Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1893-03-14
THE CASE PLAINLY STATED

Graw then the contest may be regarded
as at an end for two years in this state
and Republicans may now calmly take
a view of the political situation III oruer
to fairly understand whether or not we
have been drifting towardsprosperity or
defeat in the future. There is no way
of Judging of the future but by the
past. and in judging of the past a
knowledge of something of its history
is indispensable. In 1889 the vote OF
the state for governor showed Repub-
lican majority of 1919 votes. In the
three years intervening between the
election of that year and the last gen.
eral election the total vote had largely
increased, but there is nothing in the
character of the general increase to JUS
tify belief that the Republican ma
iority should have fallen off, but on the
contrary, in the ordinary course OF
party politics, the Republican majority
should have increased had there been
no local reasons for a change. 1t may
be safely assumed that on strict party
lines, with full and fair vote cast for
understandable candidates, represent
ing the legitimate choice of the two
great parties, the Republican candidate
should have polled a fair majority OF
10000 in 1892. But an examination of
the returns shows that while the gov
ernor had a small plurality, the ma
jority of votes against the Republican
nominee amounted to 22,366, or 1886
votes less than the party ought to have
had on anything like an election con-
Quoted on party principles, in which
the voice of the people could have been
made to reflect their real political senti-
ments. Why have the Republicans
lost the advantages which they had
two years ago? OF course in consider
ing this question it must not be for
cotton that the Populists polled large
vote in 1892, which was not polled in
1889, but il is known that this vote
was drawn in substantially equal parts
from the two old parties, and therefore
while necessarily diminishing the ag-
gregate vote Of each party il should
have made no difference in the ma
jority, and besides the Populist vote
was much larger than il would have
been but for the local disturbances in
the other parties.
1t is also fair to presume that in this
state the Republicans lost some
thing by the general changes
which took place in the country, as in
dicated by the election of Cleveland
over Harrison, but the loss on that ac-
count was small and is susceptible of
being stated almost exactly, for Harri-
son had plurality in this state of 1857
votes, or within about 1000 ofwhat his
majority ought to have been. All these
things considered, it is fair to say that
from local causes alone the Republicans
have lost majority Of 5000 votes in
this state since 1889. Since long before
the admission of Washington as a state
its politics have been and still are
dominated by ring in Seattle, which
has held the position by reason OF
numerical strength in conventions and
legislatures to at all times dictate the
policy Of the party and its nominees,
by sucn unjust combinations as a
strong delegation can always make, by
threats of defeat if its dictations were
not submitted to. This was distinc-
lively the case at the last state conven-
ton when the ditch scheme was in
corporated into the party platform. No
such action could have been secured
except through the fear that the Seattle
ring would execute its threats of bolt
ing the ticket unless the party should
consent to become machine for the
private use of the Seattle boomers. The
action, however, was taken and but fol
the unfortunate selection made by tn,
Democrats in nominating candidat,
for governor the general uprising of the
people of the state in protest against tn,
rule of this corrupt ring would have de
feated the entire ticket. At the sam,
time that this scheme was beinl
worked at Seattle the counties were be
ing manipulated in the interest o
Senator Allen for reelection. He wa
chosen as the senatorial candidate, be
cause it was thought necessary to Sc
cure large vote from Eastern Wash
ington, and he had power as a senator
and was thought to be available to tn
dictation Of the ring to which he orig
inally owed his election to congres
and subsequently to the senate
He had been the plant friend O
Seattle and the Pr. There has bee
much newspaper talk about ALLIE
being the majority candidate, an,
those opposing him being obstruction
lists. The truth is that Allen was tn