The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-01-17

OLYMPIA. Jan. fs-Special.-The fsrst
c2ll Ter caucus Of the fusion marr-
hers q the legislature on the senate
rial question was pRt in circulation this
Afternoon The cal euanAlsd from tns
progressive Papulists. or chose Who have
refused 10 enter lnGe any compact wita
tae middle-af- the-rcad faction for the
purpose Of creating deadlock IN order -
defeat he election ~ any save an ols-lln@
Popullst 70 senator squares seat The call
reads As follows.
olympia. Wash. Jan Is 1887.
tsaN Tor q Conference OF the Fusion Leg
iS4afors, Monday. January Is. lSs7-We, The
undersigned fusion members - the NASH
angten iesislaya are request that there %
members Of the union forces in the legiS-
sStUre Tor the purpose OF discussing ghe
senatorial question. snd 20 determine II u
i @aSis9ole 70 ho.d nominating caucus.
IL Is understood that no member is 10 be
irreNocably hound by the action % yhls
conference"
The tusionlS;s number So IL tae pro-
moters OF the proposition for caucus oo-
tain the signatures Of &c members there
viii be a caucus.
Sooa after the call was put in circuia-
ton, the miedle-of-the-roade learned Of
Il. although ciigeni Efforts were made 10
suppress the fact that the cal had been
issued 4 number OF strRixhtouis refused
to sign tho cali. and they will bitterly op-
pose any effort az The present time 20 get
the fusionists together In caucus. A.
though the call is for conference" the
meeting, II IL i held. Will have all the
force Of a caucus, except that Il viii not
bind anyone 70 support the action taken
when the time for balloting arises.
The agreement heretofore mentioned IN
these columns which has been circulated
hy the leaders OF the Stgasghtnuts has
been signed hy ss Populists. Singularly
enough. IL is not binding on anyone in ma
sense originally intended. The agreement
or petition merely states that the signers
are agreed that a true and tried
Peoples party man should be selected 10
succeed Senator Squire. No condition
was attached nindsng the slguers 10 re-
frain from supporting any candidate from
the Silver Republicans or Democrats that
he preferred. or In the event of the Popu-
lists being unable 10 unite on one of the
Numerous candidates.
Although such a clause was omitted
from the agreement. the middle-of-the-
readers. both in and out Of Legislature,
have sent abroad the impression that when
any Peoples party man had signed II ne
thereby bound himself not to vote for anv
OF the Silver Republican candidates. This
was not stated TO those who were re-
quested 10 sign the document. but II was
given cut an evidence that the middle
O[~tne-FOA0frA CfHfTNts4 the situation.
Like az the other factions IN the present
controversy. the middle-os-the-roaa men
have shown signs OF making claims as 10
strength which cannot he fully sahstan-
tiafed by facts. From inside sources II y
learned that not more than Is. or al the
outside. % Popuiist members OF tho iegisia-
ture viii stand out FOR any length os
time for the selection OF a Pornlist as
against the field. But n they VIII BE abe
70 muster - determined men, the ultra
Populsst leaders VIII be able 70 hang ap
the senatorship for three and. possibly.
four weeks.
The straight-out Popnlsts have adopted
systematic means 20 promote their inten-
ton OF defeating both Squire and Turner.
Nightly meetings OF the committee ap-
pointed for the purpose ef working on the
weak-kneed members are held and plans
devised whereby those who favor the eiec-
ton OF old-iine popaiist can form
compact body IN the legislature which
shall withstand any and ell the hlan6sh-
ments OF the Turner and Squire men.
The members of this coumittee include
many Of the kesncst politicians on the
floor of the house-men who have beeu
''reforrners' since the early DAYS OF tho
Farmers Alliance. They form but small
proportion. relatively speaking, ~ tho
Popullst strength IN the house AL ~
them ara genuine Popuiizts % the radical
stripe men who faVar the enactment %
the principle ~ the Initiative and referen-
dunn into iaw. government banks and Sat
money To these meu the silver ISSUE ts
as dead as Caesar. They have already
renounced the silver god. ard are deter
mined hencsforth to propagate the prin-
cipIas q true pppulism. To these leaders
Of the Populsst minority. both Turner
and Squire are repurn8ut-~ths one on
account OF his ali-sbsorbing ambition TO
elevate himself into the senate. the other
beaausa Of his eievenfh-hour repeatancs
cf the sins ~ Repuhiicanism. believe
these men would rather see Col" Mary
Hobart the loud champion Of fatlsm. IN
ScHirs's seat than either Turner or the
senator himself.
n can be set down that the leaders ~
the naiddle-of- -tne-road faction VIII fight
the proposition for "A conference" with
AL the strength they can muster. Like
Squire and Turner they are oppsseH 70 a
caucus until tae time arrives. whsn .hey
are assured o. possessing enough votes 20
control. Their plan Sc 20 stavs or 3 reg
ulsr caucus tE after the arHt ballot In
taken on Tuesday. Then they would cali
the Pop3i.s;s together and endeavor 10
t4nsfe the party on one candidate. The
plan rnendone8 IN these columns. % drop
ping the two candidates receiving the low
est number - votes On each ballot VIII
hs urged by The leaders Of the straight
outs On thls question there wiii on
donhfe8tw be p split. which nav rerder
further Populist esueusiug impossible.
To begin with. the progesaists viii op-
phae anv caucas without firsf Inviting fhs
fssion Democrats ard silver Republicans.
Then they viii nor submit 70 any chance
proportion Ike that mentioned which
"a zvors % the dice method % solving dr.
fsrenceH More than iris. ths progressive
Popufsts Or those who are not IN wysn-
pafhv wfth the rntdale-of- -the-roaHers. wffi
never bind themselves 70 support tts
nominee of any CAUCUS participated in
alone oy the Popuiists
Il 81 interesting 20 note th@ changes stat
occur IN me makeup of eaea succeeding
legislature ard 20 observe re constant
arapUgnE out - rs0at - THOSE members
who have beer proHtrenfly 81 the public
eve Thls - especially tr1e = the house.
where a. Is tas axcepftou 10 aud airy con-
sgHershge n7snber Of members reelected:
snd. az fnn membership = sub5sce %
,efarra ever tWu years. the result - rat
thA bufk of thaf body Is composed % men
10 vraeu1 re FrzEficai work - legislation
is a terra fac1 xrsitas wtth sufFcfsrt scat
.@~Iux ef former members reelected 20
seaven tns legislative lump. sns 30 assure
order ara svHtsrn IN routine work
Tse interval q NO years between "a.
regular sessions q the senate. however,
Il arsBxs8 over ~ ire retention ia ofYcs
90 the seventeen ho3d-ovsr fnersbere. Efno
are snaA}e4. ~ reason - tAefr former 49,
a9c3atl8n aad exa@rfAEae. ID p8ek nn fn.
tareaas ~ tbe legislative fanzie and pro-
ceed rt.aost Delay in tae framing 81 avs.
sacE Of waiea. n ths egtEion CT is pro-