The Seattle Republican. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1???-1915, 1903-01-30

PS-SNSO~@N~-
settled and Hon. Levi Ankeny, as was
predicted in these columns, finally
triumphed and was elected by the
joint assembly of the eighth legisla-
ture of the state of Washington last
Thursday. 1t has been known for
a number of days that he would be
elected but the Preston people have
managed to defer it from time to time
believing that something might turn
up that would stem the tide. Since
statehood was first given to the ter
ritory of Washington Mr.. Ankeny has
been a standing candidate for United
States senator, and though on pre-
vious occasions he has been within a
hairs breath of election he never
reached the goal of his ambition un-
til last Thursday when he was de-
clared the successful candidate for
United States senator by the presi-
dent of the senate. Levi Ankeny's
name has been a by-word in the po-
uIlCdl dHdIIS VI LlIlO oI1CC LII AlloIJ
years and no election, if it was only
for road supervisor, was held with
out the Ankeny senatorial campaign
bobbing into it at some point or an
other. 1t is charged that Mr.. Ankeny
has expended not less than half a
million dollars in his attempt to repre-
sent the state of Washington in the
United States senate and whether
such a charge is or is not true, there
is no denying the fact that he has
maintained and kept together a most
splendid political organization, which
organization has been loyal to him at
every turn of the road. Mr.. Ankeny
is deserving of the honor conferred
upon him if for no other reason than
for his persistency in standing by his
guns, and if he spent money by the
thousands to perfect his organization
and not for the corruption of the vot-
ers at least directly then he has done
nothing more than other men, only he
did it in a different direction from
them. Mr.. Ankeny had the money to
keep his organization together and the
to keep his organization together by
political patronage, while the orther
fellow managed to hold his organiza-
ton together by some commercial
spirit eminent in his locality. IRE
spective of how he may have brought
about the final action, which resulted
in his election, the most OF the people
of this state will take long sigh of
relief now that he has been elected to
the United States senate and to some
extent eliminated from the local po-
litics of the state.
The senatorial campaign which has
resulted in Mr.. Ankeny's election was
without a doubt the tamest affair of
its kind ever held at Olympia, where
numerous hot battles have been
fought, won and lost.
1t was without either enthusiasm,
snap or the necessary sinews of po-
litics floating about the Ledger's An
keny barrel to the contrary notwith-
standing. There are many reasons
why it has been a calm campaign,
some of which we herewith give. First
of all Levi Ankenys forces were so
we'll organized that they needed no
hurrah enthusiasm to keep them in
line. Their minds were made up and
they each went to their respective
works without either coaching or call
ing. Not one sWerved from his pur-
pose after arriving in Olympia until
his election, and enthusiasm therefore
was wholly unnecessary on their part.
On the other hand the forces of
John L. Wilson was whipped at the
ballot box in the fall election and the
corporal's guard, who managed to run
the gauntlet of the party bolter, could
not honorably do anything else but
vote for Wilson, hoping that in so do
ing something might come their way
which would bring success to their
ideal. 1t, therefore, needed no enthu-
siasm to keep his men together and
their courage up.