The Strange Mystery of Eugene Semple's 'Sack'
As the senatorial deadlock in Olympia stretches on, an ex-governor arrives with rumors of a $1,000 slush fund to buy his way into office.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
Olympia, Feb. 15—Between the Republicans, who are contending against each other in the senatorial fight, there is practically a suspension of hostilities. A sly game is being played to unite the Democrats and Populists on ex-Governor Eugene Semple. Semple has been here a good deal during the contest and has taken quite a hand in influencing the vote. A strange feature of the revelation is the story that he has a 'sack,' or that one with $1,000 in it is at his disposal, and that offers on a cash basis have been made to workers. To win the support of the Populists, Semple’s writings when he was a newspaper man are being quoted to show that he was an advocate of People’s Party principles years before the party was organized. But even if the Democrats and Populists should unite on him, that Semple could get enough members of the Republican minority to elect him is not stated, except that vague expressions are dropped of the persuasive effect of coin. The source of the funds provided for the Semple campaign is a mystery that is not fathomable tonight.
“The source of the funds provided for the Semple campaign is a mystery that is not fathomable tonight.”
Political corruption in Olympia, specifically involving the influence of money on the selection of powerful officials, remains a recurring theme in Washington politics. The 'sack' refers to the classic political slang for a bag of money used to bribe delegates—a practice that, while evolved, echoes current anxieties about dark money in modern campaigns.
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