The Man Who Bought the Territory: Miles C. Moore’s Rise to Governor
From a Walla Walla bookstore clerk to the head of Washington Territory, Miles C. Moore’s appointment signals a shift in power from Seattle’s elite to Eastern Washington’s business barons.
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GOV. MILES C. MOORE The Walla Walla Candidate Wins the Fight.
OLIVER C. WHITE, SECRETARY. All of Harriss' [Harrison's] Will Be In Next Week.
WASHINGTON, March 21.—The senate met at 1 p.m. Pruden, one of the president's private secretaries appeared at the bar and delivered sundry messages from the president, whereupon the senate went into executive session.
After a brief executive session, without opening the doors, the senate took a recess until 2 o'clock, at which time, there being no further nomination the senate adjourned.
In executive session of the senate this afternoon Sherman announced that President Harrison had informed him that he (the president) was so far along with his nominations that the senate might conveniently adjourn next week. It is the expectation that the special session will end Thursday or Friday next. In order to assist the president in his intention, the senate did not take up all the three day recess to-day, but will meet again to-morrow. This notification makes it practically certain that no legislative business will be transacted before adjournment.
In executive session to-day the senate confirmed a number of territorial and postal nominations, comprising all that had up to date been reported from committees. The list is, however withheld, the senate having failed to suspend operation of the rule which keeps confirmations secret and delays notification to the president until two additional executive sessions shall have supervened without entry of a motion to reconsider.
NOMINATIONS. The president sent the following nominations to the senate: Miles C. Moore of Walla Walla, governor of Washington; Oliver C. White of Dayton, Washington, to be secretary of Washington; Henry Blake of Montana, chief justice of the supreme court of Montana; John D. Fleming of Colorado, United States attorney for the district of Colorado.
MILES C. MOORE. A Sketch of the New Governor of Washington.
WALLA WALLA, March 21.—Miles C. Moore was born in Muskingum county, Ohio, April 17, 1835, and previous to his arrival in Walla Walla, 1865, was in Montana one year. He has been a resident of Walla Walla ever since his arrival. His first employment here was as clerk for the firm of Rigger Reese. Then he was for two years with Herbert Johnson in his bookstore, and afterwards was a partner in the firm of Paine Bros. & Moore, which for 10 years did the most extensive general merchandise business in Eastern Washington and Idaho.
Mr. Moore's fine business qualities in early life forced recognition, and while yet a young man of 23 he had attained an enviable reputation as a business man. In 1873 he married the eldest daughter of the late D. S. Baker, and in 1875 he became identified with Dr. Baker in his various enterprises, who soon perceived his business abilities and advised with him and depended on his judgment to a very great extent.
Mr. Moore is in no sense a politician and has never taken a very active part in politics, though he has been thoroughly identified with the Republican party. He was a member of the Republican territorial convention in 1884, and he has served two terms in the City Council and was mayor in 1875, his official term having been marked by good sense and wide-awake measures.
Mr. Moore is now vice president of the Cartier-Bover National bank, besides being interested in numerous business enterprises which are so varied and have so wide a range that an enumeration of them would be superfluous; but he has the reputation of being an astute, level-headed and honorable business man and is thoroughly identified with and has always had the best interests of the territory at heart.
He has for years been the steadfast friend of John Allen, and was one of the first to advocate his election to the position of delegate to congress from Washington Territory. Mr. Moore is a warm personal friend of ex-Gov. Squire, and when he permitted his name to be used in connection with the governorship he had no idea that Mr. Squire also desired the nomination. Having entered the fight he naturally exerted his influence to win, if possible. He is quiet and unassuming in his manners, and gives the impression of possessing a great deal of executive power.
In 1889, Washington Territory was still being carved up by political appointees from outside the region, with Walla Walla merchants holding significant sway over territorial governance. This appointment highlights the era's reliance on 'business men' for civic leadership, a precursor to modern debates about whether elected officials should be career politicians or private sector executives.
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