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Newspapers covered the 1889 constitutional convention, often in great detail. Newspapers can also be useful for exploring the arguments for and against amendments.

This collection of selected newspaper articles from 1889 report on activities relating to Washington's Constitutional Convention. Most items are referred to by their headlines. In cases where no headline was provided, the first sentence of the item is provided in brackets.

Because the PDF images are of entire newspaper pages, column and story numbers are provided on each cover sheet to assist the reader in finding the appropriate item.

Spokane Falls Review Spokane Falls Review

At Work Again, the Convention Reassembles at Olympia and Resumes its Wrangling. The Delegates Are Paying Particular Attention to the Tide Lands Question. Against Armed Detectives--Sunday in Olympia--Making up the Slate (July 18, 1889)

Bound to Vote. The Woman Suffragists at Walla Walla Will Vote Anyway (Sept. 12, 1889)

Capital Chat (Oct. 17, 1889)

City Indebtedness. Councilman F.A. Bettis Returns from Olympia and Explains the Situation. He Says the Lobbyists and Bankers Are Likely to Defeat the Constitution (Aug. 1, 1889)

Clam Chowder. A Remarkable Memorial Presented to the Constitutional Convention. Solution of the Tide Lands Problem Proposed by Sound Citizens. The Clam Industry to be Protected and Awards Made (Aug. 8, 1889)

Coast Clippings. The Convention Meets, Talks, Makes Motions, But Does No Business (Aug. 15, 1889)

Concentrate the Vote (Sept. 19, 1889)

Constitution Making. The Delegates Still Laboring at the Trying Task in Olympia. What to Do with Corporations Is the Perplexing Problem Just Now. Amendment Follows Amendment and Debate Continues with Vigor (Aug. 8, 1889)

Convention News. How the Location of the Capitol Will be Settled (Aug. 8, 1889)

Doing Double Work. The Convention Meets and Reopens and Goes over Yesterday's Proceedings. The "Bad Man from Bitter Creek" Has His Turn to Howl. Delegates Fight a Battle for the Old Soldiers--The Militia Question (Aug. 1, 1889)

Doings at Olympia. The Convention Still Dragging Its Slow Length Along--Little Progress. "Still Harping on My God," But He Is Placed in the Preamble. Delegates Becoming Irascible-How Much Debt Shall the State Incur? (Aug. 1, 1889)

Election News. In Washington the Return Are Republican All Along the Line. The Constitution Is Adopted, While Woman Suffrage and Prohibition Get Left. No Complete Returns Yet Received from Montana or the Dakotas (Oct. 10, 1889)

Female Suffrage. Ardent Workers Compile a Set of Resolutions (July 11, 1889)

Fighting the Constitution (Sept. 26, 1889)

Fundamental Law. The Constitutional Convention Divides Its Work Among Several Standing Committees. A Protracted Discussion Indulged in as to the Rules and Order of Business. A Test Proposition to Suppress Trusts and Combinations Meets with Unanimous Approval (July 11, 1889)

Gallant Washingtonians (Oct. 10, 1889)

Gives Its Reasons. This Is the View of the Garfield Enterprises (Sept. 5, 1889)

[Governor Moore's failure to attach his signature to the constitution forwarded to Washington by official messenger is not justified by his explanation] (Nov. 7, 1889)

Importance of Uniting (Sept. 12, 1889)

"It is fortunate that Eastern Washington is likely to concentrate its vote on one point in Central Washington for the site of the state capital (Sept. 5, 1889)

Long Winded. The Solons at Olympia Creating Their Own Breeze on the Tide Lands. While Their Constituents Pray for a Calm in the Endless Flow of Oratory. Less Legislation and More Fundamental Law Desired by the People (Aug. 22, 1889)

Making Mileage. The Convention Apparently Endeavoring to Imitate One of the Dakotas. Which Expended $10,000 More Than the Government Appropriated for Expenses (Aug. 22, 1889)

Making Motions. A Bitter Fight over Allowing the Veto Power of the Governor. The Rule Fining Members Absent Without Excuse Will be Enforced. Mr. Weir Thinks the Convention Would Amend the Ten Commandments (Aug. 1, 1889)

More Convention. Mr. Eldredg Makes Double the Longest Speech of the Session. Delegates Appear to Be Wasting Time on a Question of after Importance. The Talk on Woman Suffrage Causes a Handkerchief to Flutter Freely (Aug. 15, 1889)

Mr. Moore Explains about the Principal Product of Kentucky and Why He Sent for It. The Judiciary Committee of the Constitutional Convention Reports in Full. Quacks Will Stand No Show in the New State---Gossip about the Members (July 18, 1889)

Near the End. The Delegates Getting Ready to Go Home and Fix Their "Fences." The Chair and a Delegate Have a Few Words about the Tide Lands. As Usual, Without Doing Any Work, the Convention Adjourns Till 9 A.M. (Aug. 22, 1889)

No More Grand Juries. The New Constitution Will Govern the Next Term of Court (Oct. 31, 1889)

