judge Burke as the
probable successor of Senator Allen If the legis-
lature should be Democratic. Both prophecies
are wide Of the mark. Colonel Lewis VIII not
be the candidate for governor. Judge Burke ia
not an aspirant for any office
The Tslegrdph's hostility 10 Mr.. Lewis
was so marked that it never used to men
ton him except under compulsion. At
the beginning of the recent campaign it
even left his name from the list of speak
ers announced for a rally at the Armory;
but within the last week there has been a
marked change. Mr.. Lewis is so evidently
the idol OF the rank and file of the King
county Democracy that even the
Telegraph has, to outward appear
ances, yielded gracefully, printed
complimentary notices about this kid
gloved political deity, published his
speeches in full, and has given him and
his rhetorical corruscations that proni-
nence for which he has such an unquench-
able desire.
But if the Telegraph and George Hazard
and Chester ii. Warner can combine to
force a congressional nomination upon
King county, Mr.. Lewis will not be in il,
for King county cannot have both CON
gressional and gubernatorial nomination.
The friends and adherents of Mr..
Warner would like nothing bet
ter than to take up Mr.. Ronald or some
available man for King county and get
him 10 run for congress. Then Mr.. Lewis
would be ont of the way. AS the forces
now stand drawn against each other the
fight will be pretty one.
Just at present, however, Seattle Demo-
local spoils than about nominations on the
state ticket. Yesterday an astonishinglv
large number of aspirants for posi-
ton appeared upon the scene The
contest for the plumS is growing fierce
among the hungry brethren, and ii moth
ing occurs by March Il TO abate the strife
the struggle in the party will be sharper
than between the Democrats and Repub-
licans at election. The oflicers-elect
virtuously promised on the day of their
nomination 20 weed out ali extra offices.
but these promiscrs arc now convinced
that several hundred more cierkships are
now needed.
]. VI. Carson and l.. H. Ross aDrear 10
have the best chances for comptroller,
though Alderman-eicct Theodore VI.
Daulton is urging his bookkeeper. Will
lam K. Hudson, for the place. Edward
Chilberg Is an aspirant, and William
Barry, cashier of the Commercial VA
tional bank. is also regarded as well
equipped Tor the work. +. l.. Carson
would probably be willing 10 become dep
uty comptroller.
For chief of police half dozen are in
the field. but ". L. Wilson appears to he
in the lead. ]. W. Macleod has strong
support, but since he is talked OF as the
nominee for sheriff. he may not press his
claim. Others spoken Of are James NJ.
uuilter; also II. q. Thornton, ana Oliver
u. Butteriield, who have held the position
once already; Nicholas HannS, who was
once an aspirant for the honor, and In
spector D. Frank willard. For lieutenant
Of nolice c. 4. Sprigss, Monroe JaycoS
and John Brennan are being urged, while
Zachary Taylor Holden would like to he
head of the detective force.