The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-01-25
Factions Divide the Local Peoples
Party Organization.
CRY COMMITTEE MAY NOT ACT.
yaoaneies Occur In TWENTY-FIVE Pre-
sincts ana No Call for an Election
HAS Been Generaiiy Circulated
Possible That Advocates of
straight. Ticket May Take the
/. Lead and Cell the Convention.

tion q struggle between conflicting inter-
ests 10 now in progress which may result
IA materially changing the political situa-
zion with regard to the approaching munich
PAL election. One faction Of the party Is
aggressively seeking to have regular city
convention called for the nomination OF, a
full municipal ticket in conjunction with
guch other elements Of the fusion forces as
choose to Join. Another and distinct fac
ton OF the Populists is in favor of abandon
ing the party organization entirely and OF
cooperating with the Citizens Nonpartisan
League.
The outcome Of the strife between the
contending Populist factions hinges upon
the results Of the election to be held Satur-
day afternoon and evening In twenty-five
precincts OF the city by the Peoples party
electors. to choose, members of the city
central committee, From such information
a. 10 given out by the Peoples party city
committee It Is apparent that no, adequate
notice has been given OF the precinct cleo
tons to MI the vacancies on the commit
ter.
In case no elections are held, the COM
mittee, according to the present plans OF
( what appears to be the dominant faction
viii not call city convention In that
oAse, It IL probable that a number OF Peo-
pleS party men who have been prominent
in party matters since the inception of the
movement In King county will issue q call
for Ward and precinct elections and will
undertake to organize new committee
with tho avowed purpose of calling Peo-
pies patty caucuses. primaries and city
conventi6u.
vaeancies In CemMittee.
The Peoples party city committee con-
sists Of fortg-four members. E. D. Nc
Laughlin. chairman Of the Peoples party
state committee, IL also chairman Of the
city committed In twenty two precincts Of
the city the members Of the committee
have either deberted the party. left the
city or died. The vacancies In the COM
aittee occur in the following precincts:
First ward-First. Second, Third and
second wsrd-First precinct.
Third ward-First, Third and Fourth
Fourth ward-Tfirst and sixth precincts
Fifth ward-Ff}st. Second. Fourth and
Sixth ward~F1rst, Third and. Fourth pre-
Eighth ward secOnd precinct $.
Ninth wardf Third, Fourth. Fifth and
Sixth precincts.
At the meeting of the Peoples party
committee last Thursday night it was de-
cided to cali precinct elections for the
election Of members of the committee
where vacancies exist. AS far as is known.
however no general circulation of a call
for precinct elections has been made.
The leaders of the faction Of the COM
mittee which advocates the holding of
straight Populist primaries and city con-
vention charge that the opposition de-
sires to prevent the filing of the vacancies
in the committee: that certain members Of
the committee favor cooperating with the
Citizens Nonpartisan League In the NUM-
cipal campaign, even to the abandonment
Of the party organization. 1t is further
charged that the failure to issue notices of
IL 60 xyoo 1nt oc nm
the committee is due to the action Of that
faction of the party which is opposed to
holding a city convention and in favor Of
uniting with the nonpartisan league.
Mr.. MeLaughlin's Position.
Much interest in the position taken by
Chairman Mclaughlin in the present con-
troversy is felt by members of the COM
mittee and by Peoples party men in gen.
eral. Mr.. Mclaughlin has been charged
with affiliating too strongly with Eugene
Way and other members Of the nonuarti-
san league and of acting with that fac
ton Of the committee which is alleged to
be in favor Of the nomination of nom
partisan ticket.
On behalf of Mr. Mclaughlin. however,
it is stated by friends of his that he fav-
ors the retention of the party name and
the maintenance of the organization
through the municipal campaign. Ac-
cording to his friends, Chairman Nc
Laughlin favors calling convention. of
the Peoples party independently of the
Democratic party. 1t is also understood
that Chairman Mclaughlin has informed
his intimates that he is not willing to
sacrifice his Populism to Democracy, and
that under no circumstances would he con-
sent to participate in the Democratic pr-
maries and caucuses.
This is Chairman McLaughin's position
as revealed by his close friends. At the
same time, II is not to be forgotten that
Mr.. Mclaughlin and Eugene Way are
close political friends, and that Mr.. Way
is an advocate of a citizens nonpartisan
ticket and the consequent abandonment OF
the Peoples party city organization.
More than that, Mr.. McLaughlin's oppo>
sition to the Democratic invitation is
held to be evidence that he strongly ia
cors union with the nonpart.san peo-
pie.
Where Judge Winsor Stands.
Judge Richard Winsor is credited with
leading the faction of the Peoples party
which Is in favor of acting with the nom
partisans. Judge Winsor does not deny
his interest In the nonpartisan cause.
For example. he said last night: II be-
lieve that nine-tenths OF the Peoples party
of the city is opposed to the nomination
of a Peoples party ticket. In other
words, I believe the party members are
opposed to calling a straight Populist city
convention, but are in favor of a coalition
with the Citizens Nonpartisan League"
While 1t is true that Judge Winsor rep
resents a considerable faction OF the Peo-
pies party committee, it is also true that
the single tax wing of the party and the
single tax members of the city commit
tee are not accustomed to- regard Judge
Winsor as their friend. and, 1t Is under
stood, the eXigenc.cs of the occasion have
brought into play the powers OF the as
TUE First ward Populist boss, Eugene
Way. in holding single takers in line
along the policy adopted by Judge Win
sor.
m ~ f,n.ta m !.