The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-09-29
VALLAW ALLA'SBOOK
Eight Hundred and Seventy
five Sign for Mckinley.
THOSE SIGNING FOR BRYAN.
All the Pledges In the Same Hand
writing. and Suspicion ~ to
Their Genuineness.

waila wziIa, Sept IA Gay or two at
ter the adjournment OF the Republican
county convention. Chairman Croker. OF
the central committee. opened headoGar-
tiers IN an upstairs room on Main stree.
and placed Capt r. n. johnson IN charge.
Tire room was xeil supplied with tables
and chairs. IS walls we're decorated with
framed pictures OF celebrated Americans,
large amount Of bunting added color TO
the room. and many cartoons from the
comic and other papers were displayed.
Il small stock OF speeches upon silver and
the tariff was opened. a big banner
stretched across the street notified ali
passers that Republican headquarters"
were there. and the papers noted the open
Ing. During the two weeks the room was
occupied very few visitors called. A con-
sGliAfion was held by committee men and
other active Republicans, ana IL was de-
cidg4 something must be done TO llyea
things mp. The suggestion was made 10
rent vacant store on Main street and
open headquarters IN Il. The suggestion
Was acted on. and vacant store in the
Paine building. next 10 the F1rst National
bank. was secured 20 which the 9ecora-
tfons, banner and speeches were removed,
and Capt. Johnson opened the room for
business Monday. Sept Ia The first day
be had more callers and handed out TO
visitors more campaign literature than he
open upstairs
Meanwhile the Peoples party had OPEN
ed headquarters upstairs on Main street.
nearly opposite the Republican headqaar-
tiers. But they. too. found upstairs"
would not work. and so they rented
store next 20 the Baker-Boyer National
bank. about Is feet below the Republican
headquarters. and began 10 form Bryan
club. They soon claimed 10 have nearly
~ names on their list, and on Saturday
afternoon, September -. they organized.
The Republicans tried TO revive the Nc
kgnley club formed last spring. Bat in
sesest seemed 10 have departed, and the
outlook was OF the skim milk hue. until
M0sIay morning. September Il, when
Capt. Johnson procured record book,
had an expert penman write across the
tops cf a few pages, in large letters, 4
ALL vote for Mckinley and Hobart" and
Invited signatures. The first name vas
written at 70 a. rn-
No announcement OF the opening of the
book had been made Ia the papers. and
the only effort made to get signatures 20
the pledge 10 vote for Mckinney and iio-
BARI was 10 call the attention Of those who
called 10 the book placed convenient 10
pen and ink. Many remarked, Tn sign
that" and reached for the pen. When
the room was closed az o'clock Monday
night rs voters of Walla Walla had signed
ola-t time Democrats When the room was
closed Saturday night So voters OF Wa!la
Walla county had signed the roll On
other pages OF the book twenty-five Oregon
voters signed their names. Careful seru-
tiny or the SIS names revealed the name OF
only one young man who IS not OF age,
and there are only two duplicates.
One very gratifying result OF opening
headquarters on the ground floor and open
Ing the book for signatures. is TO so in
crease the interest in the Republican cause
that the room IS fun of eager. earnest men
from morning 10 night. engaged in the
study and discussion OF the questions Of
the day. The writer has been actively en-
gagged in political campaigns In Walla
Waila for thirty years and he does not
hesitate to say that more interest has been
taken in politics during the past week by
Republicans than he ever noticed at any
time during any previous campaign. Mer-
chants. bankers. farmers, mechanics, pro-
fessional men. visit the headquarters daily
and nightly and discuss the situation. Re
peatedly during each day and evening
there are very animated discussions be-
tween the advocates OF Repuhlcanssm and
some Populist who drops in to have a
round.
The Bryan club roll. as Il appears In the
book begins with nearly 400 names in
one handwriting. These names, they say,
are copied from lists previously signed. In
the succeeding signatures appear the
names Of many In the copied list An offer
TO bet $40 that there were more than ten
duplicate names on this list. made by
Republican in the Bryan clubroorl. where
there were 100 names on the list, was not
taken.