The Republican Convention of King County
A raucous 1886 political gathering reveals a party divided by railroad influence, local prohibition, and the intense anti-Chinese sentiment of the era.
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 Republican convention of King County convened to establish a platform and nominate local candidates. The proceedings were marked by sharp debates regarding the influence of the railroad lobby and the role of local option laws for alcohol. A significant portion of the platform addressed labor concerns, specifically demanding the repeal of the Chinese treaty and the exclusion of what the party termed 'coolie labor' from the territory. Governor Watson C. Squire and Chief Justice Roger S. Greene were lauded for their actions during the anti-Chinese expulsion riots in Seattle the previous February. The convention ultimately moved to nominate local officials, including John H. McGraw for Sheriff, after intense deliberation on the role of party delegates.
“The Republican party is not like the Democratic party. They can fight in convention like Kilkenny cats, and go home and support the ticket.”
This 1886 convention highlights the explosive mix of labor unrest and xenophobia that defined Seattle in the late 19th century. The explicit demand for Chinese exclusion, framed here as a protection of 'American labor,' remains a haunting chapter in the city's civic history, contrasting sharply with the modern city's identity.
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