The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-03-05
win Not Be Deluded.

Tomorrow the voters OF the city af
Seattle will have an opportunity of
choosing those men to whom the ad-
ministration Of municipal affairs is to
They can vote for the Republican ticket
which represents definite principles and
policies. or they can vote for collec-
ton OF aspirants who are marked as
Democrats but who represent no posi-
tive force and have been brought to-
gether solely through the negotiations
OF a small band of politicians eager for
power and prestige.
Much ado has been made by some of
the fusion leaders about pure city gov
eminent. but outside of a few people
Identified with church work 1t has been
a mere incorporating for political ad-
vantage. The long travail of the fusion
conference was not the outgrowth OF
any sincere yearning for reform. The
delay in reaching an agreement for a
division of the Offices was not brought
about by any discussion Of plans OF bet
ter government II was a protracted
haggling over booty. and the agents in
VOWED In the work would willingly have
agreed to anything and everything pro-
vided that in SO doing something might
be gained for the spoils union.
After this shameful midnight barter.
In which principles and policies were
ruthlessly sacrificed for the sake OF an
amicable agreement as TO political hon
ors. the conslomerste leaders have had
the efrrontery TO make a campaign for
reform and pure politics. Being drawn
together by nothing except greed for
place and having no decent political
principles upon which they think alike.
they have fallen back IN a so-oalled re-
form crusade In which not one In ten
Of them believe. IL has been political
trickery pure and simple. II Ia an un-
scrupulous attempt to dupe people with
strict IDEAS into believing that the
fusion movement Is a moral wave. In
reality II Is an adroit scheme OF the
fusion politicians to make use 81 cry
that Is always popular. and through Il
hoodwink connding citizens into voting
for candidates who have no more sym
pathy with reform than the savage has
with the progress of civilization.
The fusion campaign from the tirst
has been little better than a confidence
game. with the exception of the non
partisan movement In it's early stages.
and before those In Il had been hetray-
ed. every single element OF the present
composite force has been after rec0g-
milton and place, and nothing else
Power was what they wanted The re-
form cry has been an after thought.
and (; has been used not because the
rank and Gle believe IN 1t. but because
u Is An expedient makeshitt II Is as
easy for the cheap politicians 10 yen
Ter pure city government as II Is for
some Ponullsts and all the silver Re
publicans TO wear Democratic label
in return for some miserable sop dealt
oHt.
IL seems hardly possible that people
Identified with Seattle and hopeful for
its welfare viii accord to this fusion
masquerade anything like substantial
recognition. Property owners and husl-
ness men who have survived the recent
years OF depression and at last seen
prosperity dawn upon them certainly
will not vote 10 replace good times and
Republican administration with a non
descript force Of office-seekers who rep
resent nothing but narrow ideas and