The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1904-10-11
If HE Is SINCERE HE NOW HAS
A CHANCE TO DEMON
STRATE IT.
,(Contest for Legislature in Whatcom
County Develops Two Republican
Candidates for Position.
RELLINGHAM, Wash, OCT L.

in the 4lst senatorial district in TINS
country offer A. E. Mead, the railroad
candidate for governor, magnlncent
onnortunity to prove to the railroad
commission republicans of the state
that he is friendly in sympathy with
their demand for the enactment or a
railroad commission law. Ii ne is SIN
cere in his pretended sympathy for
the commission idea he can demon
strate it by advising his friends in
WhatcOm county to support the rail-
road commission republican legislative
ticket in his old Legislative district. If
he neglects to do this, and particular
Nv should he advise his friends to sup
port the railroad Legislative ticket, 1t
will be the most conclusive evidence
of his sympathies.
Both tickets are republican so there
is no party reason in the way of Mr..
Mead should he desire to show his
preference for the commission noml-
nees The railroad ticket claims to be
the regular republican ticket its nomi-
nation having been accomplished in
the regularly called district conven-
ton but the nominees on the OPPOSE
ton ticket challenge the fairness and
honesty of the methods by which the
ba these
70 begin with it was not called under
the primary election law, caucuSeS
were not required to be held, voters
were not required to be registered, or
even to be residents, and the machin-
cry was completely in the hands of
the Mead railroad faction of the party,
the official call itself being signed by
A. +. Mead as secretary of the coun-
ty committee. This is not an innova-
ton in WhatCOm county since the rail-
road forces which have long been in
control have always found it to their
advantage to hold irregular" prima-
ries From time to time the railroad
commission minority on the county
maries called under the law, but they
have been unsuccessful.
Instead of holding caucuses for the
nomination of candidates, as is done in
most counties in the state, the pre-
cinct committeeman in the respective
precincts sent out word in the respec-
tive precincts inviting republicans
who desired to do so to submit any
names they desired placed on the bal
lots.
In certain precincts. which were
known to be close, Cedar and Lynden
for instance. the committeeman de-
clned to accept the lists of names
submitted by the commission faction
and printed on the official ballots only
those of the Mead faction. The pre-
cinct committeeman also appointed
the primary officers and the primary
officers ruled that no ballots would be
accepted or counted except those Off
cially recognized by the committeeman.
This left the commission men no OPP
portunity to vote in the primaries for
their candidates. In Lynden they ac-
cepted their medicine and permitted
the Mead faction to have the delega-
ton without protest. In Cedar rival
primary was held and a contesting
delegation sent to the convention.
Contest In Sumas.
In the town of Sumas the commits
sion leaders suspected that if they pre-
scented their nominees for delegates to
the committeeman they would not be
placed on the ballot and they took the
precaution to hold a caucus in the reg
ular way. The announcement was
made that it would be held and it was
open to all republicans. All nomina-
tons offered We're accepted and print
ed on the ballot. The precinct COM
mitteeman was out of town and r. S
Lambert assumed to act in his stead
Mr.. Lambert caused to be printed 8
ballot without the names of the eau
Gus nominees. He also appointed Off
GERS for the primary. When the pri-
mary was opened few of the Mead
men gathered at the polls and resolved
that no ballots be accepted except
those prepared by Mr. Lambert, thus
denying the commission men the op-
portunity to vote in that primary fol
their candidates. The commission mer
thereupon opened another polins
place where they accepted all ballots
offered. whether their own or not II
the Mead primary 50 votes were cast
In the commission primary Sc. The
rival delegations presented their con-
lest TO the district convention.
The convention met Friday. Sept
Hswdys Remember the Full Nam
SAIyr n