The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1917-06-20
BY s. w. WALL

1
order of their occurrence | wonder
II | have conveyed to you as |
hoped to do what was so clear to
me, that while Seattle was taking
no part in this business in any
organized capacity, many individ-
uals of that city were hustling
night and day, seeing members OF
the board in a private capacity
| The word is gun shoeing."
/ Clarence Blethen of the Seat
| tie Times (the one paper in Sc
attic which editorially opposed the
memoriaD was in Washington for
some time previous to the hear
ing. You remember | ran across
his track in Chicago.
Il Judge Burke was there-we all
know how he was actively on the
job for months.
He had himself interviewed by
the Post-an interview devoted
entirely to bouquet-throwing at
the city of Tacoma. Huh!
Influence Exerted.
II In that ante-room at the hear
ing where were represented the
millions" that were to fly to the
defense of our little research man,
Farrar, II Congressman Johnson
didn't leave him be" sat Mrs. Nc
Dermott of the Bon Marche-that
big store over there that each win
| ter plasters our dead walls with
pictures of Santa Claus, inviting
our citizens to spend their money
there.
We felt the influence of these
workers everywhere we went
among the members of the board.
Now | am not saying these peo-
pie did not have the right to do
what they could to induce the
board to do the thing they wanted
done.
My criticism Is that the board
these distinguished titles-should
allow themselves to be influ-
enced by such methods. The bust
ness of the board under the terms
OF the memorial was to decide this
simple matter on the evidence
placed before them in open court.
They did not do so land by the
confession Of leading members OF
the board, as / shall show you)
but upon the whispered insinua-
lions, innuendoes and sneers of
these individuals who skulked in
the dark, putting forward the real
estate agent, Conover, and the
Professor" Farrar at the open
meeting for appearances sake.
Not Giving Dinners.
There had been suggestions
from different quarters that 1t
would be a good move on our part
to give a dinner to certain, II not
!all, members of the board, at
which we might discuss the mat
tier.
/ said NO" flatly and definite
lily. I'VE are here to ask Judg-
ment at the hands of these men
upon certain very simple and un-
derstandable representations. If
we were pleading a case in court
would we invite the judge to a
banquet? II would but be to
prejudice our case to suggest
dinner. 1t would with me, | am
sure, were I in the board"
At the last minute DR.. Dyer sug-
lgested that 1t would be good idea
to communicate to some friendly
member the advisability of not al
lowing the case to be closed; that
lis, that definite action might be
postponed.
| protested. ] said that we had
come down here with absolutely
prima facie case-or there never
was one. The petition OF the state
of Washington, supported by the
ALMOST unanimous voice of the
press and the petition of the In
ldians-everything and everybody
concerned could not possibly be
ldisregarded.
Traitors to City.
| l could not be convinced, you
lsee. that these men of the board
would not live up to their titles
III mean in the matter of intelli-
gence. the ability and disposition
Ito perform according to the rules
THAT bind men the world over who
Idre given W hsSuic sueh iSoPoh
sibilities.
have a lot to learn, and j
Thought I knew everything.
But there is phase of this
lstory that I am ashamed to write.
There we're citizens of this city Of
lTacoma-for whose good name we
were making this uphill fight
citizens of this city down there in
Washington all the while 1t was
going on who might have helped
and didn't, and yet OTHERS WHO
WERE ACTIVELY ENGAGED ON
THE OTHER SIDE.
You wouldn't believe that, would
You? 1t is true. I shall come TO
THAT in a little while. There were
many strange things down there,
some of which | shall not put in
this story since this is record OF
facts not to be controverted, and
contemplating no guess work.
Call Meeting
Well. everything was now done
THAT could be done. The board
was to hold meeting Friday, May
III. to consider the matter and
Ipass judgment.
i had completed the transcript
of the testimony and argument
, being compelled to leave out that
of Conover and Farrar, but in
Guiding all others of the opposition
and submitted It the previous
Tuesday.
/ continued to transmit to the
secretary letters and kilograms
from notables of high distinction
that came to me from all over the
United States, even sending g
bunch Friday afternoon at the very
hour the board was In session.
Later that afternoon a newspa-
lper man called me mp and told me
Iof the boards action and asked me
II had anything to say.
: What absurd people these news.
nanarmau araf Az Though hte M.