Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1896-07-03
A Luke-warm Ratification.

lie hcpuD!lcln Tatllcatlpn meeting
last night in Columbia hail was doubt
less planned upon the idea which in
sp:red the poet to express felicitation
over
A little farm well titled,
\ little wife well willed,
A little house well filed
for it was noted that everything was Of
the diminutive order, even to the
Few claquers well drilled,
who sat on the back seats and occa-
sionally dotted the Sahara OF Dis
trust, Discomfort and Doubt with an
oasis Of applause.
There was no such gathering as has
hitherto marked the opening meeting
OF campaign, called for endorsement
of the great head of the ticket, but
then it must be remembered that
Thurston county Republicans de-
clared in favor OF free coinage aud re-
fused to instruct for Mckinley. 1t
must likewise be borne in mind that
the Republican prospects are frost-bit-
ten everywhere in the South and
West, and it is exceedingly difficult to
get up showing of complacency-not
to say nthusiasm-where none ex.
lists.
The usual appliances for drawing a
crowd were employed with conscien.
tious exactness. The rank and file
were enjoined, through the "organ'
and by word of mouth, to "Come
early and avoid the rush." the band
pumped wind" vigorously on the
principal street-crossings before il
moved to the hall and played the
curbstone overture, and the claqueri
moved about with "celerity and dis
patch" as the postal laws say, to drum
up Falstaflian recruits.
Notwithstanding the outside tenn
perature was high, it was noted that
no fans were brought into service
after the audience was seated, the pre-.
vailing political frost supplying de-
lightful GOODNESS to the proceedings.
The genial President of the Lincolu
Club, Walter Milroy, presided, but j,
was observable that his subject afford
ed no inspiration. His jaw-tackle got
out of whack when he endeavored tc
pile up adjectives expressive of The
manifold virtues of the tin god, anc
his halt OF about a minute afforded ar
opportunity for his auditors to supply
a word far at variance with the inten,
OF the speaker. He then declared
that the demonstration was intended
to "send back to our friends in The
East all echo of the result in Novem
Der next" Just then the report OF {
string OF fire-crackers came from tn,
street, and somebody facetiously ant
felicitously remarked in an under
breath, That's an echo OF the Fourth
OF July" The worthy President
closed with a further eulogy of thu
ticket "forged" at St. Louis, the ides
doubtless being suggested by the ii
tanic labors of the Republican Vulcan
Mark Hanna, in fashioning the nomi
nations in accord with his supreme
will.
Mr.. John F. Convey followed with al
entertaining account OF the labors o
the convention. He was an eye-wit
ness and an Old-time friend of tn,
Presidential nominee, and his enthu
siasm was, of course, pardonable.
Nick Owings followed in an attemp
to cover up the main issue on curren
cy. with revival OF the tariff question
1t was observable that the Colonel il
not near so pronounced in his golt
views as he was short time ago.
John Rea had his voice with hin
and employed it in singing COLDER
song of promise and hope.
After recitation OF few verses o
alleged poetry by City Attorney Faux
nor, the audience filed out in silence
as oppressive as it was significant o
the adage Coming events cast thei
shadows before" If the cause of Pro
lection or Gold was advanced hair
breadth by the Ratification rally" O
the ofiice-seekers of the Republican
party last night, it was not observabl
on the face of the returns.