White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1923-02-16
FARMER-LAWYER
BLOC CONTROLS
Agriculturists and Attorneys
Combined Have Majority
in Both Houses.
CAN PUT ANYTHING ACROSS
Most Legislators Born East OF Mis-
souri, Rlver-Foreign Born
Numerous.

BlOcS in the Washington legislature
promise to set new style in CAM
paigning two years hence when the
highways and sidewalks swarm with
the farmers and lawyers are in a po-
sition to control all legislation in both
houses by the simple expedient OF
Joining forces and voting as unit.
When the bankers, real estate men,
restaurant owners, garage men, men,
bers of the medical profession and
housewives awaken to realization of
potential power which the tillers of
the soil and the apostles of Black
stone possess the demands for space
ON ballots to be distributed in the
next primary will surprise the pub
lie.
The farmers are in the majority III
the house and because of their over
whelming majority much is being said
and written of the agriculture bloc,
but the newspapers are not saying
anything about the lawyers bloc in
the senate. Nevertheless it is hard
hitting, smooth working noiseless or
ganization which strikes out boldly
at bad bills or slips up softly and
lends helping hand in a quiet way
| to favorite measures. But that is to
be expected since there are total of
Is attorneys in the upper body out Of
the, % members who occupy seats in
the senate, while of the farmers there
are only seven. However, the farm
ers and lawyers, by standing fear
lessly shoulder to shoulder can mus
ter % votes, or enough to pass or kill
every bill which comes up in the SEN
ate
/ House Situation Reversed.
In the house the situation is re-
versed, with the farmers in the ma
/ jority But they don't have enough
votes to pass bill without the help
of the lawyers OF the farmers there
are 81 who haye been admitted to
membership in the agriculture bloc.
OF the lawyers there are 16. The
farmers and lawyers between them
have a total of AZ votes out. Of the
81 votes in the lower body, or two
less than the 40 votes which are nee
essary to control. However, there are
in the house three other members who
frankly admit that they farm. OF
course they don't, except In CONVEX
sational way, but there are enough
lawyers to convince them they cannot
refuse to vote with the bloc without
being disgraced.
The lawyers and farmers have not
actually formed coalition yet, but
with so many lawyers farming and
so many farmers practicing law 1t
may not be any time before the idea
of an alliance takes form ana an
agreement is entered into, and If the
alliance is formed no power could
prevent the organization from devel-
oping a steam roller of no mean pro-
portions.
Real estate men, insurance men, the
women, the bankers, lumbermen and
doctors have tLeir little cliques, all
working Tor the success of pet meas
ures, and the farmers and lawyers
have their bills, too.
What They All Want.
The real estate men want an in
come tax because they believe 1t will
relieve property taxes; the lumber
men have program which includes
adequate fire protection and refores-
tration; the women hope to save their
industrial home at Medical Lake from
being abolished; the bankers fear a
bank guaranty law; tina doctors hope
the legislature will use caution, and
meanwhile keep an eye on drugless
healers; the insu rance men have a
bill which would prohibit persons not
regularly employed as agents from
writing fire and life insurance.: the
farmers have their legislative pro-
gram and the lawyers are backing a
bill which would prevent persons not
regularly admitted to the practice Of
law from being too free with advice.
Unfortunately for tie bankers, the
real estate men, the women and insur-
ance men and other groups, they are
very much in the minority and largely
dependent upon the farm ers and law
yers for aid. That places them under
lasting obligations to the dominant
groups, or blocs, and makes them real
lie from day to day that they did IN
duce enough of their own kind to be-
come candidates in the last primary
election for the good Of the cause. Two
years hence they will know better,
and especially II the income tax fails
to pass, or the legislature gives the
state bank guaranty law or the in
dustrial home is closed. The serious
ness of the bloc situation will be driv-
en- home to the people who feel that
there can be no honor in sitting as a
member of the house or senate.
Farmers Sitting Pretty.
Farmers in the legislature are not