The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-01-04
A Host of Seekers for PETTY
Offices at Olympia.
THE SPEAKERSHiP CONTEST.
Members of the Legislature Dropping
Into Town, One at Time.
Ahe caucus for Organization TO Be Held
Saturday Night - Terms OF County
Omcers Begin in January, According
to tho Supreme Court.

oLfAPlA, Jan. o.-lSpeclal. The half
dozen Legislator who are in the CITY to-
night find little to do except to listerto
applicants who are ambitious to become
legislative officers or employees. The grow
Ing group of candidates for subordinate
positions is alert TO discover a member as
soon as he arrives, and not long after his
name appears upon hotel register ne be-
gins to receive callers who desire to aid in
the work of legislation.
Representative Hoole, of Clallam, ar
rived today. and has opened headquarters
at the Olympia, where he expects to con-
ouct hls speakership fight. As Mr.. Hoole
Is the only member at the hotel except
Representative Mcmillan, of Skagit. who
Is also credited with speakership aspira-
tons, the contest can hardly said to have
been preclpitated by the presence of these
gentlemen. Mr.. Hoole manifests quality
that Is of more or less value in politics,
that OF confidence, and is convinced that
his canvass is in excellent condition. He
squarey favors caucus. and will abide
by It's result, as he belongs to the
school of politics. in which it is cardinal
principle to settle party's differences
within its own ranks. Mr.. Hoole hopes
to keep the speakershlp and senatorial con-
tests distinct. though he foresees that it
will be difficult task to prevent the latter
from influencing the former He looks
upon Representative Mentzer, of Thurston,
as his most formidable competitor. The
report comes from Eastern Washing
ton that Parrish, of Asotin, who served IN
both the first and second state legisla-
lures. has some inclination to become
candidate for speaker. and it is known
that Ludden, of Spokane, would enter the
race If he were not held back by his fellow
members from Spokane, who fear that his
candidacy would be an obstacle in Judge
Turner's senatorial way.
Representative Westfall is the only
member OF the Spokane delegation now in
the city. He reports that all the others
from his county will be here by Thursday.
when Turner headquarters will be estab-
lished at the Olympia. 1t is Mr.. Westfall's
belief, derived from frequent attendance
upon meetings of the delegation, that Spo-
kane will certainly go into caucus not only
for organization purposes, but on the sem
atorial issue, too. The Spokane men
have reached no decision yet as to the
speakership, and their choice will depend
upon senatorial circumstances. The reso-
luton not to present Spokane candidate
for the speakership does not extend to
minor candidates. and the county will
apply for share of the clerkships.
In figuring on the course of the Spokane
delegation there must be taken into ac-
count the probability of the revival of the
project to create new county out of por-
tiyns OF Spokane and Whitman counties.
In the strip proposed to be set off from
Spokane Senator Belknap and Representa-
tive Speck live, and on the new county
measure the interests of their immediate
constituents will clash with those of the
people of the remainder of the county, and
Messrs. Belknap and Speck are thus likely
to come into conflict with their Spokane
brethren.
The San Juan representative, J. +.
Tucker, has arrived. Mr.. Tucker is non
committal on the speakership and the
senatorial succession. He wants a speaker
who will be able to push the proceedings
and force the house to do its share in Civ
ing the people the business session they
are demanding. For the same reason he
wants the senatorship decided quickly,
and is utterly opposed to any suggestion
to create a deadlock. He favors
~
by caucus, but will not
take part in such caucus unless all who
attend are willing TO pledge themselves to
vote in the legislature for the nominees.
Mr. Tucker does not favor the proposition
to allow the Republicans from east of the
mountains TO settle the contest, as in his
opinion that would be an unwarranted ab-
dication by the Western Washington Re-
publican members OF the power delegated
to them by their constituents.
Two De mocratic members of the house
are in the city. Letterman of Whitman
and Greene of Lincoln. The former was
elected because of his popularity among
Republicans, and comes as the special rep
resentative of Pullman in its agricultural
college interests.
While no time has been fixed, ndica-
tons are that the house caucus on organi-
zation matters will be held Saturday even
ing.