The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1907-09-28
A POOR EXCUSE.

Under the head of "A superservice-
able friend" the Seattle Post Intelli-
gencer has the following:
The Walla Walla papers are very
anxious that Congressman Jones
should withdraw his candidacy for the
United States senate and consent to
become chairman of the rivers ana
harborS committee of the house OF
representatives and stay there.
The estimable organs of Senator Ar
keny evidently wish Congressman
Jones to accept the husk instead of
the kernel. They overlook the, what
to them is the unimportant fac that
there are no less than eight other
members of the rivers and harbors
committee who have an equal claim
with Mr.. Jones for appointment to the
craftsmanship of that committee and
who outrank him in service as a men,
Der of that committee. Speaker Can
non is not likely to jump so large
number of congressman, especially
when they include such able men as
Alexander of New York; Lawrence,
of Massachusetts; Davidson of Wis
consin, to cater to the wish of Mr.. An
kerry. Moreover the Ankeny newspa-
pers, in their eagerness to find any
thing with which to slap at Jones,
forget naturally enough in the case of
Senator Ankeny that any United
States senator yields vastly more
power and influence than any member
of congress except the speaker of the
house. Still further, if Mr.. Jones is to
be chairman of the rivers and harbors
committee, which all of his friends
would be glad to see, during his pres
ent congressional term as such chair
man he could accomplish all that the
Walla Walla papers seem to think he
should undertake to do
This anxious desire, this frantic ap-
peal, this eager attempt to show
Jones recreant to a duly which does
not exist is only the beginning of the
grafters' campaign of anything to beat
Jones'"
The proposition to make Congress-
man Jones if he remained in congress.
harbors committee did not come from
Walla Walla but from Washington, D.
c. Ample reason was given why the
above mentioned" able men as Alexan-
der of New York; Lawrence of Mass
achuse,ts; Davidson of Wisconsin, -
could not secure the position anu why
the place would be given to Congress
man Jones if he remained in congress.
while it will go elsewhere should he
retire, which he seems determined to
do, if the P-I. speaks for him.
Neither the Seattle organ nor any
other paper has attempted to argue
that the state of Washington does not
need the influence coming from the
chairmanships which Senator Ankeny
now holds and that Congressman. Jones
may have. AS far as we are aware
of no Walla Walla paper has taken any
slap at Mr.. Jones but he has been
spoken of, so far in the highest terms.
The question is not one of whether or
not Mr. Jones is capable of filling the
important position of a United States
senator. but resolves itself into the
proposition of the best manner in
which Congressman Jones could serve
the state of Washington.
Senator Ankeny's interests do not
enter INFO the consideration of the
question. The people of the state of
Washington are the ones that are
interested. The Seattle P. /. evades the
issue and takes an opportunity to mis-
represent things regarding what it
chooses to call Senator Ankenys
newspapers taking a slap at jones'
AS has been repeatedly said in
these columns Senator Ankeny ha.
nothing to do with the affairs of The
Statesman and his interests have not