Bankers May Take Over Washington’s Republican Convention
On the eve of the state convention in Seattle, a Tribune correspondent warns that a “ring” of bankers could choose the delegates—and leave farmers and Grand Army veterans out in the cold.
Special to the Tribune.
SEATTLE, April 13.—The Republican convention which meets here tomorrow may do a great deal of good for the party in the fall or it may cripple it worse than the Seattle election did. Whether it will be in the hands of the ring or not remains to be seen. Just at present Banker McGraw, of Seattle, Banker Cannon, of Spokane, Banker Ferguson, of Snohomish, Banker Emerson, of Hoquiam, Banker Nick Owings, of Olympia, and other capitalists appear to be in the swim. If ring rule prevails it is possible that eight bankers may be chosen to go to Minneapolis and that but little attention will be paid to either the farmer or the Grand Army vote. It is argued that these positions are mere honorary ones, but if the convention makes such a grave mistake of selecting monied men only to represent the bone and sinew of the party, it might as well not meet to make any nominations in the fall.
Resolutions will be adopted endorsing the administration of Governor Ferry, President Harrison and the matchless Blaine, and in favor of the protective tariff policy of the Republican party. The eight delegates, whoever they may be, will not be instructed. The convention will have nothing to do with fixing the time and place of holding the next Republican state convention, but a resolution may be adopted urging that the state capital be selected as the proper place for holding the future political conventions of the party. Quite a number of the leading politicians of the state are already here, and every train and boat is bringing more. The convention will not get under way until tomorrow afternoon.
“If the convention makes such a grave mistake of selecting monied men only to represent the bone and sinew of the party, it might as well not meet to make any nominations in the fall.”
The fight over who gets to sit in the convention hall—and who pays for the tickets—is an old Washington story. Replace bankers with donors and PACs, and the 1892 warning that party leaders might shut out ordinary voters reads like a preview of modern primary fights.
From readers
No comments yet. If you know something about this story — a correction, a family memory, a source — it belongs here.