The Colfax gazette. [volume] (Colfax, Wash.) 1893-1932, 1901-02-15
GROW WAS AGAINST IT
Preston Railway Commission
Bill Died In the Senate.
Whitman County's Reform Senator
TOOK Trip With the Railroad
Attorneys and Lobbyists.

iodu lOOOylSCS ana their allies
Senator Crow OF Whitman, helped to
defeat the measure and scarce was the
vote announced ere he retired to a a.,
cluded corner in a side room TO the gen
ate chamber and entered into close ant
confidential conversation with Mr..
GrOsscup of the Northern Pacific rail
way company. In fact, Senator Crows
intimate relations with the affable gen
tlemen who represent the railroad inter
ests at Olympia has been the subject of
general comment for some time.
Senator Preston stated yesterday on
the floor OF the senate, that it was esti-
mated that there were 120 paid railroad
lobbyists here working night and dav
Tor the defeat of the commission bill
The estimate would seem perfectly fair
to casual observer. He expressed the
hope that WashingtOn's ia legislators
would be able to withstand this power
tul influence. But Crow has evidently
succumbed to their seductive wiles and
has made himself the laughing stock of
the capital by bis pitiful attempts to
justify his peculiar position.
On Thursday, while the bill was under
consideration, Crow stated that it's pro-
the exception that he preferred to have
the commission appointed by the gov
ernor rather than by three of the state
executive officers as was provided in the
bill. lie was vociterOus, though some
what incOherent, in his defense of what
he termed the governors Drerogative"
ignoring the fact that he bill deprives
the governor of no power which he
possesses, but Instead cOnfers upon him
power which he does not now have-a
voice IN naming q railroad commission,
There are eight democratic senator's"
be thundered, who will vote for this
bill ii the minority report ia adopted" ."
de was evidently trying to fix things so
that he could explain to his neighbOre
upon his return home, that the Preston
Dill was partisan measure and that be
opposed it for that reason. But when
the imam behind the plow," as Crow has
termed himself, ran up against the man
behind the bill, the result was not to
his advantage
Senator Preston blandly requested the
farmers friend" to name those eight
democratic senators and pledged himself
to move the substitution oi the minority
report for the malUrity report if Senator
Crow would prove his assertion.
what | want" said Preston. sis to
redeem the pledge made by both pOliti-
cal parties to esta ablish a railway com
mission. | am willing to vote for any
bill that fultills that promise. | will
vote for the measure no matter upon
whom the appOintive power is conferred.
viii the gentleman from Wbitman?'
The senator from Whitman was mute.
And so it issthat Mr.. Crow finds him
self in an unenviable position. The
senator's with whom he voted do not re-
spect him for having disregarded the
interests of his own community, and
most OF the democratic senator's take |
no pains to conceal an unfattering
opinion of Senator Crow OF Whitman.
In strong contrast with the attitude |
of Whitman county s democratic senator |
Is that of Senators Mantz, CARRIER, Toi |
man and Hallett-all democratic senat !
Ors from Eastern Washington, who |
voted for the Preston bill. Senator
CARRIER voiced their sentiment when he |
said that although the bill did not en-
tirely meet with his approval yet he pre-,
ferred to vote with the republicans
rather than to identity himself with the
railroads in their efforts to defeat q
commission bill.
1t is believed that the committee on
railroads and transportation will now
promptly report the Tolman bill for
passage. Crow cannot consistently op-
pose the TOlman bill, although with the
exception of Section l, it is identical
with the Preston bill. But he knows,
and the railroad companies know, that
it will be difficult to get some of the
senators who voted for the Preston bill
to support the TOlman bill, as they re-
gard with disfavor that clause which
confers the power to appoint the COM
mission exclusively upon the governor.
Many OF the republican senator's, how
ever, including Preston and Hall, have
announced their intention to support
any similar bill which may come before
them, regardless of party lines.
Senator Crow OF Whitman-the re-
former-the imam behind the plow''-
the farmers friend-packed his grip and
left Olympia this afternoon on a special
Northern Pacific train in company with
Mr. Grosscup, MIR. Stevenson and other
prominent railroad magnates and repre-
sentatives.
1t is rumOred that Senator Crow OF
OpOh dHcp lodIAul vi UeluS lU6nUlUeQ WlCl
the Whitman county senator, will ask
that the latter's name be changed by
legislative enactment.
Scarcely less deplorabIe than Crows
action was that of the senator from
Walla " ALA, who gave as his reason
for opposing the bill that he "would
support nothing which was introduced
by the Preston faction" But" he
added, 81 will vote for the Tolman BILL"
Preston was equal to the occasion.
"Do understand" he asked, address
ing Senator Cornwell, that your objec-
tion to this bill is the connection of my
name herewith"
The Walla Walla senator replied in
the affirmative.
"Then, Mr.. President" said Senator
Preston, 81 am willing TO remove the
cause for the gentleman's objection, and
| therefore move you that the words,
Senator Preston of King wherever the
same occur in this bill, be stricken out,
and that in lieu thereof the words,
Senator Tolman of Spokane be in
serted"
The senator from Walla Walla saw
that he was trapped, but his attach
ment to other interests seemed to be