The Seattle Republican. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1???-1915, 1902-11-28
J OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES

Inc announcement is the various
papers to the effect mat Gov. Mcbride
consented to jhe unanimous election
OF DR.. j. }. Smith, president pro TEN
OF the senate, has been denied by Gov
McBrlde's private secretary. Instead
of favoring his act:cn the governor
II reports be true will fight it to the
bitter end and will doubtless bring for
ward Stanton Waburton. of Tacoma
as an opponent to DR.. Smith. But in
this the governor must realize that
he is lighting against odds in such an
undertaking and with the almost absO-
lutte certainty of losing. Nevertheless
he seems to reason to himself that it
IS better tC die fighting than to Law
down tC an enemy. In spite of the
Governors opposition DR.. ]. J. Smith
will be elected president pro tenn of
the senate and the Pie-maker would
suggest to the Governor, in his sena-
torial candidacy and likewise in his
railroad matter. that he desist from
further fighting Dr. Smiths election
All the politics Of the State are now
centered in the election of a United
States senator. The advocates of each
of the three avOwed aspirants are
claiming everything in sight for their
1ayOrite candidate, which puts the con-
test in such a condition that the aver
age politician need not believe one
half he sees nor anything he hears
A strong advocate of Levi Ankeny be-
lieVes that he will have fifty-five votes
on the first ballot and will steadily
gain strength until elected. which will
be very soon after the first ballot has
been cast. The friends of Harold
Preston are more or less sanguine
over his prospects and declare that he
has fOrty-fOur votes to start out with.
which will be more than any other
senatorial candidate will have, and
they further declare that the condi-
tions are ripe at present to bring about
the election of Mr. Preston almost
without opposition few days after
the legislature convenes. The friends
Of John L. Wilson are, perhaps, not
quite so sanguine as to his election,
but they are no less enthusiastic in
the support Of their candidate than
the others are sanguine. They claim
that Mr.. Wilson will have between
twenty-five and thirty votes. which
votes he will hold until he himself
voluntarily releases III em, aid then
they will go to the man who will make
the best political terms with Mr.. Will
son, which, il true, will make Mr..
Wilson the balance Of power in the
legislature and he will absolutely
name the senator from this state
Public sentiment throughout the
state is much divided on the senatorial
situation. Men who were ardent ad-
vOcates of the election OF John L.
Wilson four years ago are now wildly
supporting Ankeny or Preston,
while many Of the Ankeny voters have
grown luke warm toward Mr.. Ankeny,
believing that he will again be defeat
ed and that his political machine will
then &C to pieces, leaving his follow
ers beachad high and dry. where they
can neither assist him to float nor
can they themselves float again soon.
But despite this the odds seem to be
in MI Ankenys favor, and the Pie
maker would not be surprised if he
did not reach the goal of his ambition
before the end Of the coming legiSla-
ture However, Mr.. Preston has many
strong followers in the state, who will
cling TO him because he is being ad-
vocated by Gov. Mcbride, who is the
chief spirit in the advocacy of the
railroad commission bill Mr. Preston
has hitched his kite to the commission
bill. which is a very popular measure,
especially in Eastern Washington,
which if not passed by the next legis
lature will be the subject matter two
years from now for an upheaval in
Eastern Washington like unto That
of 1896. when that section of the State
went mad over free silver" and the
Democrats captured every county over
there.
RumOr has it that the Wardenship of
the State Penitentiary will soon be in
the hands Of a Republican, which Re
publican will come from Eastern
Washington and will be none other
than Isaac Brown, whose term Of Of
fee as sheriff Of Kittitas County will
expire next January. If reports be
true and they are not doubted, Mr..
Brown will take up his duties at the
nenitentiary as sOCn as he leaves his
duties as sheriff Of Kittitas County.
1t is further rumOred that a great
many other changes will be made
among the various state institutions
about that time After the first of
January the board OF audit and control
having decided upon this plan and
having decided to make the changes