The Republican Feud for State Control
A collapse of party harmony in Seattle threatens the GOP's grip on the emerging state government.
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.
Strife among the politicians of Seattle has broken out afresh, and this time it looks as though it would be a war to extermination. A combination was formed between the Haines-Kinnear and the Squire-Ferry factions, by which Col. J. C. Haines and John R. Kinnear withdrew from the contest respectively for senator and governor, leaving the field open for Squire and Ferry. This was done to promote harmony in the party, but at the same time the Haines faction was to have a delegation in the county and territorial conventions equal in number to the Squire delegation. After Messrs. Haines and Kinnear had publicly announced their withdrawal, the Squire men refused to allow them their representation. Then blood appeared on the face of the moon. The hatchet was unearthed, and the Haines faction announced the candidacy of Judge John P. Hoyt for senator and John R. Kinnear for governor, and stated that the 'effort to harmonize the republicans was at an end.' Appearances indicate that the democracy of King county will tranquilly float to the front and pluck the official plume as they come within their reach.
“Then blood appeared on the face of the moon. The hatchet was unearthed.”
Internal party power struggles over delegate representation and candidate selection remain a hallmark of Washington politics, mirroring modern-day platform disputes and the tension between establishment leadership and local insurgents.
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