Pierce County Republicans Clash at Convention
A rowdy local political gathering sees Gen. J.M. Ashton secured as a national delegate amidst party infighting over county nominations.
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 Pierce County Republican convention was marked by significant delays and internal friction. Chairman O. W. H. Davis opened proceedings nearly an hour late, and tempers flared over contested seats and county nominations. The convention ultimately endorsed Theodore Roosevelt for president, Senator Addison G. Foster for re-election, and Congressman Francis W. Cushman. A spirited contest for national delegate saw General J.M. Ashton defeat George U. Handle by a vote of 378 to 325. Beyond the national slate, the floor was gripped by uncertainty regarding local races, particularly for sheriff and prosecuting attorney, as various factions scrambled to influence the ticket.
“The convention did not make a record for promptness this morning.”
Convention-based nominations, while largely vanished in favor of primaries, were once the heart of local political power. The tension described here—where 'the slate' was allegedly arranged behind closed doors at a local hotel—remains a recognizable feature of the friction between party machinery and voter sentiment in Washington state politics.
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