Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1895-01-04
CAUGHT A SUCKER.
A POLITICIAN TELLS AN AMUSING
STORY ON HIMSELF.
Some Bosses for the state Wilson's
Scheme of Organization by the
DistributtOn of Federal PatrOn-


i
sons plan OF organization, by which
he induced several very estimable Re-
publcans, who were against him, to
become his supporters. Mr.. Wilson
is rather keen politician in his way,
an | he felt certain that his scheme
would hold water and carry him
through the campaign. 1t leaked out
to-day, when a well known politician
from one OF the southwest counties
was in Tacoma and explained how he
had become a Wilson supporter.
81 don't mind telling you the cir
cumstance," said the gentleman as he
sat at table at Chilberg's. "I have
been in politics several years, and l
thought / was as smart as any of
en. but l was taken very cleverly,
and as was the victim guess have
! a right to tell it. 1t was during the
fall campaign. / was out working for
the ticket and had been doing little
missionary work on the side for an
east side man who | had thought
might he made an available candidate
for the United States Senate.
well, Congressman Wilson came
to our town one day to make a speech.
KNEW John l.. slightly, but had no
thought of supporting him for the
Senate. l met him at the headquar-
ters OF the County Central Committee,
and as l was leaving him he asked me
to call at the hotel and see him in
about an hour. Of course / called
Wilson was in his room. He had his
shoes off and he had been lying down.
He arose, gave ME cordial greeting
and entertained me in his stocking
feet. 1t struck me at the time that
he wanted to display the idiosyncracy
OF a great man, and amused me lit.
tie. But did not have much time 10
speculate on peculiarities of statesmen
for he at once began talking business
He said he was n candidate for the
Senate and was certain Of being elect
ed; that he had been at work for a
long time arranging his campaign and
was able to count enough candidates
for the legislature certain OF being
elected to give him q safe majority.
He told me how he had to do all the
work of the Washington delegation in
Congress, as Doolittle had no influ-
ence and Squire was too lazy, and he
enumerated all the work he had done
for Southwest Washington.
"Now,' he said. I'll tell you why
wanted you to call: The Republican
party in the State needs thorough or
ganization, and I propose to organize
it. l will be elected Senator next
January and then will be in Office
four years. At the next national
election the Republicans will elect the
president and there will be scores of
excellent offices in the gift of the
party. Being the most active and in
huential member of the Washington
delegation, 1 will be recognized as
the man who will have to be consulted
before any appointments are made.
"My plan is this: / am arranging
State organization by counties. The
fat offices will not be given to one or
two counties. but divided up equally
through the State. In each county l
select the man who shall dictate who
in that county should have the offices
apportioned them, this man, OF course,
to have his pick first
"Mr. Wilson stopped here and
looked at me searchingly. ! wondered
if l was in this grand organization
scheme and remarked it was capital
idea.
"You approve OF it, then" Mr..
Wilson asked.
"Yes, indeed do replied.
"Well,' he said. 1 am glad you do,
for l find you are the best man here
and had decided to make you the
dispenser of patronage in this county
"You can imagine how felt" con
tinued the gentleman. "To be lifted
from obscurity to such leading posi-
ton in my party nearly took my
breath and l took Wilson's hand and
shook it cordially-and meant it too.
When could get my breath I asked
him for the detailed method Of his big
organization.
"Of course, this must be kept a
profound secret Mr.. Wilson said.
No one must know anything abont it,
as the other fellows here would knife
me to the death. / know you are dis
Greet, but l merely want to caution
you. The State will be organized
under districts and the districts under
counties. For instance, the south
west will be one district, the northwest
another, and the eastern part OF the
State also divided. There will be a
State dispenser of patronage, who will
deal with the districts, and the dis
tricts will deal with the counties.
"'For the state at large a man in
whom / can rely implicitly is needed
not only for your interest, but for my
own as we'll. l have concluded to give
that place to my brother Henry. Their
W.R. Hoole will have the northwest
district, Colonel Fred Heustis the
southwest district, Senator Ide tn,
southeast and w. H Ludden, the north
east. After this organization is com
| ,.1 ,va vu;ll control the Datr0na pS