Occidental News. The Olympian Lawmakers Say Aliens Can Acquire Land by Inheritance or Mortgage (Aug. 15, 1889)

Okanogan Returns (Oct. 17, 1889)

Olympian Oracles. The Convention Meets and Talks for the Good of the New State. Closing the Doors Against Trusts and Foreign Corporations. Numerous Propositions from Tacoma-Conventions Held in the Dakotas (July 11, 1889)

Olympia Operations. A Long Fight Yesterday over the Rights of Municipal Corporations. Other Organizations Also Come in for a Share of Learned Attention. Walla Walla's Plea for Non-Interference--The Schools Interested (Aug. 8, 1889)

Olympic Doings. A Field Day at the Constitutional Convention over the Corporations Bill. Water and Water Rights Will Next Be Considered by the Solons. A Windy War Waged Yesterday Until Adjournment Was Accomplished (Aug. 8, 1889)

On Corporations. Report of the Committee on Corporations Other Than Municipal. No Discrimination in Charges for Passengers or Freight to be Allowed. A Board of Railroad Commissioners Appointed and Its Duties Laid Down (Aug. 1, 1889)

On Our Coast. The Convention at Olympia Getting Somewhat Mixed Because of Amendments. The Democrats Issue a Call for a General Convention at Ellensburg (Aug. 15, 1889)

Opinions of the Constitution (Aug. 29, 1889)

Select the Most Probable and Stand Firm (Sept. 5, 1889)

Settle It This Time! All Disinterested Citizens Now Concede that North Yakima Is in the Lead for the State Capital" (Sept. 26, 1889)

Shall Women Vote? (July 4, 1889)

Slow Progress. On Division of Counties a Heated Discussion Prevailed in the Convention. Mr. Stiles Uses Some Very Plain Language to the Members. The Minority Report on Municipal Indebtedness--Delegates out of Humor (Aug. 1, 1889)

Space Annihilated (Sept. 5, 1889)

State Lands. What the Convention Will Do with Them, Who Can Tell? (Aug. 22, 1889)

Still Moving. The Delegates to the Convention, Making Motions and Offering Amendments. The New State Likened to a New Ship on Its Trial Trip--The Courts the Pilot. In Committee of the Whole on the Supreme Court Question, But Nothing Done (July 25, 1889)

Tacoma News. Politicians Laying Plans to Capture the State (Aug. 29, 1889)

Taking a Rest. After Adopting the Judicial Article the Convention Adjourned to Monday Afternoon. The Olympia Board of Trade Invited the Delegates to a Clam-Bake on Tuesday. The Ayes and Noes Being Called for on the Invitation, None Voted "No" (July 25, 1889)

Talking Temperance. Mrs. Kinney's Address at Concordia Hall Sunday Evening (Sept. 26, 1889)

The Constitution (Aug. 29, 1889)

"The constitution raises four questions to be voted upon" (Aug. 29, 1889)

The Convention. A Long Fight over the Salaries of the Supreme and Superior Court Judges. Many of the Delegates Are in Favor of Abolishing the Office of Police Justice. Amendments Made in the Convention in the Interests of Good Grammar (July 25, 1889)

The Convention. A Proposition to Have Only Married People Exercise the Right to Vote. Mr. Eldredge Explains and Speaks of His Sawmill---Bills for Room Rent. The Tide Lands Article Occupied Most of the Delegates' Time Yesterday (Aug. 22, 1889)

The Conventions. The Judicial Article Adopted by the Members of the Constitutional Convention. After Discussion the Convention Declines to Have Anything to Do with Prohibition. Offering Amendments Appears to Be the Only Business on Hand---The Votes Cast (July 25, 1889)

The Day of Rest (Sept. 12, 1889)

The End (Aug. 22, 1889)

The Governor Talks. Governor-Elect Ferry Also Expresses His Views at Length (Nov. 7, 1889)

The Judiciary Article (Sept. 5, 1889)

The New State. Wit and Wisdom Assembled in Olympia. Woman Suffragists Present in Full Force (July 4, 1889)

The Official Count. At Last We Are Given the Exact Result, after Two Days of Hard Work. Some of the Returns Were Sent in in an Irregular Manner (Oct. 24, 1889)

The Olympians. Ex-Mayor Low of Brooklyn Gives His Opinions and Advice to the Delegates. Judge Turner of Spokane Highly Commended by His Brother Delegates. The Convention Still Wrangling over the Tide-Water and Harbor Lands (Aug. 15, 1889)

"The Olympia people and newspapers are making a mistake in abusing the towns of Ellensburg and North Yakima and the Eastern Washington country" (Sept. 19,1 889)

"The people of Stevens country are emphatically in favor of Yakima for the state capital" (Oct. 10, 1889)

"The place selected for the state capital must receive not merely a majority over all other places, but a majority of all votes cast" (Sept. 26, 1889)

"The prohibition elements, as well as the advocates of woman suffrage, must be on a still hunt" (Sept. 5, 1889)

