The Treasurer They Refused to Seat

The indignation meeting called to protest the action of the county commissioners, for which unsigned handbills had been distributed through the city Tuesday night, was, owing to the rain, transferred to Armory Hall. By 3:15, when the meeting was called to order, the hall, gallery and floor were crowded with fully 1,000 men of all political faiths. The meeting was called by the Referendum Club to protest, in the language of the circular, against 'the revolutionary action of the county commissioners in disfranchising the majority of the voters of King county by preventing J. W. Maple from qualifying as County Treasurer.'

The platform was occupied by about twenty men, about a dozen of whom were listed to speak. They were mixed in their politics and, as the chairman said, represented Democrats, Populists, Mugwumps and spotted eggs. The list of speakers read from the platform included John Barnes, J. J. McGilvra, Rev. John F. Damon, Rev. W. W. Mallory, J. Bushell, Dr. J. K. Jordan, Thomas Burke, Capt. William D. O'Toole and Richard Winsor.

Judge Orange Jacobs made the opening address. As an American citizen, he said, he protested against the riotous mockery made by the majority of the board of county commissioners. He was a Republican and at the last election had voted the whole ticket. There were many on the ticket who were objectionable, but like a young bird he opened his mouth, shut his eyes and swallowed the whole ticket. The question presented today was whether the people of the county would submit to the action of a majority of the county commissioners. (Cries of No! No! No!) He then reviewed Hastie's opinion on the bond question and the action of the board in ignoring it, claiming that the bankers were at the back of it. He contrasted San Francisco with Seattle, claiming that the treasurer of the California metropolis handled more money and furnished less bond than our treasurer.

John Barnes, Maple's attorney, said he had been engaged in the star-chamber proceedings of the county board for several days. As Maple's attorney he would set forth the obstruction to which Maple had been subjected. As soon as Maple was elected, the county commissioners suddenly aroused themselves into activity which they had failed to show for years. When the election of Maple was a foregone conclusion, the objections and obstructions commenced. The speaker reviewed the opposition of the board to Hastie's opinion and said the majority had never let up on it. The banks of the city were to blame for this; some of them, however, had been honest enough to keep out of the struggle. He went on to denounce the commissioners and 'the power behind them,' and to declare that Maple should yet be treasurer.

J. J. McGilvra, like the other speakers, called himself a Republican, with a reservation. He reviewed the election of Maple, spoke of his worth and reliability — an honest farmer with $75,000 — and said the obstructions placed in the way of admitting his bond were due directly to the ring that had so controlled King county. He would not enter the fight against the banks, but suggested that the people should at once do what they should have done years ago: refuse to go on any official bonds. The county treasurer should not hoard up money in banks or county vaults, and instead of accommodating friends he should use the money as rapidly as possible and give the people the benefit of it.

Rev. J. F. Damon was in favor of a union of every interest. It would unite weak and strong, rich and poor, and in it poverty should have as much respect as riches. A committee should be appointed to take charge of Maple's interests and see that the rights of the people were respected.

A speaker then read resolutions relative to the election of Maple and the action of the commissioners in depriving him of his office. The resolutions demanded that the board at once rescind the order appointing Riplinger and act at once on the bond of Maple and accept it without further chicanery; further, that the people should refuse to pay their taxes until Maple should have been put in office; and that a committee of fifteen be appointed to make these demands, and, if refused, to call another meeting. The resolutions were passed with a tremendous 'Aye.'

Secretary Larkin then read a resolution declaring that 'we, the people,' ask the legislature to appoint a committee of three — a Republican, a Democrat and a Populist — to examine into the finances of King county, the state university, the almshouse, etc., the cost to be borne by King county; and that John H. Barnes, John Wiley, James Hamilton Lewis, W. H. White and Richard Winsor be appointed a committee of five to go before the legislature for that purpose. J. Bushell opposed the resolutions as putting a club in the hands of the enemy. Maple was the man to examine the records, not the legislature. It was to be Maple or nothing. The resolutions were lost.

Rev. W. W. Mallory, 'the Cyclone,' reviewed the points made by the previous speakers from various parties to show the extent of the present movement, and said its cry should be 'down with the minority that attempted to strangle the great majority.' The speaker was told that the bankers had come to Maple and offered to go on his bonds; that the county commissioners had agreed to that, providing Maple would let the Bankers' Association put in three men in charge of the office. Maple had refused to entertain their proposition and scornfully rejected it. After getting the audience worked up, Mallory suddenly called for money with which to defray the expenses. This was the signal for a general scamper toward the floor, and Mallory called on the policeman to stop egress before they got out. The result was so unsatisfactory that the meeting had to be adjourned.