Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1913-02-18
King County Senator Appears
to Have Cinch on the
Legislature.
HAS CONTROL OF SENATE
Holding Whip Hand on Road
Legislation, He Gives South
west the CLASSY Eye.

DO you want to know why South
west Washington is holding the sack
on the good roads pork barrel ap-
preparation, while the other sections
of the state are getting all the best
of it? asks the Washington Standard.
Do you want to know how it hap
pens that one man in the state Of
Washington is apportioning the five
and a half millions of dollars it is
proposed to raise for good road con-
struction in Washington during the
next two years?
In other words, do you want to
know some of the inside manipula-
tions of this Thirteenth legislature
whereby you residents Of Southwest
Washington are to be left out almost
entirely because you would not "be
good?"
Then read this and then get after
your representatives and senator's:
Two years ago one Senator Nichols
from King county succeeded in block
ing all road legislation because no re-
apportionment was made. Nichols is
"hold-over" senator. With the other
hold-overs who followed him like
sheep in his previous fight he had
the nucleus of a following by which
he could control the upper house in
this session.
Senator Nichols today absolutely
controls the senate. He forced Lieu
tenant Governor Hart to name him
chairman of the roads and bridges
committee. He manipulated the leg
islature until he obtained the appoint
ment of McArdle as chairman of the
roads and bridges committee in the
House. McArdle was elected for just
one thing: State Road No. A. Nc
Ardle fought Nichols in the last leg
islature but Nichols has promised
McArdle his road and McArdle will
do anything Nichols wants.
With this control of the Senate
and House Nichols holds all road ap-
preparations in the hollow of his
hands. He and he alone has divided
them between Eastern and Western
Washington to suit his own sweet
will. Being chairman of the Senate
committee and having the backing of
the solid King county delegation he
can do what he pleases with the
amount he himself allotted to West
ern Washington.
King county wants the Snoqualmie
Pass road constructed. This will take
100000 or 100000 for a highway
used about three months Of the year.
Southwest Washington went to the
meeting of the State Good Roads as
sociation in Tacoma early this winter
and prevented King county from OBJ
tanning the associations endorsement
Of the Snoqualmie project. King
county got "sore" King county now
holds the whip hand on road legisla-
ton in this session, through Nichols.
Southwest Washington would not "be
good" Consequently Nichols has
allotted Southwest Washington only
100000 of the five and half million
dollars he proposes to spend on good
roads during the next two years.
Then he proceeded to put South
west Washington deeper in the hole.
Clarke county is unusually anxious
for bridge across the Columbia
river. The rest of this section wants
to see the Pacific Highway construct
ed. The 100000 allotted will not
pay for both. Consequently South
west Washington must choose be-
tween the bridge and the highway.
In other words, Nichols has precipi-
tated internal dissension in South
west Washington.
How did he gain control of the
Senate? He had the holdover sena-
tors to start with. Immediately after
election he personally consulted the
senators newly elected and with prom
ises and smooth line of talk of
friendly" working together for good
roads, he got 81 senators-a majority
signed to an agreement to work
with him. Thereby he controlled the
senate.
And Southwest Washington is hold
| ing the sack