The Rising Star. How Washington Mounts to the Ranks of Fame and Statehood. Life, Light and Liberty Fully Guaranteed under the New Regime. In This Way Our Territorial Solons Manufacture a State Constitution (July 11, 1889)

"The Spangle Record editorially says . . . " (Sept. 19, 1889)

The State Capital. Not Necessary to Barter It Away for Ground (Sept. 19, 1889)

The State Capital. Where Shall the Seat of Government of Washington Be Located? The Views of a Citizen of Yakima on That Important Question (Aug. 22, 1889)

The Woman Suffragists. They Had to Go All the Way to Olympia for Lawyers (Oct. 24, 1889)

They All Talk. The Delegates Are Wasting Much Valuable Time on a Theological Question. Mr. Buchanan Expresses Himself as in Favor of George Washington. Messrs. Turner and Sullivan Indulge in a Litte Acrimonious Talk (Aug. 1, 1889)

They Meet Again. After Sunday's Rest the Delegates Bob up Serenely with More Motions. A Fight over the Public Printer--Delegates for and Against Such an Officer. The Convention Adjourns to Wednesday in Order to Eat Clams on Tuesday (July 25, 1889)

Two Meetings. The Workingmen and Prohibitionists Listen to Able Speeches (Sept. 26, 1889)

Unite the Vote (Sept. 12, 1889)

Washington. Full Text of the Constitution Submitted to the People's Judgment. An Elaborate Document Containing Many Admirable and Few Objectionable Features. The Perplexing Question Involving the Tide Lands Left to the Courts. Careful Provision Made for the Preservation of Public School Resources. The Location of the Permanent Seat of Government Left t the People. The Question of Constitutional Prohibiiton Submitted in Like Manner (Aug. 29, 1889)

What It Means (Oct. 10, 1889)

Where to Put It. Another Newspaper Gives Its Views on the Subject (Sept. 19, 1889)

Woman Suffrage. Walla Walla Ladies Sue the Election Officers (Oct. 24, 1889)

Vancouver Independent Vancouver Independent

[An exchange says: "The Equal Suffragists, otherwise the female suffragists, are going to maintain a lobby near the Constitutional Convention to urge and advance their peculiar ideas upon the suffrage section] (July 3, 1889)

A Question to Be Settled (Sept. 11, 1889)

[At the approaching election, among the most important question to be decided is the location of the State Capital] (Sept. 4, 1889)

[A Walla Walla writer in the Oregonian gives the following concerning the late Washington election] (Nov. 6, 1889)

[During last week the constitutional convention did nothing beyond perfecting the appointment of committees and getting the rules in shape] (July 17, 1889)

[If our temperance friends, who are laboring for the closing of the saloon, ever met with success, it will be after they have invented something to take the place of the saloon] (Oct. 9, 1889)

[It is pretty well settled that neigher prohibition nor woman's suffrage can by any possibility become part of the constitution to be submitted to vote in October] (July 24, 1889)

[It will cost more than $100,000 to reconvene the delegates and again submit the constitution, in case it should be defeated . . . ] (Sept. 25, 1889)

[J.W. Robinson, of Olympia, left Tacoma Friday morning for Washington, D.C., having in his possession the official election returns . . . ] (Oct. 30, 1889)

[Last Monday eve. a large audience gathered at the Standard Theatre to hear republican speaking] (Oct. 2, 1889)

Majorities in Washington (Oct. 30, 1889)

[Members of congress are beginning to congregate in Washington] (Oct. 9, 1889)

[One of the notable men of the constitutional convention was Judge George Turner of Spokane Falls] (Aug. 28, 1889)

[Preparations are already under way to have a genuine ratification and jubiliee when the president issues his proclamation making Washington a state] (Oct. 23, 1889)

Proclamation (Sept. 25, 1889)

[Returns on the capital question are now sufficiently complete to show that Olympia came remarkably near gaining an absolute victory] (Oct. 9, 1889)

Solid Facts. In Regard to the Location of the State Capital (Sept. 25, 1889)

State of Washington (Nov. 13, 1889)

[The action of the two county conventions on the question of the adoption of the constitution, was in marked contrast] (Sept. 25, 1889)

[The constitutional convention as assembled at Olympia on July 4th, pursuant to act of Congress] (July 10, 1889)

[The Constitutional Convention made good progress last week, and in their work expunged much that should be left for the legislature] (Aug. 14, 1889)

[The Constitution to be submitted to the people at the coming election has provided for the popular vote, namely: Woman Suffrage, Prohibition and the Permanent Location of the Seat of Government] (Aug. 28, 1889)

[The correspondent of the Seattle Budget speaking of the constitutional convention says: . . . ] (July 17, 1889)

[The Democrats may have lost an eye or two and an ear and a piece of nose] (Oct. 9, 1889)

[The discussions at the Constitutional Convention last week pretty well settled the minority representations humbug] (July 24, 1889)

[The great want of sense in the prohibition party is more prominent than ever since the election, in which the prohibition idea was sat down upon by a vote of three to one] (Oct. 23, 1889)

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