The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-01-27
sEATTLE. FRIDAY. JAN. 81
THE SENATORIAL SITUATION.


United States senator at Olympia yester-
day was the casting of vote for Judge
Dunbar by Bush OF Chehalis. Bush has
hitherto voted tor Allen. This attempt to
discover dark horse" TO carry off the
prize was not rewarded by any success, for
with the exception of Mr.. Bush the Allen
forces showed no detection on the next
ballot. The friends of Senator Allen have
met Judge Turner's Gcti,Ions charge by
resolve TO support the choice of two-thirds
of the Republicans of the legislature TO the
end. They are not responsible for the
present situation and they are determined
not TO erect the vicious and dangerous
precedent for the future Of allowing NAL
content minority TO buildoze two-thirds of
the Republican party into compl lance
with their obstructive policy Of kicking"
when they cannot control.
The election OF Senator Allen is not con-
tested upon any grounds of valid public
objection. There are no charges made of
personal impurity, public unworthiness,
official infdeiity or incapacity against Mr..
Allen. His career IN the past is clean; it
is not pretended that he is not at least the
peer of Judge Turner or any citizen Of this
state in personal worth. professional
ability or those political talents which en-
sure able public service. The charge made
by Judge Turner that Senator Allen is the
candidate OF 1.-THE great railway corpora
tons of the state" in hostility to the
rights and interests Of the people is
transparent falsehood. Senator Aliens
record in the past shows that he has done
his whole duty and nothing but his duty
by his constituents: he has been neither
the tool nor the fool; neither the dupe nor
the demagogue of any man or corporation.
Within the limitations of the Federal con-
stitutiou and the laws which he is sworn
to respect and obey Senator Allen has, We
repeat. done his whole duty and nothing
but his duty by the whole of his con-
stituents. and there Is absolutely no pub
lie reason that can be truthfully urged
upon which two-third. of the Republican
party can with either party honor or party
safety afford to withdraw their support
under the duress of deadlock forced
without justification by malignant mar
plot minority of the party.
II the majority Of the party should
abandon Senator Allen In utter absence of
any valid impeachment of his private and
public worth. it would abandon a sound
principle Of party government and replace
Ii with a most pernlcious precedent. If
the choice of fifty Republicans must
yield in order TO satisfy the mere factional
hate and sectional jealousy of twenty-five
Republicans. who find themselves in a
position TO impose vexing and tiresome
deadlock, why, then the choice of fifty
Republicans should yield to the factious
refusal of one Republican, who deter
mines TO create and maintain deadlock.
unless his order To ,!ismount their candi-
date for his choice be obeyed by the Re-
publican party.
If parties are necessary and desirable in
politics. then there must be party govern
ment in order TO make the force of the
party as an organized, efficient machine,
felt If every man who has "A real or fam
cied personal grievance refuses 10 submit
TO the arbitration of the majority; If every
defeated man or uisappoin, ed faction may,
without valid public grounds. set up the
standard OF domestic revolt against the
choice of the majority. why, then, there is
complete end 10 party government and
efficient working power in politics. 4 man
may leave his party openly or resign his
place If he cannot execute the will Of his
constituents: he may justly refuse to nc,
cept The choice of the majority II he can
show public moral turp,tude official We
must fairly convict the candidate by a
showing Of facts. not by his opinions, I'M
pressions, preiudsccs and personal iesl-
ousy.
\ party has right 10 decide questions
of difference resting upon warning op,n-
ions and judgments among its rank and
hle by the rule Of the majority. Otherwise
every disappointed competitor for party
honors and trusts would become an omen
marplot or a secret conspirator in its
camp; every minority. large or small.
would 81 once become straegers. deserters
or traitors. aud such party could not
possibly survive its first campaign. In es-
sentials unity; In non-essentials charity
In all things harmony IS sound party gos-
pei. Men may fairly differ in opinion
as 10 whether Senator Allen or Judge
Turner would make the best senator,
but 90 long as this difference is only
contest OF opinion or Judgment
the decision of the majority should rule
the party convention, fairly called. consti-
tnted and conducted, can iairly claim 70
arbitrate such contests 81 opinion ana
Judgment because otherwise parties could
not long exist. eut Of course no party con-
veution could expect 10 decide by its vote
aaaestion. not Of opinion, but of fact. IS
10 whether the candidate had or had not
served = term in the penitentiary; 1t could
no. decide this question for man who
personally kae,s that the candidate had
been a convict. \ convention. however.
would be perfectly justified In treating
with contempt an utterly unsupported as
scrtion that the candidate had been a CON
Wet. for any man might reeklessiy impu'e
evil 10 his neighbour convention