The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-10-25
Troubles of County Fusion Mana
gers and Candidates.
COMMITTEES s VERY EXCLUSIVE
Private Apartment Accessible Only
to the Elect-Prominent FUSION
ist Bolts the Tfcket-The Lament
atiOns of Jeremiah-Fulton's In
Meredith IL No Rolling stone.

IN OWN at the county Headquarters
II u of the humble toilers for the cause
of the people and reform-in the
first floor parlors of the Rainier-Grand
hotel-it looks. dull. A damp gloom, i'm
pregnated with the uncongenial elements
OF fusion. pervades the outer apartment.
relieved only at intervals by the wide
smile that breaks through the white
whiskers Of Edward Ciayson, sr., the.
watch dog at the portal to the inner
room. Half dozen loungers sit about
the tables through the long days, reading
the literachoor and occasionally discuss
ing in undertones the paramount issue
OF the day. whatever that happens to be.
They are enforcing rigorous rule at
county headquarters against noise. All
talk, except when Lee Hart happens In. Is
carried on In stage whispers. The effect
upon the casual visitor is very depressing,
like that at state headquarters during
the days when they were haunted by Su-
perintendent Browne and Farmer Todd.
In the Rainier-Grand parlors the heavy
carpets have been covered with canvas.
deadening every football. The servitors
of the county committee fit through to
the inner room like ghosts and frequently
fit out with quiet smiles indicating that
the ghost has walked. but in the outer
room there is little to break the tedium.
Everything Is coming on nicely" says
Mr.. Clayson. but he is not in position to
furnish details OF the come on.
The inner room is accessible only to
the elect. There is no Enter without
knocking sign or welcome" door mat
to greet the visitor. The head Of the
fusion county organization is very exclu-
sive. The visiting list is cut down to the
county candidates, few contributors to
the campaign fund and Lee Hart. Just
why the candidates and contributors are
admitted Is not known.
This exclusiveness has given deep Of
Tense to a number OF well-disposed fusion
lists, who believe that the principle OF
government of the people for the people
and by the people should be carried right
down to the management of peoples
campaign.
One man who had hoped to be deputy
assessor for three months next summer
and who. on the strength of his hope had
given $3.50 to the cause of reform, Is In
open revolt. On condition that his name
should be for the present withheld, this
gentleman made a statement as follows:
They took my money tho first thing
and promised me the job next summer.
The other day l went up to tell them
what ought TO be done In my precinct.
They let me IN quick: Where is it?' they
says. where's what says l. The
money says they. What money! |
asks. why. we thought you were bring
out they says. Well. l amt says l.
but I'll need a little to help out down
I'm my precinct
well. the upshot was they wouldn't
give II to me, and they asked me to ex-
cuse them as they was very busy So
I up and told them where to go to and
that would vote for Van De vanter,
which is like shaking red rag at a bull.
Then left them. and you bet won't go
back"
The sad experience of this reformer Is
but one OF many. The county commit
tee, Il is said. has been dickering with
all sorts Of candidates for remotely pros
pective deputyships, and those who are
close in It's confidence say that II Is much
safer to take the committees word in
these matters than TO negotiate with any
OF the candidates themselves. The can
didates, Of course, will make promises,
but the heads OF county fusionism admit
that most of the appointive places have
been made part OF the stock in trade Of
the county committee.
THIS understanding that applicants for
deputyships should defer TO the committee
has already proved embarrassing 10 some
OF the candidates. or late gentleman
named Jay c. Allen, who Is connected
with the county committee. has had 20
give up much time TO listen TO the lam
entations Of jeremiah.
Perhaps no candidate on the county
ticket has been so prodisal OF promises.
before and since the county convention,
as jeremiah Conway. Of Ballard. The
actual number % deputyships In the aud
TORS Office. II IL said. were pledged IN
Ballard TO secure the support Of that city
fer the nomination. Later II was found
necessary 10 give out about twenty-five
places In Seattle and about twenty more
In the country precincts. The fulhlim nj
Of his own promises and those made hy
the county committee will give Mr., Coma
way, in the remote event of his elecfiof,
seventy ave TO ninety able bodied sasn
In the Chinook iargon considerably m re
than ''Konaway" places have been given
out
OF course II has Just been Mr.. Coma
ways luck for a couple OF men each OF
whom he has promised n certain place
20 get together and become confidential
and then be asked 10 congratulate a third