The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1900-11-16
Mistake of the Farming Counties.

i
contributed to the defeat of Mr.. Frinl
It's impossible to escape the convic
tion that The farmers Of the East SiG,
We're the most responsible factor. Mr.
frink was slaughtered in his owr
nome by Republican adherents of :
malicious rival who does not deserve
to be considered any longer as a part,
man, through he has fed at the public
CRIB as Republican the better part Of
ms life. The King county candidate
lor governor was knitted by Repubh
cans because OF local prejudice, com.
mercial J@alonSv and the settled dread
that Seattle Republicans would ont
Congressman Cushman. The latte,
lear was unfounded, as the returns
demonstrate, but it is consoling al
least to observe that the party treach-
cry expressed against Frink is blama-
Ole like wise for the King county
slump In Cushman's vote.
But how about the East Side, which
gives majority for the national and
state tickets apd casts the decisive vote
against Mr.. Frink, without even the
slender pretext Of faotional animousi-
ty? Ii the Fink vote east of the
mountains means anything, it is that
the people there believe he would on
pose or veto any legislation proposed
or passed III their behalf. For years
the principal political issue in that
! quarter of the state has been the oues-
ton OF reduced freight rates. In de.
terence to the East Side vote all parties
have made platform promises in each
successive campaign to enact freight
rate legislation essent TALLY special IN
It's nature. The only remedial statute
on the books was the work of a Re-
publican legislature in which Mr..
Frlnk was an influential member, His
record on the subject during two terms
in the Senate was consistent, clean,
and friendly to the interests of the
wheat belt.
The party represented by Rogers in
1897, and it is now the same political
force as then, had control OF the two
houses. In Eastern Washington is
It's citadel, still strong. The fusion
legislature Of '97 failed to perform its
promises to the farmers, and when the
Republican assembly of 1899 met, Ro-
gers had made up his mind that rail
road commission was necessary TO the
machine himself and Senator Turner
had planned for the control OF state
politics. The Republicans naturally
would have none of his scheme.
So far,~then, as concerns the wheat
raisers and railroad legislation, they
are no better off than in 1899, and in
a worse position in 1897. 1t may be
taken for granted that, regardless of
politics, the East side members would
favor any sort of legislation that held
out the promise of a reduction of
freight rates. Assuming this to be the
case their massed strength In the
legislature will not be to exceed forty
five, while the West Side Republicans
number sixty-fve. In the senate,
which has always been the critical
battle-ground for railroad legislation,
the eastside influence will line up
weakly with only eleven possible votes
against twenty-one West Side Repub-
licaLs and one Democratic hold-over
who is openly opposed to freight rate
legislation.
Inasmuch as nothing could prevent
the Senate Of 1908 being Republica y,
it is manifest that in allowing them
selves to be persuaded by demagogues
and campaign fakirs that Mr. Frink
was hostile to their interests the East
Side farmers have compromised for
four years more any prospect they
might have had of securing the legis-
lation they have demanded.
In the first place, Frink had done
or said nothing in a long legislative
career to justify the slightest suspicion
that he would be unfavorable to the
East Side interest while Rogers had
had an opportunity to prove his friend
ship in the manner successfully adopt
ed by Governor McGraw in 1893 and
had neglected it. Again, with Frink
as governor the Republicans would
represent cohesive political purpose.
Now party considerations will impel
| them to defeat every measure designed
to increase Rogers power and Turner's
Lchance for reelection to the senate.
Political expediency will require this
much of them, and as result it can
scarcely be expected that they will pass
railroad commission bill.
As to the prospect OF enacting a
maximum freight rate law, it is not
encouraging. A Republican legislat-
ure. with senate dominated by West
Siders, will not feel disposed, at the
demand Ola number of counties that
defeated their candidate for governor,
to enact legislation which figures SO
much as campaign issue, inasmuch
as politically the credit would be