Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1904-05-13
The Tacoma Convention.

Wednesday. The preliminary sessions
were held in the form of caucuses, in
hotel Hobbies and headquarter.rooms
hired by the legion of candidates in
which to line up their respective con-
stituencies. Each of the Congress
men likewise had his star.chambCr
from which to pull the wires, which
was done 90 effectively that neither
had any opposition.
1t was quite different, however, with
the gubernatorial aspirants. All these,
from Mcbride to Lord, had their Sc
lected battlc-Srounds, and the larger
delegations had their own committee
rooms, where they could do their
private caucus-work, if they desired.
Up to Tuesday, very little progress
had been made in perfecting slate.
Aside from the Mcbride force-num.
bering 223 votes, which was increased
a couple OF score, during the lively de-
bate when the matter came before the
convention-there was little that in
Dictated a cut.and-dried" policy. A
combination was effected, however,
Tuesday night, which settled the
whole matter, and although there was
much feeling displayed in discussing
the railroad plank of the platform
the minority reports favoring an ap-
pointive commissioner was turned
down, by the caucus understanding,
on a final vote. The combine was
effected by union Of the northwest,
southwest, Seattle and Tacoma, to the
manifest disgust of the grass-hop-
pers," from east of the mountains, one
OF whom declared iu debate on the
floor OF the convention, that it now
only remained to defeat the commits
sion plank. and the nomination of
George Turner by the Democrats, for
them to sweep the State, and come
over the mountains with a majority OF
$4,000.
The platform adopted, aside from
the usual campaign bosh, endorses 3
President nobody wants to continue
in Office, aud applauds q State ad-
ministration the party has been OPP
posing for years and had just showed a
knife into. 1t provides for a tax-com-
mission to equalize assessments OF
property, real and personal, which is
to be stretched in the effort to make
it fit the consciences of those advocat.
ing an effective railroad commission.
All the old kindergarten planks for
Protection, Anti-Pass law, Panama
Canal, etc., were paraded, simply to
perform perfunctory duty. When
somebody asked whats the use of
plauks that we don't live up tor" (such
as the Anti.Pass instructions to Legis.
lature, re-affirmed ever since the State
Constitution was adopted) somebody
in the rear intoned, soto voce, ITO
catch votes, of course"
Edward Whitson, OF Yakima, had
a thin slice of honor accorded him by
selection to the Craftsmanship of the
Convention, and U. G. Lorton of
Walla Walls and Will Larsons of JET.
ferson, were selected for Secretaries.
After appointment of the usual com.
mittees the Convention took q recess
till 2P.M.
1t was, however, very slow in re.
assembling. the committee on plat.
form having engaged in useless fight
in the committee.room. While wait
ing, for the report, the people called
upon the Congressman for speeches.
Cushman. the first speaker, performed
his usual clown act. which is a re.
versal of the old-time stage practice of
the comedy preceding the serious
drama. HUMPHREYS. who is always
entertaining from originality OF ex.
preston, ae we'll as considerable depth
of thought, added another epigramatic
gem to his many pointed sayings,
when he classified the men talked OF
as the Democratic possibilities for
President, - "a vocabulary, q bear
and sphinx; the wordy Bryan, the
unspeakable Heart and the silent
Parker" Jones followed in q very
creditable effort from a Republican
standpoint.
Then followed the battle royal, on
the platform, which was finally adopt.
ed as it came from the majority of the
committee, involving an utter rout
and defeat OF the Nc Bride forces.
The State nominations followed, as
follows:
Presidential Electors-S. G. Cos.
grove of Garfield; George w. Bassett,
OF Adams; L. T. Marsh, of Spokane /;
Col. J. NJ. Fish, of Stevens, and AL. J.
Munson, of Mason.
Congressmen-Will E. Humphrey,
of King: Wesley L. Jones of Yakima,
and Francis w. Cushmau of Pierce.
Governor, Albert E. Mead, of What.
com; Lieutenant-G Governor, Charles E.
Coon, Of Jefferson; Secretary of State,
Sam. H. Nichols, OF Snohomish Treas.
urer, George G. Mills. OF Thurston
Auditor, G. w. Clausen, of Kitsap
Attorney. General, John D. Atkinson,
of Cbelan; Land Commissioner, E.
W. Ross, of Cowlitz; Supt. of Public
instruction, R. B. Bryan, OF Chehalis /;
Justices of the Supreme Court, Mark
A. Fullerton of Whitman, and Frank
H. Rudkin, of Yakima.
Delegates to the National Conven.