The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-10-12
constantly widening. 'he oreaen

c cn,ngs drifted along with the breach
Fusion Idea scoRed Az.
81 an me preliminary discussion Of plans
marstn s campaign. fusion was not even
publ;.h nsp Leaders OF both parties IN
Of = sva, interviews ridiculed the idea
fusion ticket, both Popuiists and
sr eM,ocrats stating that they would never
lam associate with such dfshones, polf-
'y, ws.s a. they believed each other to be-
apparently out OF the way rnen n both
~ began to shy their casters into
d Sns ring. and there soon developed album
complete ms'e siaat to sssily prepare I've
scrambte. because the hope OF success
49,, was not particularly strong. but many
~ u,ue noomlsts were quietly launched and
fufur mosm OF interesting friends in their
sonn Coneen was the arch schemer
sr no turned the tide. and BY a prompt
inw euse s move succeeded in driv-
Into one. camp OF discord There are
many who believe that behind CofYeen
me strings were pulled BY Senator George
the Democrats into line under the Cofreen
,panner greatly substantiates this belief
out the spokane county Democrats hest
sase 70 openly admit that the senior SEN
means to gain his political ends
noneen. ever since his rise 10 a po-
s'ion making him worthy OF notice has
Democracy. His residence in s Spokane
county oates back several years. Much
o. that time he pegged around on the
, unuer side Of politics. washing. dirty
one OF those petty politicians who do
work for everybody and have the re-
spect OF nobody. In the unique boiling
thrown to the surface much queer Not
sam, not the least queer Of the coilec-
ffon being John Coffeen During that
campaign Cofreen was. much to the dis
ure At its conclusion the Democrats
attempted to force him again into the
obscurity OF the rear. but coreen had
when the new offcers went in he was
installed as baiiiff IN Judge Richard
sons department Of the superior court.
Since that time he has been. generally
regarded as Judge Richardson's political
Man Friday. and as such has been openly
and secretly hailed with contempt by the
There IL probably NOT man In Spokane
county who r. more thoroughly desplsed
by the Democrats than John Coffeen.
Ce6een Takes the Helm.
The Democrats charge. and there Is
no disposition 10 dispute the allegation.
that John comeen. Judge Richardson
as manipuator in the rear. deliberately
conspired TO prepare n Populfst slate and
force II upon the Democrats. Whether
such conspiracy did exist or not-and
no argument can convince the substantial
Democrats of Spokane county that X did
not--the fact remains that such slate
was prepared and was forced upon tho
Democrats by command OF Senator Trr-
ner
Under the direction Of Coffeen. the cai'
for populst convention TO nominate
4 county ticket was made weeks IN adj
vance OF tho usual time. being promul-
gated over a month before the holding
OF thu national convention. The con-
vention was held with almost one-half
bv regular delegations. The Coffeen slate.
approprist'ng large part OF the iegfs-
lative ticket. one judgeship, several good
county offices and liberal supply OK
promise OF large spoils therein held out
brought delight 20 the Popuiist hearts.
and the slate went through with rush
a. n" .us~s., % s sSas Is. Democrat. ai
Among the nominations pade by the
pepuiists were the following:
for srohane and stevens counties. Will
For prosecuting attorney. Harris Bald
For state senator. Third district, John
The nomination OF Judge Richardson.
had II been made as result OF regular
ni,see. and accepted az good and proper
nv both parties would undoubtedly have
been received with favor by the Demo-
Gratis Baldwin could never however.
tornsy.s office from isss to isas an adj
minissraticn notorious throughout the
pemoerass had nxed their eyes upon the
riace which he had secured, and natural
iy we're At once M In arms the minute
the slate was announced ks 20 me
nomination Of Comeen. the Democrats
sirnlv reared with INDIGNATION: they had
accented many queer nominations frnrf
The populists IN years e>nne by. hnt COT
seer was little beyond the limit
Democrats Are Indignant.
rofYeen. Turner and partners, when the
general Democratic protest against this
method Of forcing fusion and a Popnlsst
date upon them went up, realised thst
they had gone too far ana that n.thihs
hut the most hsroic measures. wouis save
them from defeat The solid. old, TIME
Den,ocreis Of The county were satisfied
shat fusion could never be accepted unon
the Coffeen basis. and rested upon their
oars when the psmeeratic eonyen,ioh. 20
ra,icd Tor carly in August. IN the mean
sime Senator Turner ara his friends
anors the newly made" Democrats were
quietly al work Same 81 the old-tiine
sss,,ers ~ Spokane Democracy got wind
~ tha movement and declined 20 accept
seats in the convention others WIRE
--srn.r,t.s and the poruit.;s The result
was sha, when the convention was called
10 order /, was one ~ the least repre-
sentative Democrats gatherings ever heid
In Spokane county.
Despite all the plotting and fonnins, the
eenyentian was overwhelmingly against
fusion, when the proposition ~ an ~,
ue-ra 9TH the p0pulisfa was preached
IN she opening hours % .he meeting Y
aroused a storm 81 Misses and protests
s,ienaa 81 turner however. under the
eusse o, harmony. secured ire enarmsh-
shgn Of the convention. ana committee
ssvnrahie 10 the swallowing of the CoTses
slate was appointed.
Thts rornrsittee had q lengthy wrsnsie
with itself and Anally recommended ths
saaption es the Pnpniistie slate Win the
exrsrtloa ~ ra1san, his nomination Being
l@st 10 the decision " the convention
Tha majority 81 the convention was en,
flre,y unnfepAred Tor report OF tAts KIND
.rA /. sshrga ~ protest went w thaf