The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1908-05-23
SAN JUAN AND LOCAL OPTION

SAN JUAN AND LOCAL OPTION
The editor of the Islander received
a personal letter few days ago from
q friend of many years who is one of
the most prominent citizens Of Bell
ippham and of the Northwest and who
was one of the leaders OF the fight for
local option made by the Whatcom
county delegation to the Republican
state convention at Spokane last
week. In it he says:
'I have just read your editorial on
local option in your issue of yester-
day and l wish to thank YOU for it.
1t was a distinct shock to me at Spo-
kane when. on the roll call of coun-
ties. San Juan cast her vote solidly
against US. We had attempted no
"frame-up.' The convention waited
nearly an hour while we we're being
turned down by the committee on
resolutions. and we had to immedi-
ately make our fight on the floor of
the convention without consul tation,
except among our steering committee.
or come home beaten. We chose to
fight and won, but it was with much
regret that we saw San Juan cast its
vote with the liquor interests against
us. Yoor county should not lag
behind the best sentiment of the coun-
try in this NATTER
The surprise and regret of our Bell
ingham friends when they heard San
Juan's vote announced must, at best,
have been mild in comparison with
the establishment and chagrin exper-
fenced by the supporters of local op-
tion in this county. and especially by
the personal friends of the various
members of the San Juan delegation.
when they learned how the county
was 'lined up' on the most import
ant issue before the convention.
The members of the delegation to
the convention regret exceedingly that
their vote on local option, as reported
and as actually cast, places them and
the county in false light before the
people of the state. 1t was the out
come of a political obligation entered
into without thought that contin-
gency would arise which would COM
pei the delegation to vote contrary to
the individual sentiments of its men,
hers and also contrary to what they
believe to be the sentiments of very
considerable majority of the people
of the county. The embarrassing sit
uation in which the delegation was
placed is best explained by the state
ment made by its chairman. Senator
Blair, upon his return from the con-
vention.
''When left here. ''said he. it was
with the understanding that the del
egation would support Mr.. Deming,
OF Bellingham, for one Of the dele
gates from this congressional district
to the national convention. l doubt
if it had then occurred to any of my
fellow delegates that there was pos
sibility of securing delegate to the
national convention from our little
county. But upon arriving in Spok-
ane we found that Mr.. Deming bad
declined absolutely to be candidate
and those of us who had an opportun
ity to discuss the matter together i'm
mediately decided to ask the support
of the other counties in this district
for Robert Moran. feeling that his
extensive acquaintance and high
standing in King county would make
the delegation from that county,
which alone had votes enough to elect
him, feel very favorable to him, which
we found to be the case. Ny fellow
delegates from this county did me the
honor to make me their chairman and
also their representative on the
steering COMMITTEE In the latter
capacity it devolved upon me to ar.
range with King county for it's support
OF Mr.. Moran. The King committee
asked US to give them our support il
it should be desired for any PROPOSE
tion in which they we're particularly
interested. I readily conceded this
and gave my promise in behalf of the
delegation. King agreed In caucus to
support Moran and he was elected.
thus securing q distinguished honor
for this county and one of it's foremost
citizens. The platform had not then
been reported and there was not the
slightest reason to suspect that any
L.