The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1903-06-15

ming TO the governors camp a man
of wide popularity AMI in depriving
the other side of ST ong man in an
Important office.
Billings Popularity Is Great.
The attempt is now on foot to cOun-
teract the blow in the latter particu-
lar man OF popularity and influ-
ence was wanted for the position of
sheriff There is one person who all
admit could fill the vacancy in ev-
cry particular. Such man is
Charles s. Billings. Like Mills, Bill
ings is a native Of Thurston county, is
young and widely popular In COM
pairing popularity it would be hard
10 tell which man is possessed of the
greater degree. Billings has already
served four years as sheriff. His
father was sheriff Of ThurstOn coun-
" for "a years, and young Billings
served as deputy under his father,
beginning as soon as he was big
enough. But the trouble is that Mr..
Billings has a position as cruiser for
the state land office, that he prefers
10 that OF sheriff. He was away
when the ClOudburSt came, and could
not be located. but the county com
missiOners, spurred on by the control
ling faction. appointed him without
consulting him. Mr.. Billings returned
yesterday and Judging from the num-
Der Of delegations he has received
Of politicians impOrtun:ng him to &C
Cept. no Office ever sought the man
more dill nifty. On the Otner hand
there is quiet work being lone by the
boxers" to keep Billings from &C
cepting. Mr.. Billings has as yet given
no decision. and the question of will
he or will he not accept" has reached
the point where bets are being laid.
Robinson After Revenge.
The person generally credited with
having turned the trick by which
Thurst0u county politics have be
come torn and Iacerated is Judge J.
w Robinson. In the early '9Os Judge
Robinson was more nearly boss Of
ThUrston county than any member
Of the present ScobeF- Madge faction.
1t is related that the convention of
1892 which indOrsed Judge Robinson
for supreme judge, appointed a com
mftlee Of three to await upon Judge
Robinson and ask him to select can
didates for the county ticket and the
names Of delegates to the state con-
yentiOn. Among those opposed to
bossism at that time We're G. w.
Mills, father OF Jesse Mills. A A.
Phillips present county treasurer,
and others, and as a result of the
fight made by the Robinson faction in
the convention, Mills, Phillips and the
others walked out Judge Robinson
failed to secure the nomination for
supreme Judge. and soon thereafter,
went east. where he remained until
1899. Upon his return he found
things reversed. G. w. Mills, J. OBJ.
ScObey. S. A. Madge and others were
in control, and all his attempts 10
resume the reins have SO far failed.
Judge Robinson last fall aligned
himself with the supporters of the
Mcbride policy. He was a candidate
for election as delegate to the coun-
ty convention, but the SCObey- Madge
faction, in ord T to sit down on the
Judge good and hard. put up a man
known throughout the city as ad-
dicted to the morphine habit and de-
feated Robinson. Naturally the ex-
boss, like the governor. has an absorb
ing desire to break up the ring. and
it is claimed that the negotiations by
which Mills was placed on the board
Of control were conducted through
Judge Robinson.
The reversal of political affiliations
is made even more pronounced by
the fact that the RobinsOn-Weir fac
ton last fall tried 10 persuade Charles
Billings to run for sheriff. in order to
defeat Mills. the candidate of the
SCObey- Madge element.