The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-10-15
why THEY ARE Returning.
SILVER REPUBLICANS CONVINCED
OF THEIR FORMER ERROR.
Two Prominent Citizens of Thurs
ton County Express Their Salts
faction with Present Conditions
and With Many Others They
Have Discarded Fusion Ideas.

Special Dispatch to the Post-Intelligencer
olympia, Oct. A--If there Is a county
IN the state that has had more Silver Re-
pupncans who have returned to the Re-
publican party than Thurston county it
VIII indeed be a surprise. Four years ago
there were at least $50 Silver Republicans
In this county in the county conventions
or that year there being approximately
seventy Silver Republican delegates. They
have been gradually returning to the Re-
publican fold until at present II Is doubt
fui II In the entire twenty-four precincts
OF the county there are twenty-five Silver
Republicans
AT recent mass county convention Of
the party there were exactly eleven
delegates present. Among those Repub-
hcans who four years ago voted for
Bryan are some OF the most prominent
citizens OF the capital city. The reason
Tor Their return Is not hard to find.
.n william IN Biliings for twenty.four years r
favorably known to all old pioneers. is
one of those who four years ago gave
BRYAN and the Populist state ticket warm
support. Mr. Billings at the resent Re-
publican county convention was dele
gate, and Is now an enthusiastic supporter
of Mckinley. Speaking OF his change of
faith and return to the fold Mr.. billings
yesterday said.
why Mr.. Billings Returned.
II shall vote the Republican ticket at
the forthcoming election and do all can
to insure Its success at the polls. All my
life until four years ago ! voted that
ticket. For several years before 1896
was a silver man and sincerely thought
that the adoption OF bimetallsm was the
best thing for the country. In 1896 de-
terrnined TO vote for Bryan, and this ac-
ton was due entirely and alone to the
silver plank In his platform.
Since then. however. many things have
happened to cause me to return TO the
4. lt,.. ..sx ALI
In protective tariff. and have during
my lifetime experienced its benefits.
Since President McKiniey's administration
the country has enjoyed prosperity--a
prosperity that followed several years OF
commercial depression.
MY friends in the fusion camp say to
me that the Republican party is lucky.
but / tell them that II is a noticeable fact
that we have prosperity only when the
Republican party Is in power. and that
bad luck seems to pursue the Democracy.
The prosperity the country always enjoys
under Republican rule Is the result of
good management and that is all there Is
to 1t. am satisfied to remain with the
party hereafter instead OF straying after
false political gods"
George G. Israel Returns.
Another prominent man who has re-
turned TO the Republican party after
working and voting for Bryan ls George
G. Israel. one o. the most prominent az;
known not only in Thurston county but
In Seattle and Tacoma as well. Referring
to his support this year OF the Republican
ticket Mr. Israel yesterday said:
1T Is true that am supporting the en-
tire Republican ticket. national. state and
county II is also true that DETECTED
from the Republican party with the SILL
verites in 1895 and stumped Northern
Idaho for Bryan. At that time was
thoroughly I'm accord with the Silver Re-
puhIicans and believed that the unlimited
coinage OF silver at rs to was the only
salvation for this country. viewed with
distrust the putting of the country on
gold basis. I have become satisfied that
was in error
"Isut, aside from that issue. the attitude
OF the Democratic party as to expansion,
and its attacks upon the present adminis~
tration under the mask OF Imperialism,
would have driven me back to the Re-
publican ranks had the silver issue never
existed. regard the past administration
OF President Mckinley In the handling OF
the situations that have confronted MIN
a complete exemplfhcation OF the fact that
he Is the right man In the right place.
With the firm belief that u he IL permit
ted TO carry out the work that ne has
begun and so far, so ably accomplished
its contamination can but rebound to the
honor az our nation. you ind me In this
campaign a Mckinley Republican.