The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1927-10-06


"old guard, who have ruled for
q years, were more fearful of the
possibility of losing control in the
event of a fight. Therefore, it
seems, they decided that it would
be wiser and safer to see to it that
nobody had a chance to "start
something"
| But there were tendencies among
the delegates, some of which were
discussed on the floor, that may
hasten several changes in the
states road program and highway
policies.
Probably the most important is
a movement to abolish the system
of "East-West" division of money
/ in favor Of a statewide "pool' to
build roads wherever most needed.
This change was urged by G.. w.
Clausen, chairman Of the state
highway committee; President Ell
mer Halsey, Sen. Oliver Hall and
others.
i Then most of the delegates were
plainly in favor of an extra cent
| gasoline tax, which would boost
revenues by about $2,O00,O0O a
year, altho there was plenty of
| disagreement as to how the mon
ey should be spent.
A 1t was also made apparent that
the demand for farm-to-market
roads is growing, and that spokes-
men for the farmers intend to bear
down on the 1929 legislature.
The proposal of one spool" for
road funds, instead of division
between the east side and west
side, may prove to be popular with
the small counties and the advo-
Gates of farm-to-market roads.
They are beginning to figure that
II needs rule the distribution of
road money, instead of what each
county pays in, the small counties
are likely to draw out more than
under the prevailing system. If
this idea develops, the 1929 legis-
lature may find it easy to estab-
lish the "pool" and raise the gaso-
line tax from two to three cents
to add 100000 a year to the
road fund.
] Politics was plentiful at the
good roads convention. Chief JUS
tice Kenneth Macintosh and ex-
Senator Miles Poindexter were on
hand as prospective rivals for the
republican nomination to the u.
5. senate, and both drew consider
able attention, making it difficult
to determine which was the most
popular altho it looked as if Mr..
Macintosh had the edge.
Lleut.-Gov. Lon johnson visited
among the delegates, but still un-
decided as to whether he would
run for governor. Mr.. Johnson did
not seem to arouse as much inter-
est as was expected.
p. L. French who is campaign
ing for the republican nomination
for governor, worked hard without
putting up very much hay.
But the real busy bee was s. A.
Perkins, Tacoma, the lively and
alert "Sam", who is out to sue
eeed N. C. Richards, Yakima. as
republican national committeeman.
he is conceded the solid support
OF Pierce county, where the repub-
leans are demanding representa-
ton in the party councils. and Mr..
! ferKlns IS likely to stage poliit-
lcal comeback. Mark. E. Reed.
Shelton, would also like the COM
workmanship. just now it looks
as II Mr.. Perkins is away out in
front. =
Political reporters of New York
and Chicago recently visited Wash
lngton and wrote pieces to show
That Governor Hartley was oppos-
ed to Herbert Hoover for the re-
publican nomination for president.
causing Mr.. Hartley to make a
vigorous denial, according to The
! Spokesman-Review. Mr.. Hartley
resented the inference that So
called Hartley leaders were speak
ing for him, and intimated that he
was too much interested in the
governorship and its works to
bother about the selection of pres
idential delegates.
-
While Judge Stephen j. Chad
wick is being boosted by many re-
publicans for the democratic NOM
ination for governor, it seems that
some of the democratic leaders are
more inclined to favor Scott Bull
lit, who gave Senator Wesley L.
Jones such merry chase in the
last election. Moreover, Ben Hill,
Walla Walla, who won the demo-
cratic nomination in 1924, is pre-
pairing to run again. Consequently,
it is possible that the democrats
may yet have some fun or trouble
in their own primary, the different
candidates being spurred by the
idea that the republican split is
likely to result in democratic
i governor