The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-01-06
INTEREST IN THE SPEAKERSHlp.
Impossible to Separate the Senator
ship From Other Contests.
Ihe Candidates for Clerksh:ps-Talk of
Populist support for Turner-The
Capitol Ready for the Session-Gos-
sip About the Legislature.

iators and workers is yet incapable
OF concentration. The members of
the house, IS rule, are slow to
commit themselves on the speakership,
which Is the contest of immediate interest,
and while the candidates are displaying
energy IN their efforts to win support, it is
apparent that but little progress has been
made, and il is anybody's fight yet
Though the speakership is the subject of
much speculation, the senatorship is the
issue OF commanding Importance. and
otner matters are discussed more or less in
connection with It. The candidates for
speaker express a desire to keep the two
contests apart, but the bearing of the fight
Tor the organization on the subsequent
struggle cannot be kept out of mind when
the speakership is under consideration.
Judge Turner arrived today with several
OF the Spokane senators and members and
has established his base of operations at
the Olympia. The question that has been
revived as to his attitude on the caucus
proposition has not been settled by any
public utterance by him since his arrival.
The impression prevails that he will de-
cline to submit to the arbitrament of a
caucus unless he Is Certaiu that he can
control it. For the purpose of ascertain
Ing how many voies the Spokane candidate
can depend on If he submits his case to the
decision OF caucus, 1t IS understood
that an effort has been made by his cam
paigners to ascertain the preferences of
the Republican members of the leeisla-
ture. 1t is reliably stated that the canvass
thus made has not been encouraging TO
Judge Turner and his managers. they hav-
ing been unable to class more than
twenty-eight Republicans in the anti
Allen ranks. and it is said that they are
not at sill certain that the entire twenty
eight would support Turner. 1t wSl re-
qulre thirty-eight votes to secure caucus
nomination and tifty-seven votes to elect
II the contest is not decided by the caucus
plan but Is carried into the legislature. So
1t is not strange that the Turner people find
cold comfort IN their figures. The predic-
ton made by Senator Richards, OF What
com, this evening, that there will be no
senatorial caucus, Is regarded as signih-
cant. as he is known as a Turner man, and
ii is stated that Senator Van Houten and
other workers for Turner are now quietly
opposing the caucus plan. There are
those, however, who are confident that
Judge Turner Will agree to take his
chances in q caucus. They iusist that he
can make a better showing than the esti-
mate given above, and that he can not
hope for better success in the legislature
than in Republican caucus, as he has no
Democratic or Populist strength.
An interesting story is current that
Hess. Spokane Popuist, is here for the
purpose of directing the eight votes Of his
party at the proper time = Turner. The
ostensible mission of Hess is to look after
legislation demanded by the Farmers
Alliance executive committee, of which
he is member. The indications are that
he will be unable to divert the Populists
to Turner, even if he wishes TO. as they
feel that they have a principle to stand
by. and would be false to il unless they
steadily supported a member OF their own
party.
The Allen men do not concede that
twenty-eight Republicans are opposed to
their candidate. An estimate made by
one of Aliens we!I-informed friends to-
night is that he has fifty-four Republican
votes sure, with several others in doubt.
FIfty-seven votes constitute majority in
joint session, and it is claimed that if the
contest IL thrown into the Legislature Sem
ator Allen will not only have enough
Republican votes to make a majority, but
will have a number of Democratic votes
beside.
The Spokane delegation held a confer
ence this evening, and it is understood
that some differences Of opinion were ex-
pressed as 10 the advisabiity of holding q
senatorial caucus Heretofore the entire
delegation has been inclined to favor
caucus and it is belle we'd that the Turner
men will find il difficult to keep all the
Spokene members out OF 4 caucus if one Is
called. Conferences of other members
have been held, but they have been prac-
tically fruitless, as no county has its full
representation here yet.
Representative Morrison, of King, who
arrived today, has set at rest the doubt
about his candidacy for speaker and openly
announces that he spires 10 the position.
He says he has no information rs to
whether or not the King county delegation
will support him, and that he does not
wish TO base his aspirations upon the fact
that he is a Seattle man. He states that
he has received assurances OF support from
members now here, but comedies that it is
impossible yet 10 form any opinion of any
vaiue relative 20 the sirens 9Th of any Of the
candidates. HooIe and Mentzer and their
friends are also actively at work. and the
confidence of all three seems about equal
There has been some talk of combina-
tions relative 10 the offices and committee
positions, but they have progressed bu.
little beyond mere suggestions. The house
clerkship seems 10 be going to the
clerk Of the last house. Nicklin, OF
Whatcom. He brought the infor1a-
ton here today that Carroll, his
Seattle competitor, had withdrawn from
this contest and would apply for the po-
sition Of reading clerk. This leaves the
fight for chief c!erkship between Nicklin
and J. 3. Nation, Of Tacoma. For secre-
ta-y Of the senate. c. N. Barton, Allen
Weir and T. Fl. Cavanaugh are being men,
toned. For minor positions the list OF
candidates is large and increasing. while a
host of boys want TO be pages.
II is expected that the forces OF sena-
torial workers will be largely reinforced
tomorrow, the newcomers including
numerous friends OF Senator Allen from
Pierce county.
The roll of the senators and representa-
tives has been made up Dy the secretary OF
state, but ii is yet unsettled who VIII call
the house TO order. There !. no provision
Of law on the subject. Secretary Weir
called the last house To order by request,
but he suggests that this time the Old ter