Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1913-02-14
SOUTHWEST JOBBED
BY NICHOLS WHO
CONTROLS SENATE
King County Solon Manipulates
Legislature and Apportions
$5,500,000 Roads Fund.
FORCES OWN APPOINTMENT
Highway Appropriation for Next
Two Years Juggled According
to One Mans Desires.

| 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
| 1t?
Do you want to know how it hap
pens that one man in the state of
Washington is apportioning the five
| and 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
q "hold-over" senator. With the other
hold-overs who followed him like
sheep in his previous fight he had the
nucleus of q 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
legislature until he obtained the ap-
pointment of McArdle as chairman
of the roads and bridges committee in
the House. McArdle was elected for
Just one thing: State Road No. IA.
McArdle fought Nichols in the last
legislature but Nichols has promised
McArdle his road and McArdle will do
any thing Nichols wants.
With this control Of the Senate
and House Nichols holds all road ap-
propriations 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 Western
Washington.
King county wants the SnoQualmie
Pass road constructed. This will take
100000 or $50O,0OO for 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 Southwest
Washington deeper in the hole. Clarke
county is unusually anxious for a
bridge across the Columbia river. The
rest of this section wants to see the
Pacific Highway constructed. The
$500, 900 allotted will not pay for both.
Consequently Southwest Washington
must choose between the bridge and
the highway. In other words, Nichols
has precipitated internal dissension
in Southwest Washington.
How did he gain control of the Sem
ate? He had the holdover senators to
start with Immediately after elec-
ton he personally consulted the senat-
ors newly elected and with promises
and a smooth line of talk of friendly
working together for good roads, ne
got 27 senators--a majority-signed
to an agreement to work with him.
Thereby he controlled the senate.
And Southwest Washington is hold
! ing the sack.