The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-01-18
He Is Regularly Chosen by the
Republican Caucus.
WITHIN 7 VOTES OF ELECTION.
Turner Could Not Win if All the DEM
Ocrats Went to Him.
The Steering Committee at Washington
City Urges Members to Uphold the
Caucus-Allen Likely to Gain Votes
Today and Be Victorious Tomorrow.

OLYMPIA, Jan. 17.-[Special. The con-
Victlon Is strong tonight that Senator
Allen vii! be reelected. The strength
shown by him today has demoralized the
opposition, and assurances are abundant
that the Turner forces will break
up early. To hold men together
Tor long struggle, the cohesive
influence of hope of success is
needed. and this the supporters OF Turner
are without. Most of them realize that
they are already following lost cause,
and when they have given the Judge such
evidence OF their good faith as q reasona-
bic man could ask, they will be disposed
TO put an end to the contest. Judge Tur-
ner lacked thirty votes today of
enough to elect. How utterly hopeless
his candidacy is is shown by the fact that
he would have TO secure three more votes
than the entire Democratic strength and
hold ali the support he had todag in order
TO win. He cannot do any of these
things. 1t Is certain that the Democrats
intend TO stand together for their
own candidate for the present, but if they
should split up Allen would secure at
least as many of their votes as Turner. As
TO the Popuiist vote, it can be said that
the third party men. Attempts have been
made by the Turner lieutenants to compel
the little band Of third party men to sur
render, but eight of them have stood in
vincible against the assault. The ninth
man, Collins of Spokane. has Turner lean
lngs on account of local interests.
The Turner members OF the legislature
are chatiug under the rule of the aggrega-
ton of political hacks that have taken
charge of the Turner campaign and resent
in vigorous language the assumption of
authority by men who have no votes and
who handicap the efforts of those who
have. The odor of political putrefaction
in the Turner cemetery" keeps these
members out of the headquarters who are
friendly to the Judge, but who do not feel
that they are called upon to follow him to
the tomb.
A good many of the supporters of Turner
do not forget the leading fact that the
main business of the legislature is to pass
needed laws, and that the people will
not look with favor upon a waste
of time over the senatorship.
They understand that their constituents
expect them to end the fight after reas-
enable trial of strength and go ahead with
the undsturbed consideration of measures
that the public welfare demands
There are enough members of the class
referred to to bring about the election
of Mr.. Allen and they will give him
their support before many ballots are
taken. These men will avert the storm of
public Indignation that would arise in the
state should the contest become pro-
longed one and the legislature be driven
by the rivalries of the situation into ignor-
ing its real Legislative duties.
The indications are that Allen will gain
on tomorrOw's ballots. and he may secure
enough additional votes to elect, but the
opinion prevails that his election will
not occur before Thursday. He needs
but seven votes to have a majority.
Sargeant's absence does not weaken
him, as if the senator was
present and voting 112 votes would be cast
and fifty-seven would be necessary to
choice. When, as today. only Ill votes
are cast, fiity-six are sufficient to elect the
law only requiring a majority of those
present, providing there is quorum. Two
members who did not sign the caucus call
or attend the caucus this morning voted
for Allen-Senator Kinnear and Repre-
man of the caucus and Senator Rutter
secretary. Forty-six members were pres
ent and all voted for Allen except Senator
Forsythe. who, however, felt bound by the
action of the caucus and voted for Allen
in the senate. The fact that Senator
Allen is the regular Republican nominee
and nominated. too, by more than n ma
jority of all the Republican members of
the legislature, gives him a powerful
prestige and forces those Republicans who
opposed him into the attitude of resisting
the duly registered will of their party.
The probable result of such an attitude
as they are now taking upon their party
standing, is matter that these men are
now considering, and this line of thought
is having its effect upon them. All the ar
guments that justify party organization
are in favor of the caucus method, and those
who persist in rebelling against the
action of caucus here. are likely TO have
the precedent they are seeking to estae-
lish return to plague them in the
future When, hereafter, one of them
secures nomination, the same
principle they now advocate would
Justify the Republicans of the district in
putting up any number OF candidates.
The feeling is strong among the loyal Re-
publIcans that the men who oppose the
cardinal principle of majority rule are
simply sharpening a knife that may be
applied to the jugular OF the Republican
party in this state.
The following dispatch from eminent
Repuplican United States senators has
created a deep impression here tonight,
and Will undoubtedly exercise an influence
on Republicans VINO are standing out
against caucus:
WASHINGTON CITY. jar 17-H0u J. c. sulli-
van, chalrYaau of the Kepu oliean state central
comm! ,tee, care OF Hon. F. II. Luce, resident oi
senate, or Hon. john ARA m th, speaker OF the
house: Party organization eau be best
promoted by operation of caucus ard supremacy
OF majority rule. Il is sincerely
boped tha, Republicans in iegI.laluse VIII
.osipgaiu the organ zlilou by follow ng Gus
tom succe,siully adopted by political parties.
(oigned) NJ quay
q. II. FLATT.
THILETTS SAWYER,
II. u. IELLER,
K. +. PkTTIGREv,
RgDuELD fRoCTOR,
". b. ALLISON,
senators.
To fully understand this dispatch it
must be known that the senators whose