The Herald's Scathing Feud with the P.-I.
When North Yakima was scolded by Seattle’s 'royal' newspaper for suggesting a statehood convention, the new local paper hit back with a venomous letter and a call for better manners.
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.
The Yakima Herald makes its obeisances to the public. The Herald has its being not from any special desire of its publishers to again enter the newspaper field, but on account of a hearty and generous call made by the Board of Trade and citizens of North Yakima. North Yakima is a favored spot, and with her growth and prosperity, the Herald hopes to grow and prosper.
Recently, the Post-Intelligencer (P.-I.) of Seattle attempted to ridicule North Yakima for presuming to call for a constitutional convention. To the great P.-I. man of Seattle, to whom the great interests of this territory are delegated: Greeting! In fear and trembling and with great humility we approach your royal pomposity, with most humble apologies for the great offense committed against thy sovereign power in presuming to call a 'town meeting' without first obtaining thy royal consent.
The animus of your editorial is well understood; it is in keeping with your treatment since you assumed the position of Godfather, about two years ago, to a growing daughter of Kittitas. It is well known that you failed to invite your adopted daughter (Ellen of Kittitas) to be present at our recent 'little party.' Having lived neighbors to the girl for three or four years, we have been close observers of her conduct, and you will pardon us if we modestly but firmly decline your invitation to take a 'lesson from her in manners.' As it is evident from her conduct in courting a certain young gentleman from Olympia, she is in need of long skirts—and a bustle, which we suggest filling with a few dozen unsold copies of your own newspaper. This improvement in her personal appearance might assist to inculcate a slight tendency to 'modesty,' a virtue she does not appear to have inherited.
“We modestly but firmly decline your invitation to take a 'lesson from her in manners,' and notwithstanding the illustrious name of her Godfather, we are led to believe that 'evil communications have corrupted her good manners.'”
This 1889 editorial captures the raw, competitive energy of a territory racing toward statehood, where local papers functioned as the primary weapons in civic turf wars. The 'feud' between Yakima and Seattle newspapers reflects a historical regional friction that persists in Washington politics today, long after the state successfully achieved its constitutional goals.
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