The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1904-05-12
REPUBLICAN
CONVENT
Continued From Page one.

Continued Ffom Page One.
vored. the enactment OF irrigation
laws by congress for the benefit OF
Eastern Washington Il asked. and
last, but not least. the Importance
OF the Puget Sound navy yard IL
dwelt upon and the states repre-
ssntatiYes In congress urged 20 Sc
cure appropriations necessary 60
give the yard facilities for both
building and repairing the largest
battieships.
Tho minority report read hefor.
the convention by ]. W. Merritt OF
Spokane. ratified ee~rytirsng In the
majority report. but asked the addi-
ton OF the following plank;
We are In favor OF the paskag
OF railroad commission 20 consist
Of three members. 10 be appointed
By tho governor. no more than two
% b. tahen from the dominant DO.
lltieal party. said commission 60 be
clothed with power to regulate
freight and passenger rates. to de-
tefmine the value OF railroad prop
erty for purposes OF assessment and
taxation. Go prevent unjust discrim-
nations and TO inquire into and
remedy such abuses "a may be
found to oxlHt."
Charles Lund OF Spokane moved
the adoption OF the railroad com
mission plank as q substitute for
the tar commission plank. and then
! came the great battle between the
MeBrias and the anti Nc Bride
forces
The debate on the proposition 10
place the railroad commission plank
In the platform IL now history. and
space forblds more than brief re-
view OF 70. II IL almost sufficient
to say that Spokane county. follow b
ing out The Stars prediction. made
the fight for eastern Washington
and bride. and made II calamity
As In the convention Of 1903 the
contention vas threshsd out pro and
con. The same high tension wa.
attained. the same geographical
forces were In opposition. the same
arguments. threats and inyectivca
we're hurled across the nlslea. and
many Of the cid opponents were In
the thick OF the fray. John y. Hart 4.
man was once again the floor leader
for King county: VIII n. Thorn paon.
the former Great Northern attar.
ney. made n Characteristic speech
ex- Mayor J. 7. Humss shook his
shaggy locks dsfiautiy at the spo-
kane delegation and importunsd the
minority to dssist from predicting
vengeance at the polls.
s. y. CosRroye OF Garfield county
delegated 10 himself the task Of al .
iustinE the troubled waters. and sue
ceeded In putting the delegates In
better humor. although he mrrci-
isssiy hrraixned the Kin. county
ti5. G, +. Lund. the younE attorney
of spokans. spoks earnestly for the
commission. J. W. Merritt and r. u
Rockwell wsSsd eloquent. u. L.
EttinEsr OF whitman appealed Ia
reason. and J. H. yesterday placed
the convention In possession OF some
salient fscts concerning taxation.
He advocated the adoption OF tn.
majority report with the tax com
mission plank.
Mr.. CoaRrovo'n speech was really The
bitterest arrangement Of the railroad
program. although the portly pornsroy
man spoke in almost wAgEish vein. us
hit the nail Hquareiy on the head when
he said:
II you gave me the power 90 name
ilb delegates 20 this convention from
my county could defeat almost any
thing. I can pick out enough men IN
that way TO dlsobsy every wish Of The
community, and II is not strange %
me that a delegation. picked out bv
one man for one purpose only. shouid
some here united against this railroad
issue.
= don't mean that thee men xcrc
All picked out that way. bur a.
mighty strange that iiE men oan corn.
20 this convention united on a a,,ss-
ton that they admit vhn not an is-u.
IN their community, and vote as a unli
against IT," e''''
Here was the actual meat In IN,
eocoanut The fact IL. and yssterdav,.
convention proves II. that. a. The
star said weeks ago. the RspublIaan
party In King county sold itself nod
ana soul TO the Great Northern ran
road company for a mess Of pottage.
80 also did majority Of tho other
counties Of tho Western slope.
Just as The Star said. tho G,,,,
Northern railroad was out for noth'