Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1900-11-23
Wilson Awaits an Opportunity.

1t seems that the heart OF John L.
Wilson has been fairly broken by the
ingratltudc Of his party and the spite
work OF the faction in it which has
been so persistent in its efforts to pull
him down from the high pedestal he
lad - Unexpectedly attained. At a
meeting OF his friends lately held in
Spokane, he formally announced his
retirement from the list Of official as
pirants, and stated his intention OF at
once rellnquishing the position OF a
leader OF the party. The scene which
followed his leave-taking of party as.
sociates is represented as having been
quite dramatic. Wilson wept. The
iloodgates OF his warm impetuous ma
ture, responded to the emotion of the
few and faithful who had followed his
wavering fortunes over the tempestu-
Gus seas and ending in an ebb-tlde
of that current which "taken at its
flood" promised so much for all.
The dispatch making this heart
rcnding announcement bears date Of
the 11th instant, and gives the names
OF those present at the scene OF lamen-
tation as W. ii. Ludden, Register Of
the Land Office; S. A. Wells, Receiver
of the Land Office; Jack Wilmot, pro-
prietor of the Wilmot saloon; Arthur
J. Shaw, Receiver of the First National
and Citizens National Banks; Charles
Hopkins, District Manager of the In
land Telephone e. Telegraph Com.
pany; Eugene B. Hyde, Superintend-
ent of Forest Reserves; Millard T..
Harrison, ex-candidate for Superior
Judge; Captain Joe Moore, Secretary
of the Republican County Central
Committee; J. w. Merritt, ex-candi.
date for the Sd district; Herman d.
Crow, Senator.elect from the 4th dis
trict; Wallace Mount. Supreme Judge
elect; r. D. Speck, ex-Sheriff of S2o-
kane county; Joseph Wilson, Collector
of Internal Revenue; Harry Hum.
phreys, alloting agent for the Colville
Indians, all henchmen of the retiring
chieftain. 1t had been announced that
the meeting was to be held for inau-
gurating new plans of conquest, in
stead of making a virtual surrender
and the DOMINIC OF sack-cloth with
ashes on the head. The ex-senator, it
is said, reviewed at some length the
work of the Republican party in this
State and referred to his own share in
the political battles. He said the re.
cent election had convinced him that
it was better for the party for him to
sacrifice his political ambitions and
become an earnest worker in the ranks.
The only regret he had concerning the
election was that some OF his friends
had been defeated through their sup.
posed allegiance to him, as he realized
that this presumed allegiance had
been the cause of their defeat. Here
the wigwam in which the meeting was
held fairly rocked with q release of the
pent-up emotion OF his stricken fol-
lowers. For several moments there
was nothing that broke the stiffness
following the cadences of the melan.
choly voice of the chief but weeping
and wailing and crashing of teeth.
After this storm of feeling had some
what subsidized, Mr.. Wilson proceeded
with his valedictory. He repudiated
the accusations OF any combination
between himself and Ex-Governor Nc
Graw, and said he had had no political
talks with that gentleman looking to
a future coalition of interests. He
mentioned the fact that he was the
owner of a newspaper which was pay
ing him fair income, and that he
would consequently lose nothing finsn-
cially by retiring. He said he should
always be with the party in its work,
but would never again seek political
Office in Washington. He said he
would use his private influence against
Levi Ankeny and others who had been
responsible for the failure of his party's
best efforts in the political battles of
the year.
This exhibition of knife in his
bootleg, caused an iridescent smile to
break over respondent features. With
this bow of promise beaming in the
distant horizon, the meeting ad-
journed, to await directions from the
newspaper that was paying fair in.
come"