The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1909-12-04
SENATORIAL FIGHT
STIRS WASHINGTON
State May Add Much
Strength to Insurgents
Movement.
TO NAME SUCCESSOR
FOR SENATOR PILES
Representative Poindexter Allied
With Opposition-Opposes
Machine Forces.

The State Of washington has suddenly
become the center Of a great Senatorial
fight, which involves a substantial re-
enforcement Of the insurgent forces in
the Senate. It Is one Of the first States
In which the movement to add to the
strength of the Senate Republican in
surgents has developed.
Senator Samuel II. Piles Of Seattle has
announced that he VIII retire from the
Senate at the end of his term, a year
from next March. IN the announcement
OF his retirement he has Endorsed Judge
Thomas Burke, also OF Seattle, 20 sue
coed him. Judge Burke for thirteen
years has been counsel for the Great
Northern road in that part OF the coun-
Try and is looked on by a large element
OF the Republican voters as too pro-
nounced corporation lawyer to win
their support. Coincident with the an
nouncement Of the decision Of Piles 10
retire, Representative Miles Poindexter
Of the Third Washington district, a resi-
dent Of Spokane, has announced himself
rs a candidate for the Senate in Piles
place.
Out and Out Insurgent.
Not only has Poindexter announced
-
plain terms and has said that he will
conduct his candidacy with the distinct
understanding that II elected he will
support the progressive insurgent move
ment- Thus there is no question on
which side OF the fence Poindexter is
20 be found. He is known as one Of the
Insurgents in the House and has been
pne of the most aggressive Of the anti
ftQTnOT nd In, haF l.
fighter, a Tennessean by birth. only
forty-one years of age. and physically
and mentally vigorous.
Judge Burke is a man Of about sixty
years, Is Of wide influence in Washing
ton, OF much ability and multi-mil-
lionaire- He viii be attacked by his op-
ponents as a James J. Hill candidate
The contest win be further enlivened by
the candidacy OF r. L. Mccormick, Of
Tacoma, agent of the Weyerhauser in
terests, and politician Of much ability
To a certain extent, the candidates. Of
Burke and Mccormick will tend TO help
POindexter, in that they viii in some
measure divide the strength of the con-
Eervative and machine forces of the
State.
Is No Surprise.
announcements senator
that he will not be a candidate for an
pther term has not come as n surprise.
He gives as the reason why he will not
run again the fact that he has business
affairs that need his attention. But the
political gossip is that he perceives he
cannot secure a denomination owing TO
the opposition to himself and that he Is
getting out rather than encounter de-
feat The insurgent sentiment in the
Republican ranks in the State is strong
and Piles has gone counter 70 that
sentiment by persistently standing by
the regime Of Senator AldTich in the
Senate He did this on the tariff and
be has Done IL on other -.rs, and this
Is in large measure responsible for the
political trouble in which he now finds
himself,
A party primary next summer viii
settle the question of who is to be the
next Senator from Vast ingtOn. Should
Poindexter win. II viii be looked on by
the insurgent forces in Congress as a
great acquisition TO their forces in the
Senate.
70 Placate Insurgents.
Judge Burke's friends will endeavor
10 placate insurgent sentiment I'm the
State by setting forth that, while he has
long been a railroad lawyer, he has the
intelligence and independence to make a
good Senator II he is elected.
The success Of PoindexteT would make
the situation In some measure embar-
sassing for Senator Wesley l. Jones OF
washington Senator Jones when he
was elected TO the Senate was heralded
as one Of the revolters against the old
regime. But there has been no visible
signs OF revolution on his part since
he entered the upper house, and IL ne
has been meditaiug Instruction he mas
kept II a deep secret. The election OF
an insurgent obviously would not be
n foF- Z
result IN his suddenly assuming the
role Of an insurgent.
Thus there Is the possibility that the
election OF Poindexter In washington
Svfli mean two insurgents from that
State instead Of one.
Fight In Oregon.
W1Iue tfe Developments IN the Wash
InRton Senatorial situation have caused
political turmoil in that State, there is
also q big fight on iu the adjoining State
OF Oregon. II is one Of national Inn
portance. A powerful and organized
effort IS being made TO overthrow the
Oregon primary law and the test will
come IN next wears elections Former
Senator Joseph Simon Of Portland is
engineering the movement. The Simon
faction Of the Republican party and
the old Mitchell faction have Joined
forces and annexed the support Of Col
IL w. Scott The fight TO overthrow
the primary is related 10 the Senator
ship 20 succeed Jonathan Bourne. 10 is
the ostensible program n Simon 10 give
The Senatorship TO succeed Bourne 60
Colonel Scott and the governorship 90
former Senator Fulton But there IS "a
suspicion that Simon, who Is a politician
Of great cleverness, and who IS now
Tnayof of Portland, wants 10 come q
the Senate again himself. and that at
the right time he will throw Fulton
overheard.