Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1910-08-26
LAFOLLETTE GAINING
STRENGTH DAILY
SPOKANE PAPER THINKS THAT
HE Is FORGING TO THE
FRONT.


Review:
On form LaFollette is at dis
advantage with glib taIler like
Brauen or candidate with "a strong
numerical following like Mann, but
he has distinct moral advantage
in having a united force behind him,
together with an outspoken fashion
of handling public problems that is
attracting attention.
Even his cousin Boil" LaFoi-
lette, is an asset Tor the Pullman man
as the curious are quick to trace a re
semblance between the methods OF
the two. At least two of his oppo-
nents, Braden and Merritt, have free
ly admitted that LaFollette is the
man they have to beat. This coming
from candidates in the big popula-
ton center OF the district, is decided
ly suggestive.
If, as is freely rumored in the city
at present, NedtCh can be induced to
withdraw in the interests of progress
slye harmony, LaFollette would i'm
mediately gain prestige as the only
outside candidate and quite likely
jump at once into commanding po-
sition. AS soon as that happens the
Palouse man can come to the city OF
Spokane with a proposition that will
command respectful attention.
Briefly Mann, Braden and Mer-
rift are the features of the present
situation with everything pointing to-
ward the growth of LaFonette's
strength to a point where it will
not only oyershadow Veatch, but be-
come a strong possibility of dominat-
ing the entire district"
Regarding LaFollette's position on
the conservation problem the same
Spokane paper says:
OF all the candidates for congress
from the ,uIrd dictrict, W. L. La
Toilette is the only candidate. pro
gressive or otherwise, who has come
out squarely, boldly and convincing
ly for the Observation-Disclosures system
of federal conservation, backed by
the mighty power of the national
government and Independent of all
the local and petty influences that
have made state conservation a
failure in Washington.
LaFollette can give good reasons
for his faith and he does not go out
of the state to do it, The facts that
he quotes below are significant and
convincing:
Now that the issue of state con
seryation has been raised in the pres
ent campaign, / believe it "a good
time to call attention to a little his
tory of how the state has conserved
the resources which it possessed, -
said Mr.. LaFollette.
A little chapter of quite recent
history | regard as sufficient answer
to John l.. Wilson, candidate for Uni
ted States senator, and my friend
Seabury Merritt, who represent iden-
ueally the same interests in this con-
test-special interests.
The state of Washington once
owned 5000 acres of land in the
northern part of the state. known as
the Brewster flats a corporation coy
eted this property and the state land
commissioner decided to sell it, This
land, which offered the same posi-
bilities as many of the richest sec
lions OF the state, if put under ir-
rigation, was to be sold at SO per
acre. L. A. Bryan, president of the
Washington State college, whose
school would profit by the sale of
these lands, here sat up and took no.
uce He raised his voice against such
sacrifice of one of the states best
assets. This protest was immediate
ly seized upon by the Spokesman Re
view, and campaign of education
begun that aroused the public in
short order to the value of this prop
erty.
The interests, however, never lie
down until they are ANONYMOUSLY
whipped, and their conduct was nc
different in this case. Many of those
who are foremost in supporting the
system candidate at this time were
then TO be heard shouting that il
was pure philanthropy for a corpora-
ton to organize and offer to take the
states worthless land off its hands
at $40 per acre
But the fight of those who are
now battling for true conservation
did not let up. The result was that
Just one month after the land was
offered for sale at $40 per acre. it
was sold at public auction for an ay-
erage price OF $37 per acre. an6
among the buyers was the Great
Northern railroad, which gladly paid