The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-01-28
A FUSION CAUCUS TONIGHT
Turner Confident of winning Out
Wfnsor to Get the PopuIist
Vote Today.

OLYMPIA. Jan. Especial Richard
Winsor. of Seattle. will receive almost the
full voting strength Of the middle-of-the-
road Popuiists tn the joint session tomor-
row. Three ballots will he given him.
but they viii be merely complimentary,
as he viii lack IS or % OF election.
Tonight the straightouts met in secret
caucus and decided to give Winsor the
same compliment that has been extended
TO Cline and Daniels.
The house will adjourn early tomorrow
o allow the straightouts 10 meet again.
and for the last time proha bly, In caucus
The hour set il o'clock and the purpose
of the caucus will be the selection of a
man to pit against George Turner in a
general fusion caucus tomorrow night.
This caucus will in all probability settle
for good and all the senatorial night. The
indications tonight promise the nomina-
tion Of George Turner. aud If this IL done
his election by the joint session on Friday
VIII follow as "A matter of course
The straightouts have played their last
card and admit tonight thats the game Is
about up. They do not deny that Internal
dssension and the perslstently selfish
course OF the middle-of-the-road candi-
dates have made anything Ike unity OF
action impossible. Divided in this man
ner the Populists have fallen victim 10
the wel-orsanized and aggressive Turner
combination OF the silver Republicans
Democrats and Populists
only one thing can beat Turner now
This is the possibility of united action by
the POpuiists In their caucus tomorrow
afternoon. But there is nothing IN the
situation tonight that viii warrant tho be-
lief that the P0pullsis win do anything
more than they have done since the iegIs-
iature asset emblei-bicker and fight among
themselves. 10 the disgust OF their party
associates and themselves The Popu-
lists came 10 Olympia with twelve more
than enough 10 dictate the nomination and
election Of one Of their number TO the
high onice OF United States senator. Even
the faction known as the stra ghtouts or
mlddie-of-the-road has had at one time
more than enough. or about a.. 70 noful-
nate IN general fusion caucus the candi-
date OF the fusion party for senator.
This strength has been frittered away
and lost through fsctionai fghting The
straigntouts were strong enough to con-
trol from the beginning OF the session any
fusion caucus but the strong position thus
occupied by the ma ajority OF the dominant
wing or the fusion organization was
weakly surrendered and It's citadel will ba
completely evacuated 20 the silver Repub-
Leans tomorrow night
Al o'clock this Thursday morning
there is great activity In the Turner cam,
The workers in the Spokane mans CAM
Paign are Strengthening their lines and
making preparations for tire fusion eau
c}is tomorrow night They claim that they
have secured over nfty-seven signatures
70 the call. and declare that Turner wlil
be nominated after the frst two or three
ballots are taken. 0f course. there is an
air of great rejoicing. and champagne
corks are expected 10 pop before the night
Is fairly over.
True 20 the crooked course followed
since the first caucus OF the session. the
straiEthtouts VIII not Stay hy the man
they agreed tonight 70 support. A. the
to.at session tomorrow Senator Squire
VIII receive the votes - number of men
who participated Ia the caucus tonight
Four ballots were taken today result
ing In no election. ou the second senator
PlGmme~ of Spoke ne q Fopulist changed
10 Turner. Daniels reserved the sofla
vete Of the m}dI3e-of-fhe-Toad Popullsts.
reinforced oy Senator Taylor % Pierce, a
silver Republican. Tire ballots resulted
q follows