The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1904-10-27
SCORES The RAILROADS
WHAT HAROLD PRESTON HAD TO
SAY ABOUT THE REPUB-
LICAN PARTY.
His Statements Made in Seattle Paper
After King County Convention
Had Adjourned.

SEATTLE. oct 27.-"The desire for
the creation of a railroad commission,
while genuine and in my judgment
praiseworthy, IS but a drop in the
bucket" said Harold Preston, in his
last public political utterance. the one
which still stands as the exposition of
his view of the issues of the present
campaign. The issue is larger. it is
tremendous. Shall the state be govern
ed by the people of the state. or by the
great corporations?
Mcbride, the man, may be defeated,
but the issue still lives. it will not
down. Party lines do not contain it.
The state is full-certainly some To-
calities of the state are full-Of re-
publcans who are determined to some
day or other, to free their party from
the railroad yoke at any cost
These sentences are taken from
letter written by Harold Preston, May
6, three days after the King county
republican convention, and five days
prior to the state convention at Taco
ma. 1t was written to the Post-Intel
ligencer, and was called forth by an
editorial in that paper in which it was
stated that Mcbride would be defeated
for the nomination. Since the Tacoma
convention Mr.. Preston has persistent
~ declined to discuss the action of
that body for publication, or to take
any part whatever in the campaign in
a public way. SO far as any express
sion from him is concerned the letter
still stands as the expression of his
views In it Mr.. Preston said:
How Mcbride Was Defeated.
whether or not he Governor McBride)
will be defeated. The convention will
the purpose of this communication that
he is defeated, and so assuming, l will
ask how, and by whom and why is he
defeated, and what will be the result
of that defeat?
The King county delegation to the
state convention G15 strong) is to be
named by King countys candidate for
United States senator. 1t is to be voted
as a unit. If that vote be cast for Nc
Bride it would nominate him. Inso-
much as he is to be defeated. it follows
that that vote is to be cast bodily
against him. An attempt to obtain an
expression from the republicans of this
county in favor of Mcbride was frus-
trated by the plea that it was neces-
Sary that the senatorial candidate
should be privileged to name and vote
as unit the delegation of lis. in the
interests of his candidacy. Now it
frankly develops, (see your editoriaD
that these 115 votes are to be cast SOL
idly against Mcbride The conclusion is
irresistible that Mr.. Piles candidacy
has been used in this county to secure
a solid Anti Mcbride delegation to the
state convention. 1t was put into form
through the machinery of the county
convention, which at the same time
permitted the denomination for the
& tote cI.,t,
house members who had violated the
instructions of the last preceding
the then candidate for United States
senator, whose candidacy had received
the unanimous endorsement of that
CAST preceding) county convention.
lnsomuch as the lis votes of King
county added to the votes which are
instructed for Mcbride from other
counties would nominate him. the
query. How Mcbride is to be defeated
is plainly answered.; but l ought not
to conclude without mentioning the
1act that the 'favorite SON plea has
been used in somewhat the same man.
ner and to the same end in other
counties: e. g. Whatcom. Snohomish
Jefferson ana Chelan.
Railroads Defeated Mcbride.
BY whom? BY the railroad COM
ranies owning or operating lines of
Railway in the state. The answer is so
pain III the light of the political his
tory of the state of Washington for
the last four years that l apprehend
10 discussion of it is necessary
Why? Because he has dared to op-
pose the control of his party by these
companies. because he has been brave
enough to denounce their political
u ethods and purposes without cessa
ton; because he has time and again
PlDllclY offered to stand or fall with