The Senate Deadlock That Had Spokane Cheering
A joint legislative session in Olympia stays frozen over Washington's U.S. Senate seat, while Spokane rallies to George H. Turner and an Everett legislator bluntly refuses to be pushed toward John L. Wilson.
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, Jan. 24.—Special.—At the joint session for the purpose of voting for senator, all were present except Loggie of King. Harper of San Juan was, after a few ballots, granted leave of absence, as he had to meet his wife at Seattle. The balloting remained unchanged as to Wallace, the Democratic, and Rogers, the Populist nominee. Rogers cast his vote, as before, for Manning.
The third ballot of the joint convention was taken without delay, the hall of the lower house being even more densely packed than yesterday. The result showed the Republican vote still split among Ankeny, Wilson, Allen, McMillan and others. Helm of Kitsap, who had been voting for Ankeny, said he had voted steadfastly for one man, but he was not there in any special interest. He proposed to do his duty by the state, and since they could not apparently secure a majority for Ankeny he placed in nomination George H. Turner of Spokane. Albertson of King said he had received a telegram signed by eighteen of the twenty-one delegates in the caucus, asking him to discontinue voting for Allen; ordinarily he should defer to their wishes, but he believed he was doing right in continuing to vote for Allen. Hogg said that, as a Democrat, he should continue to vote for Wallace, which was received with cries of “Good for you.”
The convention adjourned until tomorrow at noon.
SPOKANE, Jan. 24.—Special.—As bulletins arrived here showing the growth of Turner’s strength, business was suspended in many of the offices of the city. News of Turner’s increase of strength excited general enthusiasm. It became apparent that Spokane is a Turner-town from newsboys up to bankers. General satisfaction was expressed at the decline of Wilson’s support. It was believed that the time had come when Wilson stood in the way of Spokane’s prospects of winning the senatorship.
EVERETT, Jan. 24.—Special.—Requests were circulated by Capt. F. J. Call and H. O. Tibbits asking Col. Eddy to vote for John L. Wilson for senator. Nearly a hundred signatures were obtained in thirty minutes, and the documents and names were sent to Col. Eddy by special telephone message. The following reply was received from Col. Eddy: “To F. J. Call and others: Your message at hand. I will never vote for a man who voted for the railroad pooling bill in Congress. Wilson did this. Wilson can’t be elected. I will not waste my vote if I can help it. The Republicans of Snohomish county elected me, not Everett alone. I am in Olympia. You are in Everett. When my duties are fully performed I will meet the judgment of the people. Till then my own judgment must be my guide. EDDY.”
“I will never vote for a man who voted for the railroad pooling bill in Congress. Wilson did this. Wilson can’t be elected.”
Before the Seventeenth Amendment, state legislatures chose U.S. senators, turning a single seat into a prolonged Capitol fight. This 1895 deadlock shows how local boosterism, railroad politics and personal grudges could stall that process for days. Modern legislative caucuses still recognize the pattern: a divided chamber, a contested seat, and outside pressure that hardens rather than settles the vote.
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