Democratic Convention Nominates County Slate
Yakima Democrats organize for the fall election with a platform favoring government-owned infrastructure and currency reform.
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 democracy of Yakima county met in convention at the court house on Saturday afternoon, Sept. 27th, for the purpose of nominating a county ticket. The convention was called to order by Dr. B. M. Savage, chairman of the county central committee. The committee on platform and resolutions submitted the following: Resolved, that the general government shall issue all the money—gold, silver and paper—in sufficient quantity for the transaction of the business of the country. Resolved, that the government should own and operate all railroads, telegraph lines and telephones in the interest of the whole people. The convention settled down to the work of nominating a ticket that would win. Captain I. T. Kingsbury arose and named H. J. Snively for representative. The nomination was made unanimous. Dr. B. M. Savage withdrew from the race for sheriff in order that the office might be given to the country, and David Longmire was nominated by acclamation.
“The government should own and operate all railroads, telegraph lines and telephones in the interest of the whole people.”
The 1890 platform's call for public ownership of railroads and utilities reflects a historic, deep-seated populism in Washington state politics that continues to influence modern debates over public vs. private power and infrastructure in the Pacific Northwest.
From readers
No comments yet. If you know something about this story — a correction, a family memory, a source — it belongs here.