Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1902-10-03
CLAIM STATE SENATE.
LOBBYISTS FOR THE RAILROAD
CLAIM A DEADLOCK


On Remedial Legislation - They Declare That
Republican Senators will Oppose a Com
mission Bill. Despite the Plank in the Party
Platform. and Figure Majority in the Sen
ate-The Governor Has, However, Pow
erfuI Leverage for Controlling Legislative
Votes.
The political correspondent of the
Spokesn'an-Reriew writing from Ia
coma last week, said:
To a superficial observer it might
seem that the fight for q Railroad
Commission is practically won; that
the Republican party having gone on
record in favor of it, the Legislature,
should it be Republican, will carry
out the platform pledged without hesi-
tation and without delay. Such an
impression is most erroneous one.
The railroads do not believe them
selves whipped, as is evident from the
interview with Will H. Thompson,
published the other day. 1t is ex-
tremely doubtful if Gov. Mcbride feels
that he has won more than prelimin.
ary skirmish. True it was an impor.
tant skirmish and its success was vital
to The result which the Governor seeks
to attain. But it was but the opening
volley in a grand battle which is Ger.
tain to shake the State before the next
Legislature adjourns.
The railroads, as indicated in Mr..
Thompson's interview, believe they
have enough legislative votes pledged
to them now to defeat the commission.
To defeat the bill they have only to
control one house. As in previous
fights, the State Senate will be their
objective point. Railroad politicians
say that they are absolutely assured
now OF enough votes in the Senate to
render certain the defeat OF Mcbride.
The correspondent had long talk
with railroad politician in Tacoma
the other night, who furnished list
OF Senators, both holdovers and those
certain Of election, who, it is figured,
will vote against tho Mcbride bill. In
considering this list, it is we'll to re-
member that the next Senate will con.
tain AZ members. OF this number it
is necessary to secure an absolute ma.
jority, %, in order to pass . bill OF any
sort. To defeat bill its opponents
have merely to tie the Senate, or in
other words, to secure 21 votes. With
this in mind the list of Senators fur
|nished by the railroad man is interest
ing. Here it is:
OF the holdover Senators the rail-
roads count on the votes of Baumeister
of Asotin, Cornwell and Reser of Wslla
Walla, Rands OF Clarke, Ruth of
Thurston, Davis and Stewart of Pierce
and Summer of Snoho mish. All of
these Senators voted with the railroads
in the last session.
Four other Senators who voted with
the railroads in the last session seem
practically certain OF re election this
fall. These are Baker OF Klickitat,
Clapp of Jefferson and Hamilton and
lie Crone OF Pierce.
The railroads claim the entire eight
Senatorial votes in King county and
the correspondents observations in
the week he has been in Western
Washington lead him to place consid-
cradle credsnce in the claim. Even
George U. Piper, one Of the Senatorial
nominees from King, voted against
the commission plank in the State
Convention, and says he is not pledged
to vote for the commission bill in the
Legislature should he be elected. He
has been counted with Mcbride.
There is some talk that Piper may be
defeated, but his Democratic opponent
is indirectly connected with the legal
department of the Great Northern.
The influence of the railroads in busi-
ness and political life in King county
and Seattle is difficult for one not ia
miliar with it to appreciate; it even
permeates Seattle's social life.
King county's eight votes, combined
with the Senators mentioned, would
give the railroads apparently 20 votes.
one short of the desired number.
The railroads claim ]. w. Romaine OF
Whatcom, who was nominated in o
convention that specifically condemned
the Railroad Commission plan of Gov
ernor Mcbride. Romaine's district is
heavily Republican. His election
seems certain. Moreover, his Demo
cratic opponent, who was in the lower
house last session, voted with the rail-
roads then.
If all these figures be correct, Ro-
maine's vote gives the railroads the
desired number. For good measure.
however, the railroad politician threw
in one Smith, who has been nominated
for the Senate in Snohomish county.
That county went down the line
against Mcbride in the State Conven.
ton. So the railroad people figure
that they have % Senators, one more
than enough, the way they stand to.
day.
Of the holdovers the railroads con.
cede that Crow, Tolman and Hallett
Of Spokane, CARRIER OF Lincoln, Sharp
Iof Kittitas, Moultray of Whitman,