The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1904-10-10

L
Governor John H. McGraw said:
Our railroad legislation has been
tentative and trfling, owing to the
prevalence of the idea, and etc"
Here is another population of the
emasculated Anderson bill by a repuon-
can governor.
Railroad Conceded 1t.
Confession that the railroads con-
ceded the reduction granted in the An
derson bill and that it was not forced
by the law making power is con-
tanned in an editorial in the Post-Intel
ligencer of Feb. Il, 1903. In discussing
the legislative regulation of railroads
the P.-I. says:
There have been three notable re-
auctions of freight rates in this state
within the past ten years, NOT ONE
OF WHICH HAS BEEN FORCED BY
THE LAW MAKING POWER
Voted With the Railroads.
There is only one vote recorded in the
house journal of 1898 session on a rail-
road measure on which there was a Sc
rious division and on that vote Mr..
Mead voted with the railroad forces.
This was on the measure providing Il
penaIty for public officers accepting or
using railroad passes. The bill was
House bill No. 1873, and was introduced
bv MIR Smith of Douglas county. 1t
was referred to the committee on rail-
roads which committee reported it
back with the recommendation that 1t
be indefinitely postponed (house jour
nal. page 1850. The house refused to
postpone by a vote of yeas y, nays 40,
absent II. Mr.. Mead voted for post
ponement.
1t has been claimed by Mr.. Mead's
defenders that in the Legislature of
1898 he voted with the members from
eastern Washington for the railroad
legislation desired by them. This vote
completely overthrows this fallacy. On
this vote the eastern Washington men,
bers voted two to one against the post
ponement of the measure, While Mr..
Mead voted for postponement.
Mead Snaothered the Ant-Pass Bill.
The record shows that Mr.. Mead
smothered the bill in his own commit
tee. After the house had refused to
postpone it indefinitely it was, on mo-
ton. referred TO the judiciary commit
tee of which Mr.. Mead was chairman.
This was on the 39th day of the session
(house journal. page 1850. 1t was per-
mittel to repOse in that committee I'M
til the legislature adjourned on the
night of the 60th day of the session,
sleeping the sleep of death. The fact
that it was the intention of the judi
ciary committee to smother the bill
seems to have become a joke In the
house. Later a second anti-pass bill
was introduced and referred to the
railroad committee. The committee re-
ported it back with the recommended
ton that 1T take the course of its
revered prototype,' and be referred to
the judiciary committee. The report
was adopted. apparently with the full
knowledge of the whole house that the
judiciary committee was a safe grave
for legislation of this character.
Mead Against Comm ssion.
Four times since the legislature OF
1898 Mr.. Mead has publicly crossed the
path of the question of railroad legis-
latiOn and in each and every instance
he has been found fighting Loyalty or
the side of the railroad forces. In 1902
as in 1904. the dominant issue in the
republican party was whether the state
convention of that party should de-
clare for a railroad commission. This
1902 and the railroad forces won Oi.t
Mr.. Mead was chosen by the railroad
lobby leaders in that county to be the
chairman of the county convention
which was held Aug. %. In that capa
city he appointed all of the conven-
TONS committees.
Mr.. Meads Platform.
1t is a Well established cannon O.
common law that a man is presumed
to be responsible for the natural con
sequences Of his own acts Mr.. Mead
| in that convention appointed c. w
| Howard. a railroad attorney. chairman
of his committee on platform and reso-
| buttons. and gave him a committee OF
men who We're in sympathy with him
The natural consequence of such al