The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-01-13

OLYMPIA, Jan. ss.-The famous wilson
caucus was TO have been held Thursday
n.shf. New Thursday night has passed
and there Is less talk OF a caucus than
there has been fer several days This 10
tac second Wilson assca and shows az
nothing else c>ald his absolute help!sssnsss,
The sentiment among the able news
paper nen here Is that Wilson Ia defeated
He aad his workers are quiet and lamb
like. The activity CT two a8ys ago has
disappeared The crowd af sleek ofylce-
holders has thianed oat and are scattered
over The state. Instead Of working with
the members. Wilson IS new working ard
waiting for coercion. lie is desperate.
When a member whom re had eounted
upon as friendly declares he Is opposed 70
Wilson's reelection. the senator at once
draws what strings he can 10 force him
into Tine against tbs better Judgment IL
Is not hard 10 get petitions on any sub
iec;. Men ssgn saeh things as political
papers withoat thought of the use made
Of them. and Il only reauIrcs activity To
Circulate them. All over the state Wilson
has active men They are his posimasters.
his deputy collectors. forest rangers ana
so forth.
The weakness es a petition as compared
with the actual state OF sentiment IL hest
shown by an incident toaay. Postmaster
Learned. OF Port Towusend~-she seat OF
the Office OF the eoileetor Of cas,ams--ar-
rived here today with a hEg basket Of Pc
sitions ard letters. which will aa USED To
force Senator ciapp and Representatives
Matty and Iisaop 10 support Wilson. Port
Townsend Is IN Jefferson county. and JET
fers1n county was the seat Of the warmest
arti-Wltson figh; In the state. I; was hero
that Mr.. Ciapp. then candidate fer state
senator came out openly early in the cam
T'aign as opposed 10 Wilson ring raie lilo
defeated the regular Wilspa man. and was
elected by n large majority This was ae-
eomplishei against the influence os the en-
Are customs house cFoad. headed by Cei-
hector Fred Hues;!s. IL was alxo accom-
pijshed In Spite % the fact that Nr. VIII
sons Federal employees voted against MIR.
Clapp and for a fusion cand'dafs as 10
proven BY the vose Ia the different pre-
cincts where the Federal officials voted. IL
a basket of petitions could be secured Ia
jefferson county fer Wilson. what would
be the effect elsewhere7
During the past two or three days dele
cations favorable 10 Wilson have geen
coming in from Western Washington
counties and efdeavoring by thraats Ia
forcu fner12#ss of the legislature from
their counties "a follow fhess sweet VIII
and vote sheir sentiments instead OF the
sentiments af their people. AZ they iearn-
81 them during the campaign. I'isia is sr-
other feature Of ring politics. asas; ss 70
pleasant 10 note that none % th@ oppog-
ing candidates has attempted 10 reaort 10
sgeh methods.
Among the Federal brigade arriving to-
day 90 aIa Wilson was Post master Learn
ed. us Port Townsend. Peck. f9rest re-
serve rnaa froas the southwest. A. ~.
strong. ex-regsster of tire Seattle ianfs 81
ice. Is aiso here 10 WORK on Representa-
tive weltv. az Stevens. d Democrat. 20.
e-cers are also reported coming from In
coin. okanegan. khckltst and other
Eastern Washington counties.
TIE caucus is ssill mystery. Enxlehars.
representative from Yakima. oue OF ihs
ruagn clFenla,oFa. admitted tonight that
only aaeut sSsrty-fYe names had as yet
been seclred. when toi3 ,has shss insi-
Gated Wilson's weakness he said
"Weil. We have several men who will
sign airy time The Spokane members hass
ret slgred yet" As Mr. EnElenayt said
two days ago Shat al Of sne Spokane
members rad aireasy signed. hlz remark
sesFns a. be = little reckless,
The candidates tn opposition 80 wiizoa
are not losing any time tn good sosk.
Tl.sy are working in apparent harmony
ard eaeh claims ~ sse confident 81 suS-
cess
HOWARD WATSON.