Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1894-09-07
The Handwriting on the Wall

The nominations made by the Re-
publican County Convention, at the
Theater, Saturday, indicate that the
party has no future use for its former
leaders, who have for So many years
stood the brunt OF all battles waged in
defense Of the party creed. This was
Indicated iii the speech of the chair
man, whose argument was based upon
a confession of the utter inadequacy
ui the public service in this county
under ils past management. Its ac-
tlun Was complete rundown OF
the Leaders who two years ago allowed
the head OF the ticket, Gov. McGraw,
t. run very far behind his party vote in
tins county, and it was from the mas
tiers hand in the executive chair that
the twist came which has brought
them up with round turn. The
only terms for peace offered after the
primaries were held, on the 2Sth, by
the triumphant victOrs, was uncondl-
tional surrender. II presented AS an
alternative, to retire in tolerable good
order, or to fight, and fight meant
personal warfare as relentless as it
would have been despicable. The
vanquished probably adopted the
wiser course in allowing the zealots
ample rope and free stage to en-
compass their own ruin.
1t is notable that in every conven-
ton so far held, this year, the long
fingers OF the State Executive have
been apparent. He has not despised
the most obscure elements i" ~
r,--... y, recruits, and 1t is noted that
his support is composed of some OF the
most incongruous elements of the
body polite; elements that possess the
electrical quality OF attraction and re-.
pulsion, and he is shrewd enough to
see that when this latter force is ex-
erted, as it must be soon, the combi-
nation will resolve itself to it's original
parts. So the plan has been to rush
matters. The county convention here
was held this year with an interven-
ton OF only three days from that set
for the primaries, and in Seattle,
were a desperate battle was waged
Saturday, between the McGraw and
Squire forces, in which black eyes,
bloody noses aud broken heads
figured, the excitement was carefully
nursed until the convention met
Tuesday, for another sanguinsry con-
fiict.
1t is possible by gorilla warfare to
harrass and annoy an army of tried
veterans, but it scarcely ever leads to
a decisive victory. 1t is altogether
feasible, when aparty has pursued a
policy which has brought it to the
verge OF precepice, to enlist enough
of honest advocates of reform with
those whose only ambition is to hold
fat places at the public crib and those
who are constantly fighting some I'M
seen enemy, to constitute a majority
and wrest party organization from
its steadfast supporters, but such
triumphs are seldom lasting, and a.
most invariably fail at the polls, when
sufficient time intervenes for the dis
cordant elements to array themselves
in opposition to each other.
Those who reason from cause to
effect see in present conditions much
hope of radical reform, in the triumph
of those who do are not forced to adj
vocate change solely from motives of
expediency, but within whose breasts
is implanted q devotion to principle,
which constitutes the guide.star of
their lives. There never was q better
chance for q rousing victory for true
Democracy than is now presented in
Thurston county,