The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1905-01-20
MAY SECURE APPOINTMENT ON
TWO IMPORTANT COMMIT
TEES IN SENATE. ~-~
Will Probably Take Place of Senator
Bard on the Committee on
k Indian Affairs.

y
legislature should fail to return SEN
ator Foster to the United States SEN
ate, Senator Ankeny may stand good
chance to receive the craftsmanship of
one 81. the mstt important committees
in the upper house Of congress. He
will not get it. however, without first
having a strong fight with Senator
Fulton Of Oregon over the coveted
place. The committee il that Of COM
merce and Is now held by Senator
Foster. lsga
A place on the commerce" committee
10 always sought by senator's from the
northwest, because that is the commit
tee that handles river and harbor
legislation. as well as all bills that
have any bearing on commerce or nav
igation. It has been customary to
give the Pacific coast two places on
this committee, California holding one,
and the other going to Oregon or to
Washington.
Senator Mitchell Is the senior sena-
tor from the northwest, in case Sena-~
tor Foster is not returned, but he only
recently became chairman OF the In
ter-oceanic canal committee, sand can
hardly expect to land on commerce
while holding that important place.
That narrows the contest down to
Senator Ankeny and Senator Fultoa.
As yet neither Of these senators has
made any move to file on Fosters place
and they will not make such a move
unless Foster is turned down. But
the minute the legislature elects some
other man. il it should take that
course. the scrap between Fulton and
Ankeny will be on. 1t is scrap that
will last until the senate organizes a
year from now. for committee con-
tests are+not settled in advance.
Anstbs- Ptaesi vsea4E ssf
The defeat OF Senator Bard Of Cal
ifo5irnfa also leaves the Pacinc coast
without, representation on the COM
mittees on Indian alfaits, and it is pos
,sible that one ofsthe senators from
Washington in the next congress may
secure Bard's place, 1t is customary
to. accord the Pacific coast Tat least
]. one. position ON this committee, which
handles 80 much legislation. of interest
to the Pacific. coast states. As the
committee Is at present organized, the
far west Is. represented by Senator
Stewart Of Nevada, chairman, and
Senator Bard of California. Both OF
these, men will retire on the 4th Of
March, and it would not be sur
prising to see two Pacific coast men
named to fill the vacancies. The In
dian committee is a desirable one FOR
western senator's, though not one OF
the ready great committees of the
senate. It handles the Indian appro-
priation bill each year, and is import
ant on that account.
II Ankeny Has Been Fortunate.
A curious combination of circum-
stances sometimes operates to rapidly
advance a senator on committees Ih's
has recently been noted in the case OF
Senator Ankeny of Washington. Mr..
Ankeny mas not completed his sec
ond year in congress. yet he is today
in line of succession to the chairman
ship of the committee on irrigation
and reclamation of arid lands. When
Senator Ankeny was first assigned to
committees he was given next to the
last position on this committee, six
republicans standing above him. OF
the six. only two will be members OF
the next senate. Senator Warren of
Wyoming and Senator Hansbrough Of
North Dakota, and these men are al
ready chairmen of more important
committees than that on irrigation.
Therefore, Senator Ankeny is the logi-
cal successor of Senator Bard, who
was recently defeated for reelection.
All these changes have occurred in
two brief years. and Senator Ankeny.
a new senator, is about to become
the chairman Of committee that in
the next congress may be called upon
| to handle very important legislation.
It seldom happens that so many
changes occur on any one committee,
but Senator Ankeny is the beneficiary
of the retirement of Senators Bard
| Stewart, Kearns and Dietrich. Under
the rule Of seniority he is sure to Sc
cure this craftsmanship.
/ THIRTY-ONE YEARS ON WAY.