The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1907-01-09
DIVISION OF STATE
ENDANGERS JONES
But HELPS HIS COLLEAGUES
His Continuation i'm Congress May
BE Jeopartlized IL Election De-
ponds on Third of State.

W. l.. Jones and United States Sena-
tor Levi Ankeny an organized effort
is being made to induce members of
the state legislature to violate the
pledges made by both parties in
their state platforms last summer to
divide the state into congressional
districts, according to the views of
the Spokesman-Review political
writer. The first public intimation
Congressman Cushman to State Sen
ator Jones or Pierce county, publish
ed last Sunday. in which the Pierce
county congressman expresses him
self as being opposed to division.
Neither Congressman Cushman
nor Congressman Humphrey has
anything to fear for their own po-
litical fortunes from this division Of
the state into districts. But Con-
gresham Jones lives in small
county, which could hardly hope to
dominate the district in which it
was placed, this writer states, and
his continuation in congress might
be jeopardized were he compelled to
look for reelection to but one-third
of the state.
Under any fair division of the
state into congressional districts
Pierce county and the counties to
the south and west of it would COM
prise one district, King county and
the counties to the north and west
of it would comprise. second and
the eastern Washington counties
would comprise third.
The Pierce county district would
ordinarily be dominated by Pierce
county, the home of Congressman
Cushman, making that gentleman's
retention in congress even more Sc
cure than under present conditions.
The King county district would o.
dinarily be dominated by King coun-
ty, the home on Congressman Hum
phrey, rendering that gentleman 5
retention in office more secure than
under present conditions. But the
eastern Washington district would
ordinarily be dominated by Spokane
county and Congressman Jones'
home being in Yakima county. he
would be less secure in the tenure
of his office than he is at present.
One motive which moves MANY
politicians to favor the present
method of nominating and electing
congressman is that their nomina-
tions in general state convention, as
ties for trading in that convention
more power than he would have
were there fewer nominations to be
made This. it is pointed out. is the
motive which probably inspired to
oppose the districting measure. They
see I'm it less opportunity to form a
hard and fast combination in the
next republican state convention for
the reelection of Mr. Ankeny, or the
candidate of our own choosing in
his stead" in case Mr.. Ankeny is no,
again candidate.
Spokane politicians have been
expressing much surprise at the po-
sition taken by Congressman Cush-
man for two reasons. First, he has
always heretofore been in favor OF
districting the state, and second, he
has always heretofore been in favor
of the republican party carrying out
in good faith the promises made
by it to the people in it's platform.
Both Mr.. Jones and Mr.. Ankeny
have heretofore opposed distrieting
the state and neither has attained
any significant prominence in his
party ON account of any insistent
demand of theirs that the party's
promises be redeemed. In the 1902
campaign otudtOT AHktut CdHlt
out boldly with his advice that the
legislature violate the promise of
the party to create a state railroad
commission and in 1904 Congress
man Jones, while pretending to be in
favor of the creation of the commits
sion, delivered his delegates to the
state convention to the combination
of railroad forces opposed to 1t.
For the past two or three years
the members of the Washington
congressional delegation have been
working in the closest harmony at
the national capital and last summer
they returned to the state with a
complete understanding. If not an
actual hard and fast agreement,
that they would all stand together
for the denomination OF AL three
congressman This understanding
was carried into effect in the republi
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