CHAPTER XXXVII

CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION IN '89-WOMAN SUFFRAGE AND PROHIBITION DE

FEATED-PRESIDENT HARRISON ISSUES PROCLAMATION-INTEREST IN POLITICS INCREASES STORY OF A SENATORIAL CONTEST WON BY SQUIRE-UP-COMING OF FREE SILVER IDEA-CANAL AMENDMENT CARRIED-JOHN H. M'GRAW'S RISE -ANOTHER SENATORIAL STRUGGLE-STORY OF A "MONSTER SACK"-LEGISLATORS, HOWEVER, STAND PAT AND ALLOW SENATORSHIP TO GO UNFILLED M'GRAW APPOINTS ALLEN.

Washington's constitutional convention assembled in Olympia July 4, 1889, elected John P. Hoyt president, and after fifty days of careful labor, submitted the result of its efforts to the voters. The seventy-one names signed to the original draft of the constitution of the State of Washington are: John P. Hoyt, president; J. J. Browne, N. G. Blalock, John F. Gowey, Frank M. Dallam, James T. Moore, E. H. Sullivan, George Turner, Austin Mires, M. M. Godman, Gwin Hicks, William F. Prosser, Louis Sohns, A. A. Lindsley, J. J. Weisenburger, P. C. Sullivan, R. S. More, Thomas T. Minor, J. J. Travis, Arnold J. West, Charles T. Fay, Charles P. Coey, Robt. F. Sturdevant, John A. Shoudy, Allen Weir, W. B. Gray, Trusten P. Dyer, Geo. H. Jones, B. L. Sharpstein, H. M. Lillis, J. F. Van Name, Albert Schooley, H. C. Wilson, T. M. Reed, S. H. Manly, Richard Jeffs, Francis Henry, George Comegys, Oliver H. Joy, David F. Durie, D. Buchanan, John R. Kinnear, George W. Tibbetts, H. W. Fairweather, Thomas C. Griffiths, C. H. Warner, J. P. T. McCroskey, S. G. Cosgrove, Thos. Hayton, Sam'l. H. Berry, D. J. Crowley, J. T. McDonald, John M. Reed, Edward Eldridge, George H. Stevenson, Silvius A. Dickey, Henry Winsor, Theodore L. Stiles, James A. Burk, John McReavy, R. O. Dunbar, Morgan Morgans, Jes. Power, B. B. Glascock, O. A. Bowen, Harrison Clothier, Matt. J. McElroy, J. T. Eshelman, Robert Jamison, Hiram E. Allen, H. F. Suksdorf and John I. Booge who signed as chief clerk. Four members, James Hungate, Lewis Neace, J. C. Kellogg and W. L. Newton, did not sign.

Two separate articles, one providing for woman suffrage, the other for prohibition of the liquor traffic, were submitted with the constitution in the election of October 1st. The vote on the constitution was 40,152 for and 11,879 against, but both separate articles were defeated. At the same election officers were chosen for the new state as follows: Elisha P. Ferry, governor; Charles E. Laughton, lieutenant-governor; Allen Weir, secretary of state; A. A. Lindsley, treasurer; Thomas M. Reed, auditor; William C. Jones, attorney-general; Robert B. Bryan, superintendent of public instruction; W. T. Forrest, commissioner of public lands; Ralph O. Dunbar, Theodore L. Stiles, John P. Hoyt, Thomas J. Anders and Elmon Scott, supreme judges; and John L. Wilson, repre

INAUGURATION OF GOVERNOR ELISHA P. FERRY IN NOVEMBER, 1889, IN THE OLD STATE HOUSE, OLYMPIA

This photograph was made by A. D. Rogers, of Olympia, and only two copies were printed. The plate is now destroyed

sentative in Congress. All of these officers, as well as a big majority of the legislators, were members of the republican party.

President Benjamin Harrison, on November 11th, issued his proclamation declaring the people of Washington had met all the conditions of the Congressional act providing for the entry of the new state into the Union and that it had been admitted. The Legislature assembled and November 18th Justice John P. Hoyt administered the oath of office to Elisha P. Ferry who, by that act, ceased to be the governor of Washington Territory to become the governor of Washington State.

