Tacoma's Federal Bench Snub
Congressman Cushman is under fire for failing to secure a local appointment for a federal judgeship, allegedly sacrificing Tacoma's interests for Seattle candidates.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
The final appointment of George Donworth of Seattle to the federal bench in this city by President Taft will probably settle the controversy, for Donworth wants the place and will keep it. This makes three Seattle men who have been offered the place: Peters, Hughes, and Donworth. Not a Tacoma lawyer was considered by the President, although it is evident there is just as good talent in this city as at Seattle. The situation indicates one of two things: either Congressman Cushman of Tacoma is absolutely without influence in Washington, or he has deliberately thrown the city down in this matter in order to get a place for his brother. He got the place for the brother and Tacoma has been sacrificed. This attitude of Cushman enabled Senator Piles to come in and grab the Tacoma judgeship for his business partner in Seattle. Neither of them manifested any regard for the interests of this city. There will be a new congressman and a new senator to elect next year, and Tacoma is likely to have some recollections at that time of the way things have been going lately at Washington. It is very evident that a different brand of congressmen and senators will have to be sent to Washington if Tacoma ever gets any recognition there.
“Not a Tacoma lawyer was considered by the president, although it is evident there is just as good talent in this city as at Seattle.”
Tacoma's historical feeling of being a 'second-class' city compared to Seattle is a century-old grievance. This struggle for institutional representation and federal investment remains a recurring theme in local civic discourse.
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