The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1905-01-06
QUESTION WHETHER ANkENY
OR CROKER WILL DICTATE
VOTE IN FIGHT.
Walla WaIIa Senator Is for Foster
ot Spokane.

ton in a Washington, D. c., paper that
he favors a reelection of Senator Fos-
ter is construed by politicians to pres
age a struggle between Senator An
keny and B. D. Croker, collector of
called Ankeny vote in the coming
legislature shall be cast on the SEN
atorship, says the Spokesman Review.
Mr.. Croker is opposed to the election
of Senator Foster, and is believed to
favor the candidacy OF Charles Sweeny
of Spokane.
Senator Ankeny's declaration was
drawn out it is said, by the persistent
claim of the Sweeny men that he was
for their candidate. Ever since the ma
tional convention, when Mr.. Sweeny
voted for Mr.. Ankeny for national COM
mitteeman, the Sweeny men have con-
tended that Mr.. Sweeny had Mr.. An
keny's moral support and sympathy,
and color was lent to that convention
by the attitude of Mr.. Croker, who
hitherto has been closer to Senator An
keny than any other man in the state
The big quartet of Ankeny managers
four years ago was Mr.. Croker, Geo.
H. Stevenson, Senator Baker of Kick
itat county and Walter Christian of
Tacoma. The latter is now state
senator. He is manager of the Foster
fight. Messrs. Baker and Stevenson
are for Mr.. Sweeny and their attitude
has also strengthened the Sweeny
claim of Mr.. Ankenys support.
Ankeny's Friends Alarmed.
The possibility of Mr.. Sweeny's
keny's friends, who believed that with
Sweeny elected, it would be impossible
for Mr.. Ankeny himself to be re-elecl-
ed four years from now. They did not
believe that the state would tolerate
permanently two United States sena-
tors from east of the mountains.
Before he went east a month ago
Senator Ankeny let it be known to his
close friends that, notwithstanding the
attitude of Messrs. Croker, Baker and
Stevenson, he was opposed to Mr..
Sweeny. Despite that the Sweeny
men have still been claiming the An
keny support, and for the past two
weeks, it is said the wires between
here and the national capital have
been kept hot with messages urging
Senator Ankeny to declare himself for
Foster openly. That declaration he
made Tuesday.
1t now remains to be seen whether
Mr.. Croker or Mr. Ankeny can con-
troll the or 10 votes which the An
Mr.. Ankeny will probably be represent
ed at Olympia by Eugene Lorton, editor
of the Walla Walla Union.
Strong Chance for Foster.
The attitude of Senator Ankeny may
re-elect Senator Foster. The south
east combine" organized several weeks
ago at Portland has % votes. 1t was
agreed that those % votes should be
cast together whenever such action
would elect member, and that a ma
jority of the % should determine how
the whole % should be cast.
All the Ankeny men are in the south
west combine. Their eight or 10 votes. J
in all probability, hold the balance of
power in that combine. If they should |
be cast for Foster, it is altogether like
ly that the entire % would be swung
that way, assuming of course, that the |
agreement to vote together is kept. |
There is where the struggle between
Messrs. Croker and Ankeny is likely |
to come in-in the caucus of the |
southeast"
The southeast combine" was or
ganized mainly by Messrs. Croker and |
Baker. They assumed that they could |
handle it against Foster, as we'll as |
against S. H. Piles of Seattle Now in |
view of Senator Ankenys attitude, the |
orga nization which they formed may be |
turned against them. The % votes adj |
ded to what Senator Foster now has,
would re-elect him.
Mr.. Croker Power.
1t will be interesting to see whether |
Mr.. Ankeny himself or Mr.. Croker is |
the real power in the Ankeny machine. |
A common impression has always been |
that the machine was more Mr.. |
Crocker's than Mr.. Ankeny's-that Mr..
Croker, to a greater extent than Mr..
Ankeny. had the friendship of the |
workers of the machine.
Mr.. Croker, in any event, has al
ways done the active work, while Mr..
Ankeny has furnished the money If
politicians wanted to make a deal with