The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1899-02-02
The 0fiCial Paper Of San Juan County.
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 1899.
THE FIGHT FOR THE SENATORSHIP.

The senatorial contest appears te
have reached a stage where the sue.
cess of some clark horse" seems rather
more probable than the election OF
anyone of the four candidates so far be-
fore the Legislature, and among the"dark
horses" mentioned appears the name
of John S. McMillin, of this county.
There would seem to be only remote
possibility that the King and Pierce
county members will agree upon a
candidate from either county, and if
Senator Wilson is defeated because of
the plea that a Western Washington
man should be chosen. the same OBJ
lection can be urged with equal force
against Mr.. Ankeny. In such an
event the logical course would be to
bring out some candidate backed by
the united support of the northwestern
counties and able to command some
following from King or Pierce or both
when their own favOrite candidates
are acknowledged to be no longer Gin
it.n To the Republicans of this county
generally it would be very gratifying
indeed if the great honor should fall
to Mr.. McMillin, and there are many
arguments that may be advanced in
support of such solution of what ap-
pears to be a most perplexing political
problem. San Juan county is the only
county in the state which has never
given majority against the Republic
can party, and not only has Mr.. Nc
Millin for years been a most infiuen-
tial factor in bringing about these
favorable local results, but he has been
and is a prominent figure in state
politics and has been a most earnest
and efficient worker IN state CAM
paigns He has been a presidential
elector, and the representatives of the
northwestern counties paid him the
high compliment of their votes for
senator in the contest of four years
ago. A man of fine appearance, great
energy and broad views, and in the
prime of vigorous manhood, for sew
eral years a lawyer and now at the
head o one f the large business enter
prises of the state, he would be sure to
command attention and respect at the
national capital and reflect credit upon
the state.
THE ISLANDER has felt and still
feels that Senator Wilson is fairly en-
titled to The compliment of re-elec-
ton because of his earnest, faithful,
efficient service to the people of every
section of the state throughout most
trying period. He has been diligent
IN all things, and for ten years the
most tireless worker for the welfare of
Washington that the state has ever
had in congress. If returned to the
high place which he has occupied for
one short term only he would be the
senior senator of the Pacific coast and
by reason of his membership of seven
committees and his long experience at
the capitol, having been six years a
member of the house of representa-
tives before being elected to the senate,
he would be in position to accom-
plish far more immediate good for the
state than new man possibly could
in body where so much attention is
paid to precedent and seniority of
service.
1t is unworthy of the Republican
party of this state that Senator Wilson
should be defeated because of petty
enmities engendered by disappointed
aspirants for Office, or because he is
bitterly opposed by the leading Re
publican newspaper of the state, con.
trolled by the brother and business
associate Of the junior senator, a rene
gade Republican from the same town,
whom ambition had tempted to sacri.
flee his political principles and obtain
by purchase, as is generally believed
"a seat In the senate from a Populist
legislature. In and about these two
elements all the opposition to Senator
Wilson is crystallized. If his defeat
accomplished, a uost salutary lesson
could be taught to the warning factions
of the chief cities and leading counties
of the state by the election of the most
prominent Republican of the loyal
little county of San Juan.