The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-08-28
OPEN SPLIT N WHATCOM.
LEADING P0PULIsT1 TO A MAN DE-
xOuyCE FUSION.
willing to Sacrifice Everything
for Their Ambitions. Bitterly De-

Special Disnatch to the Post-Inteliigencer.
WHATCoM. Aug. s7.-The only subject
Of conversation here this morning is tho
peculiar CONDITION Of the local fusiontsts
after the display they made yesterday in
their conventions 10 elect delegates to the
state conventions at Ellensourg. The
Democrats were Few IN numbers. as the
country precincts were not represented. but
harmony was the rule and they voted for
fusion without a dissenting voice
There were eniy a few Populist pre-
c;ncts represented at their conventions,
about fifty delegates being present The
Populists in the country didn't come IN
because they care very little. as rule.
what is done at El,ensburg. They believe
that fusion viii bs arranged and are cold
towards Il Some o. them believe they
were traded OF by the Democrats and
some OF them believe that fusion means
the death OF PopuEsn. Those who wan.
nominations or who have friends who do
ara for fusion. This was the element that
voted ana carried fusion through the con-
vention yesterday. II was a notable fact
that every leading Popu!ist o. two years
ago was against fusion. w. L. Miller. ex-
mayor OF Whatcom and leader in the
conventions OF 1896. fought the proposition
and left the hall In disgust He said the
party had been sold out and was over
hurdened with isms ard theories and Of
hce seekers and that he was through with
It under the present methods He had
fought for reform four years and had
landed in hoghole He wouldn't vote for
any fusion Democrat and was very doubt
ful II he would vote for any Populist II
fusion carried. His bitter talk was fair
simple OF what was heard on all sides.
@. V. Alexander. representing county
attorney. scored the fusion administration
In both state and county in a hot speech
in the convention and named the men and
measures one after another.
j. r. Critics, the Populist nominee for
superior Judge IN 1896 took advantage Of
the convention to make a talk against
fusion ard the kind Of men who were adj
voca,ing It that cut like a sword.
f. L. Macy, ons OF the gray-haired Pop
ulists who was in the front ranks since
1893 and in 1895 carried the party banner
at the front walked out Of the convention
In a white heat exclaiming that his party
had been sold out and was going TO de-
struc,ion and he was no longer member
OF that conven ton"
Davis. of Ten Mile. another white-haired
apostle Of the Omaha platform, couldn't
find terms harsh enough to denounce the
It's doom.
All the leaders Of Whatcom county Pop
ulsm are either out OF the county or op-
posed TO fusion. The men who were capa-
Bile OF outlining a policy. writing resolu-
tons, conducting conventions. making
arguments or convention floors and on the
stump are against fusion or are not here.
VIII D. Jenkins and c. Z. Cline are in
Olympia and Critics. Miller. Fouts, Alex
ander and the other leaders are In the
opposition A single incident shows the
strength OF anti fusion sentiment. Commits
sioner c. r. Dean has been by all odds
the strongest Popuiist candidate in tho
county He has been in the courthouse
and has beer intrenched there for four
years and was the head center Of Populisn.
In Yesterdays convention he was the only
delegate from Ten Mile precinct who favor
ed fusion.
E S Prouty. OF Ten Mile. who was the
last Populist candidate for county treas
urer. was against fusion and other Ten
Mile delegates denounced Dean In harsh
est terms as an offceseeker who was lead
irg the party TO ruin that he might get a
fusion nomination and they said that they
would vote against him when he came up.
The county Populiss convention will be
held later to nominate county and Iegisla-
tive officers. The anti-fusion.sts do not
expect 70 attend Ex-Mayor Miller voiced
Disguised with the methods and men who
were at the front and they would simply
stay away and allow the officeseekeas to
make their three party nominations. but
that the people who FELT as he did would
ali be at tho polls and the fus-
,on.sts would not get their votes. The
Silver Republicans did not hold any county
convention 70 nominate delegates 20 their
YlienSburg convention because they didn't
have enough members 10 make conven-
ton Most OF the Silver Republicans Will
vote Mckinley Republcanism this year
and they couldn't gather a convention.
when The time comes probably j. p. De
Mattos will 60 to Ellensburg as the sole
representative of Whatcom county's Is to
| theory They sttl hold 10 their party
name and made silver Republican con-
ventior call. but not more than four or
five can be counted on Bellingham bay
and probably they are as scarce IN the
country districts.