The passing of the territorial form and the institution of the state form gave the people of Washington a larger field in which to play that interesting game, common to all self-governing peoples-the game of politics. In territorial days almost every voter took a lively interest in the subject and highly interesting contests featured almost every election. Statehood increased and intensified this interest and while the secret ballot did much to remove the undesirable—and oftentimes corrupt-features of elections, it did not prevent logrolling in party conventions. After the conventions came the campaigns, and county and state officials having been elected, politicians turned their attention to the more exciting matter of the selection of United States senator. Compared with some that came later, the first of these contests was of short duration. It was not without interest, however, as is shown by the following report written at the time:

"A LANDSLIDE

"Olympia, Nov. 19.-The great first fight for senatorial honors in the new State of Washington is over. John B. Allen and Watson C. Squire are the first senators. What remains to be done tomorrow is merely formal. Both houses will meet in joint convention and read the respective journals. They will show a majority vote cast in each House for the two above named, and thereupon they will be declared elected without further balloting.

"There is little to add to what is set forth in detail in the regular Legislative report. Allen's election was not so much of a surprise, but Squire's election upon the first ballot by a majority greater than Allen's was a genuine surprise. It was a regular stampede and no other candidate seemed to have a particle of a chance.

"The nominating speeches for Allen were brief in the House and absent altogether in the Senate. Those for Squire in both Houses were long and fulsome. While Feighan is credited with making the best of the lot in nominating Turner, Pierce County was notably lame. Not a word was said or a name mentioned in the Senate, while in the House a brief speech by Plummer in nominating Sprague and a simple placing in nomination the name of Thompson by Judson, of Whatcom, was all there was to it, and even that much had to be accepted from the lips of members outside the Pierce County delegation. It was not a spectacle to inspire pride, and the almost universal comment in the corridors and outside was: 'Well, maybe Pierce County will learn a little politics by-and-by.'

"King County men are naturally jubliant and are celebrating their victory in great style. 'Old Seattle got there,' and 'What's the matter with Watson C. Squire?' were most frequent.

"Parkinson, of Whatcom, was the most noticeable among those celebrating the victory, and if it had been a brother of his from the classic shores of Bellingham Bay itself that had been elected he could not have been more hilarious.

"Following the adjournment the usual scenes of cheering and congratulations were indulged in. Squire was carried out of the Senate chamber, where he and Mrs. Squire had intently watched the proceedings and listened to the political eloquence, down into the lobby, where he held an impromptu reception.

"Allen was not present during the voting. He came up to the state house early in the day, at the request of some friends, but went back down town again before the voting began. He was found in his quarters softly whistling, 'Just Before the Battle, Mother,' and was told of the result and received the congratulations of his friends there. It was evidently agreed that the east side senator should be first voted for, and the agreement was well kept.

"Senator Owings voted for Squire on both ballots. So did one or two others. Plummer withdrew Sprague on the first ballot, in pursuance of the agreement, but put him up again on the second. The whole balloting passed off without friction or trouble, and the universal sentiment is: 'Glad it is over.'

'What did it cost him?' was a question that not a few men asked of each other this evening.

"Referring to Squire's success in carrying off the senatorial plum, a great variety of opinions were given on this point. One gentleman, who declared he had the best of reasons for his belief, was positive that Squire had been compelled to go down in his well-filled pocket to the tune of nearly one hundred thousand dollars. The same person said he knew that Squire had spent fully $30,000 to control conventions and caucuses before ever coming to Olympia. The cost of keeping up headquarters during the protracted muddle over the admission to statehood amounted probably to thousands more, not counting the incidentals and the etceteras. While the $100,000 estimate is probably much too high, it is certain that the election cost Squire a good round sum, but a sum which he, being a millionaire, will not miss any more than a great many other men would $1,000.

"The enthusiasm over Squire's victory was many times greater than that which accompanied the announcement of Allen's success. The ex-governor's supporters went nearly crazy with delight. Not a few men asked each other what this all meant.

"Squire is conceded, even by many of his supporters, to be ultra aristocratic, and there may be a bare possibility of some other reason for their fulsome rejoicing.

"General Sprague and a large portion of the Tacoma party left this afternoon for home.

"W. J. Thompson is setting his political house in order, and will follow in the morning. There is a general exodus of members of the third House. One characteristic remark was heard: 'Wish Gerry would run for something just once more,' and the answer came quickly: 'You'll never get another chance at him. He will be too old after he goes out of the Government.'

"The result is thus expressed: Squire and Wilson will join forces and Allen will be in the minority. Spokane and Eastern Washington will get what Seattle wants, while John B. Allen and Tacoma will get what Squire and Wilson want