The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-08-22
Hardly Any Interest Taken in
the Populist Primaries.
The Vote Was Nearly Evenly Divided
Between the Republicans and Fue
sionists Two Years Agu, huH The
Retarn Of Prosperity Has Played
Havoc In the r0palistio Ranlrn.
ana Absolute Apathy Or Open On.
sionists IL Found AmOn9 ForneP
Supporters % CAtcago rlatsoruA.
Special ssafY Correspondence

Special STAFF Correspondence
VANCOUVER. WASH. Aug. N--Thero
has heen a great deal Of gossip In the
ropulSt newspapers Of Western washing-
ton Of late in reference TO the ronnibnisy
of Clarke county being carried by the NJ
sion.sts. 1t Is the veriest nonsense-msrs
balderdash OF the cheapest sort-and any
one who will take the pains to look into the
political conditions that exist IN Clarke
county will readily agree with ma
In the first p.aee. the vote for presiden-
tiai electors in Clarke county broke evsn
between McKinley and Bryan In 1sak eanh
receiving I.sa7 votes as the highest num-
Der. Thu county offioes were divided be-
tween the Republican and fusion parties
and the fusionisfs took both memberu OF
the legislature. ono by II plurality and the
other by . plurality The vote east By The
this was Increased to Il In the legislative
vote.
In the second place. therc II no real 6gl-
yer Republican organization In Clarke
county. the Republicans who deserted
their party for silver in 1896 having pTac-
sica.iy gone over and Joined tfe Populista.
Hence the fusion 20 much talked about 10
fusion Of the Popullsta ard Democrats
The Gold Demccra.s-and there sre more
Of them this year than there were last
are not derersing their ideas on the finance
question to follow the fusion element Of
the Democratic party into tho Popul!st
party: neither do they expect. at present.
TO Put UP n ticket OF their own Those oe
the Gold Democrats who Are anxious u
rcorganaxe the Democratic party in 800
and go into active work to regain for Il
tho prestige II once had. will vote tho Re-
publican ticket. as that Will givo them the
strongest hlow at their arch cnemy, Popu-
list fusion. those. on the other hand. who
are opposed to fusion. but prefer to strike
1t only n moderate blow. rather than jain
hands with their old opponents, tho Re-
puhllcans. viii simply remain away from
the polls.
The vote Of 1886 was brought out hy
an equal In the history os Washington It
was purely a campaign OF prejudice. With
money locked up all over the nation. owing
to lack Of confidence among investors, with
heavy mortgages weighing down the peo-
fsie-nortgages which for the greater part
were given during toon times. wheD the
mos. humble citizen became a specalaior
tn lands; with agitators appealing 70 the
poverty Of Fhe people. painting sheir dis-
srcss In vivid coiors, showing by system
OF false arguments that prosperity could
never return while gold was tho medium
Of exchange. and that n silver was not
adopted at ars arbitrary ratio their chill
dreu would starva In sha streets and they
would tss hosneiess wanderers on tho face
Of she earth. II xas not 10 be wondered at
that preiudice became ranpant~~-a disease
In The air. so 10 ss,eak. So Gear and posi-
tive was this campaign of prejudice that
In many communities Republican papers
we're torn into xsrsds without being
opened. ard to be "a Republican was 10 bs
g.. enemy 20 the country. in the opinion Of
she opposition. So II was in sorne portions
os Clarke county.
But the rrejueiee hes been removed.
The people saw Republican success ia tbs
nation as.i witnessed TIE firm installation
Of cold aa the money Of the nation. They
perhaps nhivesesI and had vivid Nightmares
al FIRST. bat these Giaspaaresi as rapFaey be-
gar to Increase in eifcsslasitn. "a prices of
sgo;ucts advanced. as industries hegan 10
reopen. ar Wages corfsmencea 70 climb I'D.
~ mortgages were hesng raisscei. and tne
people were finally cofnpeiIel 70 admit that
prosperity nrpler ths gold standard was be-
lng enjoyed by the country. ard saa. tfs
silver hsfluclnatsou waa af an essd-
II ss with this condition prevailing that
ssse people Of C9arks county are eptsstas
upon toe raI campaign. Ta1 man whe
was a Republican and voted With Poppy
lissn By reason ~ his cr@otipn 10 alIser.
xefs now that Ha'. not silver. money 10 The
fa1ssarnsntai isyfn~sple of f'0culissie I'm
aree No longer are ftAe faise arguments
asiuxfrg, 70 sofger wili rs man VINO wzs
ss>s4xee ia .ssE take hsn1 ir1 asxssssng
ssssils hunters 70 advance false argurne1so
that. r. suecs~sfI,. would snfy 6rsvs away
,sse day O. irzT@aslfw wages aaa bring
back the weeas es despanaency aas dis
sxens TIE se@uit la: Ar asxo.nss srssif-
fsrense anomg sne Bzasee= of tina osc fsxston
psxfy . the sGprfs e tho e0oeAnfdw -