The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-11-01

| By the people the more warmly vii glow
their Indignation. and the more earnest
viii grow their purpose TO rebnks at the
polls thu campaign of nsndaeiiy and
vituperatlon upon which the fusionists
and their organ build their hopes
/, ought 20 be possible for citizens to
accept nominations for Office without
thereby subjeciins themselves to'rnasieious
and cruel assaults. The greed for official
salaries, however, has driven the oppo-
nsnts Of the Republican party in This
county TO resort 10 al manner Of misrepre-
sensations regarding Republicans in AID
out Of Office. Their campaign has degen-
Grated into Q vicious TRADE Of abuse. anil
mated By the false hope that voters will
give credsnce 10 thslr msndacity and be
turned sgasns, the candidates who best
represent the conservatism, patriotism
and conscience Of the community.
The campaign Of malice has eliminated
in the disgraceful TRADE relative 10 Mr..
Van de Vanter. The tissue of gross false
hoods concerning him. set ont with ali the
skill and ingenuity Of the most expert
eneed defamers on the staff of the fusion
lists organ, has been industriously circu-
lated throughout the city and county,
the fusion committee giving the papers a
wide free distribution. In this way the
iibelers have overreached themselves; for
the more extended the circulation of the
leprous issue the more general the public
knowledge OF the extent OF its baseness.
and the more universal the resolve to con-
denim such methods by an overwhelming
vote.
Mr.. Van de yanter has lived here for
years Coming here without means. his
industry and ability have enabled him
20 win . comfortable position in
life. his kindliness has gained him
the good will OF all with whom
be has come in contact, and he has risen
to the prominent position in the commu-
nifty to which bis merits entitie him. The
people of Kent. tbs thriving town in which
he lived and had done 50 much to build
up. made him its mayor. The people Of
his senatorial district called him TO be
their representative in the upper branch
of the legislature. The convention of his
party, by large majority of the delegates
votes. chose him as the candidate for
sheriff. During all this time be was
and the honors bestowed upon him were
known to his old friends and neighbors in
Michigan and Indiana, where his earlier
years had been spent. Yet this man is
now gravely accused OF being fugitive
from justice, is boldly called criminal, Is
subjected 10 every indignity Of vitupera-
ton that venomous political opposition
can suggest.
To all this abuse the manly statement
by Mr.. Van de vanter that was printed in
this paper yesterday is q most complete
and satisfying answer. 1t tells In concise
terms the simple story of his early life.
Every one who has read IL must at once
have recognized its entire truthfulness.
Does a criminal, scoundrel. demean
himself as Mr.. Van de Vanter has during
all his residence here1 Does fugitive
from justice permit himself TO obtain
prominence as he has done. and keep the
people Of bis old home so well informed as
for money with which TO pay outiawed
partnership debts. which have no value in
law, II is absurd The coiners and cir
culators OF the lie should have known that
IL would fall to injure him.
1t was Mr. Van de yanter', misfortune,
as IL has been that of many another honest
man, to tall In business. What he did
then, when insolvency was unavoidable.
was TO pay every obligation of his firm in
the community where he was doing bust
ness. lie did not. when he left La Grange,
owe one dollar to any person there. All
the uncaneelled Indebtedness was TO
large corporations In other states.
These partnership debts his partner,
whose conduct was in a large measure re-
sponsibIe for the failure, has not aided
him to pay. Mr.. Van de yanter. since his
circumstances grew more prosperous. has
from time to time paid many of these old
debts. though in law he was not liable for
them. Through Ssratton, Lewis & Gil
man. Marshall X. Smell, OF Tacoma;
George IL. King. OF Seattle; Justice
ksvanAugh. OF Kent: the Bank OF Kent,
aud other agencies, he has taken up
various obligations Of the insolvcni firm
Of Van de Vanter & Berger. II have
never" he says. 'repudiased single
claim. slough outlawed; neither do l
now but have paid them as fast as was
able 20 do so. and will continue so 70 do"
Is thA, the conduct Of an honest man or OF
q r.sealf
The statements made BY citizens Of this
county. who were residents of Ia Grange
at the time Of the failure, fully sustain Mr..
Van de Vanser's assertion that his course
there was honorable and open. The
testimony Of the gentleman who. acting
for the creditors. took charge q the
insolvsnts' stock Of goods, amounting 10
several thousand dollars worth %
property. fully disproves the mendAcIous
distortion OF the facts by the Telegraph
Comptroller Farry's convincing statement
regarding Mr.. Van lie yansef's excellent
standing =. his old hone knd place Of
busiaess s evidence that tas aatruthfal-
ness Of the pretended expose was studied
and malignant Every disintsrcsted ;ss-
simony IN the matter adds strength to the
prompt ana fun vindlestion Of eur fellow
citizen from the foul ISLANDERS directed a.
him.
The animus Of the slandsrous asssnlt -
shown By the frequent illusions 20 3
"frsndulsas oEll % sale. when thsre vas