The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1904-09-23
IS GEO. TURNER SINCERE?
Democratic History which the SpOkes-
man-ReViev and the Demo-
cratic Press VIII Not
Print

Senator Warren W Tolman. Of Spo-
kane, was elected 10 the state senate
from the Third district of this county
in 1900. At the tirst session in 1901 he
introduced senate bill MOI, known as
the Tolman railroad commission bill.
which gave TO the governor the power
of appointing the railroad commission
ers. At that session he was a mem
Der OF the committee on railroads, and
as a member of that committee joined
in making a favorable report on senate
bill No. 2 by Senator Preston. which
was commission bill giving the ap-
pointing power to the governor, lieu
tenant governor and state auditor
(Journal, page jl), the only difference
| between his report and that of the ma
jority of the committee being that he
| favored giving the appointing power 10
| the governor alone. John II. Rogers,;I
democrat, was then governor. This
amendment was afterward defeated by
a strict party vote tJournal. page 2131.
Notwithstanding that the Preston bill
did not place the appointing power
where he desired; he nevertheless vot-
ed in favor of the bill on its final pas
sage journal, page 224), desiring to
secure the commission whether entire
ly satisfactory TO him or not.
After the defeat Of the Preston bill
the Tolman bill, giving the appointing
power 10 the governor, was reported
favorably to the committee on railroads
Senator Tolman signing the report, and
on its final passage it was supported by
his vote (Journal, page 3ll). Senator
Tolman also supported the Puckett
house bill, No. 27l, fixing maximum
passenger rates journal, page G36).
In the session of 1901 Senator Tolman
again introduced commission bill, be-
ing senate bill, Nod, which was sup
ported at all times, by his vote and with
his voice on the floor of the senate. He
also voted for all moral and reform
measures which came before the senate.
He also gave assistance in securing the
passage of senate bill No. 46, relative 10
iures and the payment of jury fees by
litigants. This law went into force in
Jnne, 1908, and has been the means of
saving Spokane county at least $4,000 or
$4,000 in jury fees.
Senator Iolman, ever since the last
session OF the legislature, has BEEN
prominently discussed as "a candidate
for governor, and if the democratic
party had been honestly in favor of tho
commission law and wanted candidate
with a consistent record one " no would
have been n platform in himself on that
question they would have nominated
him instead of naming a man who has
been on all sides OF all political ques
tions.
George Turner and his political
friends were not satisfied with ignoring
Senator Tolman as the candidate for
governor, but secured his defeat in his
own precinct rs delegate to the county
convention. II Senator Turner and the
democratic party had been honest in
their pretended love for the commission
bill they certainly would have insisted
that Senator, Tolman should have at
least been renomnated in his district,
whether be wanted it or not. They
did not do this.
Now, as we have before suggested the
Spokesman-Iteview, George Turner
and the Turnerites have wept bitterly
over the failure of the republican state
convention to nominate Henry Me
Bride. Do they likewise bewail, IN
sack cloth and ashes, the untimely fate
of Senator Tolman, an honorable man
OF clean character and OF Il mos. excel
lent legislative record?
Will the Spokesman-Review in its
columns and Senator Turner upon the
stump kindly comment on and explain
why it is that the democratic party is
making no further demands for the
services of Senator Tolman? Is it be-
cause he was loyal commission rtan,an
/ honorable senator and faithful public
servant, or is it because George Stev-
enson, the notorious railroad manipu-
lator and Turner'S favorite henchman,
suggested that it would be well TO dis
pense with his services?
Senator Turner and his friends are
certainly responsible for the action of
the democratic party of Spokane coun-
ty towoward Mr.. Tolman, for as wo
have heretofore suggested, the Spokes-
man-Review in its issue OF Juls 81. 1901
tNOnllnuvu uu luurlh ltagtl.