The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1905-01-27
QUESTION WHICH WILL BE THE
HOME OF COLLECTOR OF
REVENUE CROKER.
No Longer Any Doubt That He Will
Be a Candidate for the Sena-
torship in 1909.

u. d. CrOCkeF, COlleClOr Oh internal
revenue, is looking for trouble of a po-
litical nature. This may not worry
Mr.. Croker appreciably, but there
can be seen looming up in the political
horizon complications that will at
feet Mr.. Croker in the future.
1t is not questioned among politi-
clans that Crocker has a senatorial
bug all his own and that he would like
to sit in the upper hall of congress at
an early date, according to the Olym-
Times. Croker would be a candi-
date for senator now were conditions
at all propitious for his making the
fight, but the man who has con-
trolled Ankeny's political fortunes for
so many years is looking to the flu
ture rather than to the present.
That Croker will be a candidate, if
there is any possibility of success, four
years hence is hot doubted. If an east
side man is elected at this session,
Crockers home will henceforth be in
Pierce county; if the berth goes to
western Washington, Croker will con-
tinue to write Walla Walla as his adj
dress.
In either contingency Croker must
figure on Ankeny opposition If the
junior senator wants to succeed him
self Granting the election of west
ern Washington candidate, Croker
would have to overthrow both Sweeny
and Ankeny, a task herculean in it's
character and almost impossible for
Crocker to accomplish.
1t is because he cannot afford to fight
both Sweeny and Ankeny for an cleo
ton from the east side that politicians
explain Crocker's support of Sweeny
at present. Eliminating the Spokane
millionaire from the fight, Croker
figures that he would have a compare
lively easy time of it against Ankeny,
if he did not succeed in inducing An
keny to get out of the fight altogether.
He would merely run up against the
bitterness that exists politically be-
tween King and Pierce.
Favors Western Man.
In all the interviews in which Sem
inc
his views on matters senatorial, the
junior senator is declared to have in
Washington man. This is the logical
position for Ankeny to assume, for it
is not reasonable to believe that two
senator's could be elected from eastern
Washington, and though he has yet
four years to serve, Ankeny is not
ready to decide that he has had enough
of tne senate. There will be time
enough to shape his future policy when
| his term is drawing to a close.
Ankeny's suggestions in the past
have been Crocker's orders. 1t has
always been Ankeny's popularity and
| money that allowed Croker to con-
| tinue his attitude as dictator of south
| eastern Washington politics. But
those familiar with the southeast know
| that with Ankeny eliminated Crocker's
| nold would be broken.
This is the inexplicable feature of
| the Crocker attitude. If he is as
Stunning that he can stand without An
keny in southeastern Washington pol
STRUNG political omens. His ambition
to become senator is SO strong, how
ever, that Crocker would hardly hesi-
tate to attempt it if other conditions
were propitious.
Some of those who nave attempted
TO figure out Crocker's attitude have
assumed that at heart Ankeny would
be satisfied with Sweeny's election
though it means his own elimination
from future senatorial fights. This is
a rather reckless conclusion, even
though it is based largely upon Sena-
tor Ankenys ill health and the reported
dissatisfaction he mas with Washing
ton life. Such an explanation alone,
however, could account for CrocKer's
attitude in delivering Ankeny support
to Sweeny without provoking severe
reprimand and a determined stand
from the junior senator.
Show for Themselves.
The votes show for themselves.
Wherever the Crocker influence is
dominant the vote is recorded daily for
Sweeny. The men who have been
doing politics with him daily for years
are all out working for Sweeny and
they are calling in as much of the
old-time Croker force as possible.
When small clique of Sweeny sup
pOrterS went to Tacoma on Sunday to