The Seattle Republican., 1902-07-11
POLITICAL POT PIE


The Federal appointments of the
state have all been practically made
and the most of the appointees have
taken charge Of their respective Offices
and things are moving on the same
as they were year ago. Glancing
over the list of appointments to one
well acquainted with the political
checker board of the state a most
peculiar and spectacular scene pre-
sents itself. 1t is a well-known fact
that the state of Washington is divid.
ed into many political factions so far
as the Republican party is concerned,
and in filling the various positions
the president has evidently had an
eye single to throwing a bit of SOD
to each and every faction in the state.
The collector of customs, perhaps,
the most lucrative Office in the state,
was given to the John L. Wilson fac
tiOn and Hon. c.. E. Ide was named
by the president to succeed Mr.
Huestis. Mr.. Ide's confirmation was
held up for quite while by Senator
Foster, more for the purpose of carry
ing out his own points than for any
real opposition to Mr.. Ide, but he was
finally confirmed and is now holding
the Office. The U. S. marshal for this
district is G. B. Hopkins; while he is
the choice of Senator Foster, he is
nevertheless the firm political friend
OF John L. Wilson, and Senator Foster
only recommended Mr.. Hopkins when
he found it utterly impossible to rec
Ommend anyone else and succeed. 1t
will thus be seen that Senator Wilson
has succeeded in capturing the two
largest anad most lucrative positions
in the state for his lieutenants.
In the very outset of the scramble
for federal offices, which Senator
Foster promised to distribute freely
to his henchmen, it was understood
tnat Jesse Frye would be u S. dis
trict attorney for this state. Mr..
Frye's appointment was held up, not
withstanding the fact that Senator
Foster was daily advocating it for
months, and the senator was given to
understand by the president. that he
need not advocate the appointment of
Mr. Frye any more for he would not
consider it for a single instant, but
despite all this opposition Mr.. Frye
was finally named by the president
and subsequently confirmed. This was
a distinct victory for the Foster fac
ton, and it showed that the senator
could pull the strings on the president
just bit his ownself. The Levi An
keny faction had not as yet received
any political recognition, and Mr.. An
keny- stood like a stone wall demand
ing the appointment Of ]. B. Crocker
to some position of honor within the
state limits. The naming of Mr.. Ide
for customs collector brought Mr..
Crocker opposition in that direction,
for he and his friends seemed to have
had their hearts set on Crocker having
this appointment. Evidently the presi-
dent saw that he was getting into a
bad political muddle; and rather than
see the state go Democratic on ac-
count of contending Republican fac
tions, he made position for Mr..
Crocker, by cutting the revenue dis
trict in two, and appointing him to
the district within the state of Wash
ington, with headquarters at Tacoma.
Crocker of all the recommendations
on the part of Senator Foster seemed
to have been the most Objectionable
to the president, but Mr.. Ankeny
pulled the strings on Senator Foster
and he in turn worked the wires on
the president until Crocker was final.
ly named as stated above, and he
too, is now lord of all he surveys in
Tacoma.