The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-08-29
A REGULAR FIZZLE.
Meeting of Independents Ac-
complishes Nothing.
lfvEliEsT ROW OF The CAMPAIGN
Veterans Resent an Insult and Defend
the Good Name OF the Reprb-
Iiean Party.

present bat * = safe 20 z5 that Il the
general public had had q hint CO waar
vas % happen the nal would rot have
been large enough 10 hold the crowd
Confer ding factions net IN n debate
winch was a good deal hotter than X
would have been = p.anned out before
hand - a COMMITTEES or arrzng e-nerlss
the lie was passed. threats ot personal
violence were INDUCED n. the meeting
ezcape3 from the control Of the prssi5iTg
officer and for a tsuae Il looked as II
there would De scene OF personal VIC
Ience.
The simple key 10 such wild ard ror-
tentous parliamentary faagie IS that sew
eraI gentlemen went into the hall under
rnisappre hension, believing IL 70 be q
meeting OF G. A. r. men. As loyal ReDuo-
leans. they were IL prepared for the tor
rent OF abuse that was heaDed upon the
party by the independents who called
the meeting. 4 collision OF some kind was
inevitable from the nature or the cas-
IL might have been mli8er. Il might have
been more violent. but Il was bound 10
come. And come il did. bringing with II
for a few minutes a thrill OF eXcltement
during which dozen men were on their
feet At once. each trying valnly 70 make
himself heard. the chairman executing
fuase rat-a-tat-tAt thai would nave cone
credit to the girl druuTrners or me Bryan
drum corps. the combatants in the woFdy
abusive until friends lad 10 intervene
TO prevent a fight. Then the atmosphere
slowly cleared. with here and there In
gerlng sharp retcrt- Finally the few
sparks that still burned were quencaeI Dy
the undue yerhosify and prohxity or
speaker who volunteered TO tell tEe meet
ing about his personal affairs and who
wandered into an Irrelevant discussion OF
mob violence until the chairman caI.ed
him 10 order with the suggestion that
vigilance committee was not Just now IN
order.
Whether the personal animosities OF the
evening diverted attention from the main
object or not, certain II is that the meeting
seemed to be suffering the shiTering ei-
fects Of cold douche. II was dlfflcuIt 10
get a chairman TO serve, one or two OF the
most prominent speakers called on re-
fused TO say a word, and one after another
declined 10 serve on the solitary COM
mittee that was raised. The net result
OF the meeting, so far as I can be put
into words was the appointment or a
committee of three 20 draft resolutions
for the guidance OF the independents.
The preface which led 10 this inharmoni-
Gus seance was a little notice Wnich APP
peared in an afternoon paper OF yester-
DAY, as follows:
ITO the Independent Republicans OF Sc
attic: All those of you wno are IN FAVOR
of an ORGANIZED effort 20 bring the old
Marty back into its former position III
tha love and confidence Of the people, Tree
from bossism and ring rule. are requested
TO meet at Grand Army han, In the i1iiic N
ley block. on Friday evening. Aus asI -,
at s O'Clock sharp A5ls speakers VIII De
IN attendance.
MANY INDEPENDENT VOTERS.
when the hour arrived about thirty-nVe
men OF varying political faiths WSte a.
sembled IN the room. } j. keith called
the meeting to order, but Ola no. state ~
OF iect. Several names were proposed -.
re r1nanent chairman, but nooody seen's'l
10 covst the honor. Scion 1. WhAaais af
length consented to serve, AMI On taxing
the chair stated the obJ=ct or the met
ing in accordance with the eau, enc sasA
he would be pleased 10 hear DINERS e~i' 80
their views. Morgan }. CdrAcsh spohe
briefly pointing out what seemed - min
Ia he Republican mistakes In local peal
tics while at the same tina contendl1S
thar the national Republican party was
worthy OF all praise. Ia1ttes y. t.sfA
smoke briefly also. denodnein5 ifee sii.sF
men as anarchists. After ons or Two oth-
CIR short speeches, some ae IN tne -
called for Judge Foote, and hartman
v5iil1sns reinforced the call by saying
Judge F'oote is called on
az am glad that / have been called on.
said Judge Foote. respond.ns. MOI MAJ
wish to make a speech. but because L
have come here under misappfe!.eiisIoh H.
and am glad Of this opportunity OF setuus
myself straight ] do not "isn % De
considered as identified with the OBJECT
nroposed BY ;his meeting, which IS moth
ms less than the disruption and disinle-
grafton OF the Republican party. mad no
IDEA Of the object Of the meeting until |
heard il stated from the chair a hiend
OF mine simply told me that some OF the
q. A. r. men were 10 meet here tonight.
and came ~.
Vow That have the privilege Of speak
ing. however. / may 30 further and tell
Won why / 90 not sympatnize VITA the
PURPOSES Of this meeting. Mr.. chairman,
/ have been a Republican Tor forty years
and gave my youthful ardor 10 the cause.
Bat. sir. was then no more ardent Re
publican than am tonight (Applause.1
As me speaker proceeded to pay high
tribute 10 the Republican party FOR its
,,rfncfnfes and for is great and heroic re-
cord. ii became more and more ey,1-~s
that A considerable proportion OF his III
tie audience was IN hearty accord Win
his sentiments. and he received round ait
er round OF applause. lie was specially
cheere1 when he said;
.sWhue the Republican party can afford
20 do without the electoral vote OF the
state. OF Washington, the state OF WASH
ington can not afford 20 cut itself loose
from the Republican party and ally itself
met the other day at Ellensburg.'
John r Kinnear was called for. but re-
vl{ed simply. Il have nothing 10 say.
Then John Blsheli was called. and the
storm center of the evening was elscov-
cred.
calm but whitening manner that he par
tirularfv noticed that the eloquent speaker
WHO Rad preceded hitn had not undertaken
IN defend "that Infamous man whose adj
nssnIsrratiou had dragged the state down
10 Us present level.
He VAS going on 10 snUmeratc various
other men vnom Judge Foote had not un-
6e~takea 30 defend. when Charles J. Clark.
who understood one Of Nir. BgsheiTs refer
en0es 10 be to q Mr. stewart. interrupted
hi~ afr Eus1PII deprecated The Interrupt
.iau. ana said vith an expressive gesture
toward rae lltle group al the eBs; end Ct
the hail,
Mr.. Chairman. Sc is useless for ne to
try - proceed q ] an 20 De interrupted
bv set ~ he~lers-'
Tae rest az h}s words we're drowned in
n chorus taa. perhaps for an instant male
Mr BusaeE do "a HttIe thinking. Morgan
j. Carkeek. Councilman J. A. James.
Judge A "a Foote. Charles J. Clark ard
ore or Two others II tae group that seemed
20 oe designated hy the speaker. ross and
shouted as II wlcn one voice:
''It is false"
Taen chaos reigne3 Above the sir
( rounding 8ia Clark cou,d be heard shoat-
( ing threats Or personal violence toward
Basae3. and saying. stewart has A ore
honor ~ his little finger than tha' thjug
has tG Dis d hole b13g-" he was hid back
( by friends and most OF abe gentlemen
concerned. realizing that matters Rfre as