Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1916-12-29
WILL LISTER HELP
FIGHT ON FOCARTY?
POLITICIANS SPECULATE AS TO
GOVERNORS ATTITUDE IN
PARTY SQUABBLE.

Will Governor Lister take any part
in the fight instituted in the Demo-
cratic ranks of this state to GUST j.
B. Fogarty as state chairman?
Now that the governor has been
home several weeks from his vacation
trip to California, politicians here
and elsewhere are. asking that ques-
ton. Some seem to think that with
in few days the governor will assert
himself one way or the other in the
organization fight, while others do
not look for any immediate action on
his part.
/ Governor Listers friends declare
that he will not make another move
until the time is most propitious for
moving, and ell of Governor Listers
political career shouts the story that
he is at least expedient and usually
most effective. So 1t is probable that
he will pay attention to the thing
closest at hand, which happens to be
state business, and leave political
matters to be taken up later.
Two Of the Stories.
There is a story to the effect that
Governor Lister intends to take per-
sonal charge of the fight against
Fogarty. There also is the story that
he has had his say, having announced
his position during the primary cam
pafgn and later emphasizing it in the
general election, and that he is con-
tent to let matters rest on the record
that he has made.
Then again, it is asserted that the
executive is too busy to take up
political matters now and that when
he does he will take up the situation
as 1t exists at the time he dips in.
1t is more than likely that the gov
ernor is not at all apt to be precipi-
tate. He is actually tied up with a
heavy load of state matters and he
could not take up party matters If he
desired. So there is nothing more
natural than to conclude that he will
permit affairs to drift for time and
will do what he has expected to do
whenever the time for doing is most
propitious.
The story that Governor Lister in
tends to take personal charge Of the
tight against State Chairman Fogarty
comes from Seattle. There is moth
ing unusual about the fact that Lis
ter's intentions are foretold from Sc
attic. because Bourbon leaders Of that
city are more interested than are any
other class Of Democrats. And there
isn't safer prediction in the world
than that when Listers personal for
tunes are involved he will take up
the fight himself. Sooner or later he
would be compelled to do 20. and he
has matters In his own hand 90 that
he can choose the time when he will
speak.
Committee Out Of Il.
II Is an open secret about the state
house that Lister will not consult the
Democratic state committee when
making his state appointments. His
open break with Chairman Fogarty
clearly defined his position and II 1t
did not one with curiosity enough to
look back over his record for past
performances could find that he did
as he pleased during the past four
years.
Listers friends claim he will not
interfere with federal appointments,
and whether he does or not is not the
matter of immediate interest.
What the Democrats involved IN
the Fogarty quarrel want to know is
when, how and where Lister is going
TO take charge of the fight for the
control Of the official Democratic or
ganization and why he is going to
do 1t.
There isn't much doubt but that
Litser will answer these questions
whenever he gets ready. That he has
no intention Of permitting Fogarty to
stage the campaign of 1918 goes
without saying; what he will do to
prevent IL IL q matter of mystery. He
may permit somebody else to place
stumbling blocks IN the way or he
may do It himself, but the odds are
that Lister has not made up his mind
to anything beyond the fact that he
does not want Fogarty to remain in
charge Of the Democratic theoretical
organization.
An appropriation Of $1,000 for
armory equipment for Q national