Seattle Daily Post Intelligencer

DAILY POST-INTELLIGENCER.

There was a spirited debate yesterday in the Republican Convention, arising out of a contest between two sets of delegates from Yakima county, for seats in the Convention. One set of delegates came selected by the Republicans of that county; the other set were selected by bolters and others who had been defeated at the primary elections, or, in some instances, had not even been voted for. One set came with bonafide credentials and a volume of affidavits from reputable citizens. The other came with credentials manufactured by a County Central Committee which is out of existence. One set of delegates represents the vast majority of Yakima County Republicans, the other represents a defeated minority. One represents the sentiment of the people of Yakima county upon the forfeiture question, the other represents a forfeited railroad subsidy.

That this is a truthful statement of the situation do four hundred men who listened to the statements of Mr. Wilkson, on the side of the right, and Mr. Holton, on the side of wrong. No disputable period who heard the reading of the testimony. No impartial observer of the proceedings yesterday, will deny.

The Committee on Credentials reported in favor of the bogus delegation by a vote of 10 to 3. It was openly admitted by members of that committee that no evidence had been given; that there had not been time to investigate the case. The question which springs to every man's lips is, Why, then, was a report made? The Committee on Credentials is composed of one member from each Council district in the Territory. It was appointed as is usual in National and State conventions. Its duty was to examine all contested cases and report its findings, even if it occupied a week. Certainly it was a gross injustice to report without investigation.

The majority report was received and read. A minority report was also received, and its reading was called for. Appended thereto was a large amount of documentary evidence. It had not been examined by the committee, although presented to it. A call was made that this evidence, comprising the proceedings of the several Republican primaries held in Yakima county, and a large number of affidavits substantiating the regularity of said proceedings, be read to the Convention. It was so ordered. During the reading a person holding a proxy from Lincoln county arose and moved to lay the minority report upon the table. An apparently well drilled majority passed the resolution. This was an insult to the minority of the committee, an insult to the minority of the Convention, an outrage seldom attempted in a Republican Convention. It was gag rule pure and simple. Instantly reconsideration was moved. Debate was opened and continued during the remainder of the afternoon.

Some strange tests of Republicanism were brought to view during this discussion. Mr. Holton, who led a bolt from the Republican primaries at Yakima City, and who comes to this Convention claiming election through sub methods, naively said that to hold anti-monopoly sentiments is a disqualification for membership in the Republican party. He said, referring to the fact that the forfeiture men were in the majority at the primaries: "Seeing that we were beaten, we withdrew and organized a regular Republican primary." He declared, in effect, that only railroad men are "regular" Republicans, and that an anti-monopolist has no business in Republican primaries or Conventions. Moreover, he and his colleagues assume the sole right to apply the test.

This is a revelation. We had heretofore supposed that to be an anti-monopolist was to be a Republican; that the Republican party was per se opposed to all kinds of monopoly. We have been taught since childhood that monopolies are odious in government; that they are contrary to public policy; that they are dangerous to public peace; that they are dangerous to public liberty; that they subvert the very foundations of good government. We have read that monopolies of the necessaries of life are against the common law. We have read the platforms of the Republican party for many years. In letter and spirit they condemn monopoly.

This is an era of free thought and liberty of individual action. That party which comes nearest to representing the sentiment of the majority of the electors will command support and achieve success. It is not necessary to leave the Republican party, to be opposed to monopoly. At least it has never been so declared by any constituted authority of that organization. The Republican party today numbers more freemen in its ranks than any other. No man who believes in freedom can be a monopolist. Monopoly is tyranny; anti-monopoly is opposition thereto. Were the Republican party to be deprived of its anti-monopoly element it would be like Artemus Ward's famous military company-all officers.

We incline to class this gentleman-this Mr. Holton-who assumes to prescribe a test and set himself up as a judge of true Republicanism, with the monopolists. Like George William Curtis, Carl Schurz and other famous self-elected mentors and censors of the party, he claims to monopolize all good within it. He is mistaken-woefully so. According to this new creed, a man who opposes the giving away of public lands without consideration is not a Republican; one who believes that railroad companies should pay their taxes is not a Republican; one who demands that equal and exact justice shall be meted out between corporations and the people is not a Republican; one who dares lift his voice and say, "If a land grabber or an ally of land grabbers, if a dishonest, a corrupt, an incompetent man be nominated I will not support him," is not a Republican. Apply this test. There are not five hundred voters-no, we will not so insult the people of this Territory-there are not fifty electors therein, who will declare themselves.

