The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-10-23
FUSION SENATORS
AND THE RATE BILL.


the eyes of generations yet nm
born. 1 am ashamed OF this re-
form party I'm this 1eEisIature.
We were elected and sent here
by the people to 1egislate for
reduction In railroad rates.
repeat. I am ashamed Of these re-
formers.
"They have mot hnd the back
bone to stand MP like men for
their rights. It's = shame ana
disgrace upon the civilizations Of
the people I'm the last days of the
nfneteenth century that . party
sent here should he cowardiy
and base as to betray the trust
placed In II by the people. I ann
9oing hack to my people md tell
them what has occurred here
Representative Witt tPopulIst, OF Whit
mani charged that the fusion senator's
were owned by the railroad companies.
saying:
"The coordinate branch of this
legislature II controlled body
and soul by the railroad compa-
nies. They have Blended their
knees like sycophants 10 the
railroad octopus. I am not afraid
- Aenownce the senate above MS
~ rotten and corrupt to the core
and owned. bs9 aud bnggnge ny
the railroads.
Geraghty. Pop. of Spokane, I'm
qutreds "DO you include the
members Of the reform party In
the senator
witt answered.. "Yes. sir, 1
do" sA
Representative wiikeson (Populist OF
Skagit) could not find words strong
enough to describe his contempt of the
Turner Rogers "reformers' In the senate.
He asked, as the bill came from the SEN
ate.
CONSIGNED TT TO OBLIVION.
as this the bastard product Of
two years Of Populist gestations
II 50. we deserve to be consigned
70 oblivion"
Gov Rogers was no more In favor OF
lower freight rates in 1874 than during
the previous session. No lobby from the
executive appeared In the fusion senate
to help the cause of the farmers of East
ern Washington The governor was too
busy getting appropriations for his "trav-
cling and incidental expense fund" in
creased so that he might go about the
state working UP his boom for renom-
nation. No executive influence was as
serted during the session In the interests
OF tne FARMERS.
RECORD OF THE COMBINATION.
The record Of the Turner Rogers clique
In the serate of 1899 was distinctly against
the farmers Through the efforts of these
''reformers" all railroad legislation COW
erinx freight rates was prevented. For
example. Senator Crows motion to refer
the rate blu to the railroad committee.
With Instructions 10 report In favor OF
$3T5 rate was defeated by the Turner
Rogers senators. who voted No" (Sen-
lows: Davis. High. McReavy. Land.
David Miller. T, J. Miller. Paul Plummer
and Runner Biggs and Carper. two
other fusionists who were new In the sem
ate. voted with the Turner Rogers sem
ators.
The EFFORT OF the Republican senator's
10 have the rate reduced from A25 to
"a was defeated by these same senators
fsee page ts2. Senate Journal fSsa). Sena-
tor Wiltshire. OF King, moved To make
the rate "a per ton. Those voting no
were: Baum, Cole, Davis, High. Keith.
McReavy. T. j. Miller. Biggs and Car
per.
Senator McReavy then moved to indea-
niteIy postpona the freight rate bill Again
Cole. Biags. Davis, High. McReavy and
&. j. Miller. all fusionists. voted for the
indefinite posfponement of the bili
On page l2i of the same journal the
record shows that on final passage, the
senate having agreed TO senator VIII
shire's 81 rate amendment. the bin was
killed by the votes Of these Turner Rogers
senators. who voted mo-" as follows.
Cole, Davis, nm. Keith. McReayv. High.
T J. Miller Plummer ana Riggs
This coterie Of senators. who had II In
their hands to make possible in the SEN
ate the passage of a freight hill voted
steadily with the railroads and against
the farmers They were the men who
were most often consulted by Gov. Rogers
in his distribution of state patronage.
For example, senator Cole obtained the
appointment of Ais son-in-law. Herbert
Bashford, as state librarian, Keith High,
McReavy and the rest OF he group were
the original members Of the Turner Rog-
ers combination IN the senate
Thus the records dispose OF the fraud
uleut and hypocritiesi claim advanced by
Gov. Rogers thai he has favored and is
the regulation Is a commission. of tho
railroads Of Washington.