The Political Tidal Wave that Swept Seattle’s Council
After a crushing defeat at the polls, the incumbent 'Law and Order' party leaders signal they will voluntarily step down, ending a bitter period of civic paralysis in 1885 Seattle.
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 recent election in Seattle has been a tidal wave. It is unnecessary to speculate as to the causes of the result; one among many, however, was the lukewarm interest of the radical temperance element. The superb organization and active work which marked the contest waged by this element a year ago was totally lacking this year. The fight that was made came almost entirely from the more moderate of the Law and Order people. The extremists were not there. Had this been fully developed beforehand, the recall might have been foreseen. The defeated candidates of the Law and Order ticket have the satisfaction of knowing that they were borne down by a tidal wave, and that individual qualifications or disqualifications were not considered. No matter who the head of the Law and Order ticket might have been, he would have met the same fate. Alfred Snyder, one of the hold-over councilmen, was asked what policy would be pursued by the Law and Order councilmen. Mr. Snyder said: 'I have not talked the matter over with my colleagues, but I think they will all agree with this: the election is over, and we will grant certificates to the lawfully elected councilmen. We will resign and give the other gentlemen who were voted for on the Business Men’s ticket an opportunity to take our places. In view of the recent large majorities given to the Business Men’s ticket, I think it will not be improper for us to resign.'
“The defeated candidates of the Law and Order ticket have the satisfaction of knowing that they were borne down by a tidal wave, and that individual qualifications or disqualifications were not considered.”
The 1885 electoral 'tidal wave' reflects a perennial Seattle theme: rapid shifts in voter sentiment driven by dissatisfaction with the status quo. Much like today’s heated municipal debates over governance and civic priorities, the 1885 transition highlights the fragile nature of political power in a city that prides itself on constant, sometimes volatile, reinvention.
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