The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1904-01-06
ALMOST CERTAIN HE WILL BE A
CANDIDATE FOR UNITED
STATE SENATE.
The Railroad Forces Seriously Con-
siderng Combining on Seattle
Banker.
The Seattle correspondent of the
says:

city, is looming up in the background
as the senatorial battle of next year
begins to take shape. While there is
little open discussion of Mr.. Furth' S
name as yet, few politicians when
pinned down will deny their belief that
sooner or later Mr.. Furth, with his
millions and his powerful corporation
influences, will be a candidate for SEN
ator and that he will contest to fin
ish with Samuel H. Piles for the con-
troll of the King county delegation.
That the forces opposed to Mr.. An
keny seriously considered combining on
Mr.. Furth in the last senatorial con-
test is we'll known. Those who know
Mr.. Furth best say that the senator
ial ambition took root in his mind then
and that ii is growing stronger all the
time. 1t is being famed by majority
of the solid seven," by which name the
seven republican hold-over senators
from King county are designated. They
want Furth, and Senator Van de Van
ter, who is the most active one of the
seven, has no hesitancy in saying SO.
How They Slapped Piles.
Mr.. Piles announced his candidacy
the mighty seven. They forwith held
a r.eeting, at which Senator ]. j. Smith
one of their number, was Endorsed for
governor. Smith was thus cornpii-
mented, not because any of the seven
had any serious idea that he would re-
ceive the gubernatorial nomination,
but because his Endorsement, follow
ing on the heels of Mr. Piles announce
ment, was a slap square in the face OF
Mr.. Piles, and a notice to the world
that Mr.. Piles candidacy was not APP
proved by the seven.
No organization is being perfected
to get King county for DR.. Smith but
the formation of anti-Piles organization
is proceeding apace. When the Smith
meeting was held the seven threw out
hints that they would prefer John l..
Wilson to Mr.. Piles for United States
senator In the language of a Seat
tie politician: "Wilson's perennial can
didacy was a convenient bunch of
weeds for the seven to hide in until
they could develop their real candi-
date-Jake F'urth.''
In the business world of Puget sound
Mr.. Furth is the strongest individual
factor. He is president of the Puget
Sound National bank of Seattle, and
the Seattle Electric company, which
controls the Seattle street railway
system, and of the company which
operates the interurban line between
strongest factor in the company which
controls the principal street railway
system in Tacoma. He is worth over
$1,000,000 himself and he represents
eastern capital to an extent many times
greater than his individual wealth.
Would be "Good Producer"
The principal argument advanced in
Mr.. Furth's behalf is that he has the
wherewithal to make a senatorial fight,
and past experience has shown that
when he makes up his mind to attain
an object he is absolutely disregardful
Oh expense. Already ulNeIS ana SuluIy
politicians can hear the jingle of the
ducats, and in fancy they can see Mr..
Furth stripped for the senatorial are
ma. The vision to them is a pleasant
one.
Mr.. Piles has no money. He is a
railroad attorney, and when his can
didacy was announced it was supposed
that the railroads would back him in
his fight. but experience has proven
that when the railroads can find a SEN
atorial candidate able to finance him
self they will not go out of their way
to finance some other candidate.
1t is said that L. S. ]. Hunt. the Ko-
rean millionaire, is willing to put up
$4,000 to elect Piles: but $4,000 isn't
a drop in the bucket to what Mr.. Furth
could cut loose, and what he would
cut loose, did he determine to become
an active candidate.
Railroads Couldn't Fight Him.
Moreover the railroads could not
well afford to fight Mr.. Furth. He is
too powerful factor in Seattle
for them to ignore. For years he
has held the city council Of Seattle in
the hollow of his hand. With Furth in
opposition, nobody has been able to Sc
cure anything from that council while
he himself has never been denied any
privilege, reasonable or unreasonable,
that he asked the council for: and the
Northern Securities company. which
wants to build a tunnel under Sc
attic, as we'll as a thousand and one
other favors. dare not incur the en-
nifty of an interest which could block
its desires in the city council
Then. too. Mr.. Furth's corporations
are the largest employers Of labor in