The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1942-02-02

OUT of a quantity Of clip
" pings relating 10 past po-
litical campaigns that have come
10 this desk the past week,
many refer to past municipal
campaigns but one of the most
interesting relates TO the state
campaign in 1892 when a Re-
publican blunder cost the color
full James Hamilton Lewis the
sovernorship and lost a brilliant
IL eccentric politician TO the state
Of Washington.
IL happened in the convention
which met at Olympia to nomi-
nate state officers and adopt a
platform in harmony with the
national convention which nomi-
mated Benjamin Harrison when
James G. Blaine was the popu-
lar choice for pres ent. The
Olympia convention also was an
other political Waterloo for
Pierce county Republicans who
overestimated their strength
and used some bad political stra-
tegy.
Pierce county's first blunder,
as many members of the party
will recall, was in supporting
John s. Mcmillan of Roche Har-
Dor for convention chairman.
Pierce supported Mcmillan on
the theory that he could influ-
enee the northwest part of the
state TO back up this county's
program and candidates for state
office. The best strategy would
have been an alliance with East
ern Washington, but selfish
desire to hog" too many of the
state offices apparently had
blinded the leaders to the facts.
Pierce county also again made
the mistake of attempting an
appeasement deal with the old
political enemy, King county. In
this case, Pierce county offered
the olive branch in the shape of
an agreement to support the
Lake Washington canal project
in return for few of the state
offices, but in the trading was
completely outguesseG by King.
Pierce county was represented
at the convention by Joe T.
Mitchell, II. Coblentz, S. +.
Street, Will Clagston, A. L.
Crawford, B. w. Conner, D. J.
Clement. c. A. Murray, A. r.
Titlow, J. w. McCauley. Eugene
Kreider. c. M. Johnson, S. A.
Crandall, David Dowden, Albert
Schrader, II. d. Cans, c. M.
yesterday, J. c. Dillon, S. J.
Smith, George d. Spur, J. M.
r. Spinning, d. M. Snyder, Peter
Stanup, Charles Van Cleave, II.
II. Rust, Ira A. Towne, George
p. Eaton, Charles Bedford. L. o.
Waldo. n. c. Riehai s, Morris
Gross, John p. Hartman, M. o.
Kassen, J. b. Reid, K. r. Mar
cum, J. S. Whitehouse, Byron
Barlow, A. II. Garretson. A. r.
Heilig. c. w. Bean, L. F. Man
ming and DR.. George Donaway.
The delegation arrived at
Olympia the day before the con-
vention and began to negotiate
for McMillan's election as chair
man. but II was too late. King
county had closed a deal with
Eastern Washington. and Col. L.
S. Hewlett of Yakima defeated
Mcmillan two to one. T. +.
Tingley of King county was
elected secretary. and Mark Reed
of Thurston, assistant secretary.
This was Reeds first active par
ticipation in the state organiza-
ton. and his election as assist
ant secretary helped tie Thurston
county to the King county or
sanization. Pierce county drew
Craftsmanship OF three commit
tees. the membership Of which
WAS controlled by King.
Losing control OF the conven-
ton was a hard blow. Pierce
had been so confident Of win
ming that even newspaper men
were fooled and evening edi-
tons headlines the day before
the convention announced:
Pierce Captures the Conyen-
ton"
Next day the headlines read:
Pierce Knocked Out in the First
Round"
This complete defeat in the
first skirmish put Pierce county
up IN the air. Al an sll-night
caucus II was determined TO
fight King county and work
against the Lake Washington
canal. King county came back
with a threat to withdrew sup
port for Congressman Doolit-
Tie. Pierce county candidate for
reelection, and back Jonn Henry
Long Of Lewis county. who mad
the support of Southwest Wash
ington
SO THEY SAY
IL l. .llrht nut only Z alRht.