The Political Machine vs. Mr. Humes

There may be voters in King County who doubt the fact that the political bureau of the Northern Pacific is deeply interested in the defeat of Mr. Humes. If there are such, they should procure files of the Tacoma Ledger for the last two weeks and read carefully all that that paper has had to say in regard to the canvass now in progress in King County. The hostility of the Ledger to Seattle, to King County and to anything that savors of either, is notorious. It is the recognized organ of C. B. Wright and of the railroad political bosses. It also claims to be a Republican paper. In spite of the latter fact, however, it goes out of its way to attack a Republican candidate for office in a neighboring county. It may be asked, however, why the railroad political bureau should desire the defeat of Mr. Humes. The answer is plain: It is because he will not submit to their control. It has favors to ask of the legislature. It desires the mutation of the gross earnings tax law on the statute books, it desires the division of King County in order that Pierce County may be built up, and it desires the removal of the capital from Olympia to North Yakima. These things Mr. Humes would oppose, and the railroad bosses are accordingly doing everything within their power to secure his defeat.