If the Republican party is not opposed to monopoly it ought to die. If it is the ally of public plunderers it deserves execration and will be stamped under foot. This contest in Yakima county is not a question whether a resolution declaring that unearned land grants should be forfeited shall receive four additional votes in the Convention. It is a question whether the Republicans of that county, men tried and true, of positive convictions and pronounced opinions, shall be disfranchised to suit the purposes of a few men from whose grasp control of the party organization has been wrested by an indignant and outraged rank and file. It goes to the bottom of representative government. It is to be decided whether in this free land a corrupt usurpation of the machinery of the Republican party shall be not merely permitted, but justified. It is dangerous ground to tread upon. No convention within our knowledge has ever dared to refuse admission to delegates duly and regularly elected. No party, however strong, can do so and survive. A party that will so stultify itself deserves defeat.

Some men are born great, others have greatness thrust upon them. Some men attain notoriety by brave deeds, others by superior talents, some speak into it. It takes all sorts of people to make a world.

There was a Republican primary held in Seattle a few weeks ago, to elect delegates to the County Convention. It was largely attended. It was conducted with perfect regularity and notable order. Ladies and gentlemen, man and wife, brother and sister, quietly went to the several polling places and exercised their prerogatives as electors. Ex Gov. E. P. Ferry was a candidate at that primary election as a delegate to the County Convention. He was defeated by a pronounced majority. The delegates elected thereat afterward assembled in County Convention. Again Mr. Ferry was a candidate, this time for delegate to the Territorial Convention. Again he was unsuccessful. That convention adopted strong forfeiture resolutions. Mr. Ferry is opposed to forfeiture. That was one reason for his double defeat.

It would seem that a public sentiment thus emphatically expressed should be respected; that a man twice, after contest, repudiated by his neighbors would shrink from further attempt at official recognition. Not so with Mr. Ferry, ex-Governor of this Territory. A man in the employ of a railroad corporation is expected to do peculiar and oftentimes ignominious service. Mr. Ferry has "filled the bill." He procured a proxy from a man whose public assertions on the forfeiture question alone secured his election as delegate, and, with this document in hand, knocked at the door of a Convention to which his personal friends and neighbors had refused to accredit him. The next we see or hear of him is as chairman of the Committee on Credentials, passing upon the qualifications of elected delegates, and joining with a majority of said committee in a report disfranchising a Republican majority in Yakima county. There may be depths of self stultification more profound than those to which he has descended, there may have been more flagrant insults heaped upon a community than these, it may be possible to descend lower into a political pool in the service of a railroad corporation than has been done by Mr. Ferry in thus boldly and openly ignoring the first principles of political ethics, there may have been grosser instances of effrontery, but they are not of record. Mr. Ferry has not achieved great honor, but he has achieved and shall be given all the notoriety the circumstances demand.

SEATTLE HOODLUMS.

The Republican Convention meets in the Standard Theater. That assembly room is exclusively under the control of the Republican Convention. Admission to the floor is only to be obtained upon tickets. These are distributed among the delegates, who give them to invited friends. Only the gallery is free to the general public. Yesterday, a warm debate arose upon a question of interest to every person, delegate, invited or uninvited guest in attendance. Vigorous speeches were made, and the speakers were applauded by delegates and spectators indiscriminately in accordance with their sympathies. Mr. Hanford, City Attorney of Seattle, had just concluded an eloquent and impassioned invocation to the Convention on behalf of the minority and justice. When he sat down there was applause prolonged and repeated.

A person bobbed up instantly. He had twice before had the floor. He had moved during the reading of a minority report to lay it upon the table and stifle free debate upon an important question. He had thereafter in a windy harangue vented his spite upon those who demanded investigation and free speech. When he arose, the applause following Mr. Hanford's speech had not subsided. It continued for a full minute after he gained the attention of the chair. A man less egotistical and vain would have calmly awaited its subsidence. Not so this doughty orator. He grew red and angry, and turning to the galleries and benches on the floor called their occupants the "hoodlums of Seattle" and declared that the Convention "had been packed."

This man insulted the audience assembled; he insulted the delegates by whose invitation they were there; he insulted the people of this city. In his vainglorious egotism he imagined that, because a sensible audience were not eager to hear his mouthings, the Convention had been packed. Well, it was packed. It was crowded with intelligent men and women, capable of distinguishing between right and wrong, between an orator and a puff-ball. Among the "hoodlums" in the gallery were three clergymen of this city and scores of ladies and gentlemen from various portions of the Territory. The hall was "packed" below with representative men and women, invited guests.

There is a limit to all things. This person who--were the source not considered--grossly insulted the people of Seattle, is not an elected delegate. He comes here representing a constituency with whom he is unacquainted. He is from Kansas-mayhap a grasshopper sufferer. He has been in this Territory nearly a year. He is a blusterer. He comes from the luxurious East to the "rowdy West." The "hoodlums" and "packers" of this wild region do not appreciate either his compliments or his oratorical ability. They will gratefully appreciate his subsidence. He is too.