The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-02-19
Fifth wheelers' Convention.

Fifth Whee1ers' Convention.
The Silver Republicans meet in con-
vention today to nominate municipal
ticket with which they may go into the
trading business 1t Is not likely there
will be much OF contest, for there Is
no great vitality left in the organize
ton. The roll cali shows many absent;
they will be accounted for in the present
list OF members OF the old party. left
four years ago. They have been going
back to the old faith ever since silver
became dead issue. and some Of them
have noted the date Of that occurrence
In the calendar as November. 1896.
There is a remnant left, however,
which refuses to admit that IL Is mort
bund, and still holds TO the idea that II
has a mission to- perform There is 10
positive agreement as to what that mis-
sion is, but until such time as there IS
unanmity of opinion on this point, the
members of the so-called party are
willing to maintain sort Of an organ
ization, and hang around on the outside
waiting for something to turn up.
Originally these wanderers professed
to be Republicans, and said they left
the party because they could not APP
prove its course in the solution of the
money problem; in other respects they
adhered to the old Republican princi-
pies. In the nature OF things. 1t would
be supposed that they are still of the
same way Of thinking. They are Re-
publicans. but when 1t comes to the
question OF gold and silver. they are
Bryanites. Such being the case. il
seems rather odd that a contingent so
devoted to a principle should herd by
itself when that principle is in no wav
involved. IT Is hard to understand why
people who are Republicans, except on
the matter OF the currency, should be
so anxious to put up a ticket to be used
for swapping purposes with Democrats,
Populists and nonpartsan single-tax-
ers. II must be either that these people
are bhndiy following cheap leaders VINO
change their politics with the seasons.
if anything is to be made out of II. OF
that the party as whole has degener-
ated into n crumb-seeker and Is willing
to stand In "cahoot" with any sort OF
an aggregation which agrees to dlvis-
ion OF the political places
This Is a very low condition In which
to be found especially for men who
gave up life traditions for a principle.
II must be anything burt pleasing re-
Election for them. when they realize that
from n band of heroes calling for silver
they have degenerated into a mere
fringe OF barterers yelling for pie. Is IL
possible that they believe the Silver Re-
publican organization can be main
tanned for such an elevated purpose as
the supplying of few political sore
heads with temporary livelihood Was
this what Senator Teller had IN view
when he and his colleagues walked out
of the 81. Louis convention
II IL not likely the Silver Republicans
realize just how much OF farce they
are playing. Some. OF them may not
appreciate the fact that the issue which
brought their organization into-exist-
ence is dead. but the most OF them do.
And II is strange they are not aware
that the general public sees the emp.i-
ness OF their going through these party
proceedings for the sake OF holding to-
gether few erratio men whose noblest
aim Is 20 distribute n few local spoils
II win be great honor TO be named
on the Silver Republican ticket today
To be sure. the life OF the nominee as
nominee viii last only TN such time
as a man from some other party can
be put in his place. but the self-sacri-
ice is noble. and It may help the silver
Republican cause. whatever tina, may
he