The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1895-03-08


seen that the former state leads by a
neck.
SURVEYOR GENERAL Watson says
that about 100000 will be spent on
surveys this year, over half Of which
will be spent on the Colville reese rva
ton. This will be nearly twice the
amount spent in any other state.
ACCORDING to the Puget Sound Lum-
hermann it is conceded that 1894 was a
pretty bad year for all kinds of bust
ness, yet during that period thirty-six
saw mills, thirty-seven shingle mills,
five planning mills, seven box factories
and eleven woodworking factories,
costing over 100000, were erected
in the Pacific northwest"
a.*x
THE Capital appropriation bill has
passed the House with good majority,
and there is no doubt of its becoming
law. 1t provides for the issuance
of $950,000 in warrants to pay for the
building, and that any future contract
shall he for the completion Of the
structure according to the plans adj
opted
THE state OF Washington loyes sill
YER, but SO long as the white me tai is
cheated out OF its rights she can pro-
duce gold just as easily. It is safe to
estimate that two-thirds Of the pros
pectors who leave Spokane this year
will seek gold instead Of silver, al
though it is only tNo years since the
ratio was exactly the opposite. All
the unjust laws the spectators of the
east can invent cannot prevent the
growth of Washington, the state that
has the greatest and most varied re-
sources of any.-Loomiston Journal.
THE bill for the reduction Of penal
ty on delinquent taxes has passed both
Houses. 1t provides as follows: All
penalty and interest shall be RENTED
on taxes due and payable in the years
1893 and 1894, providing said delin-
quent taxes are paid before July 1st.,
1895. All penalty and one half of
interest, if paid by Dec. LIST, 1895.
One half penalty and two-thirds inter
est shall be RENTED if paid any time
after the last date, and prior to April
1896, when same shall be advertised.
A bill is also before the legislature ex-
tending the time Of delinquency this
year from April lst to July lst.
HE United States supreme court,
in a voluminous opinion, has decided
that the jury in a criminal case is not
the Judge of the law as we'll as of the
facts, but must take the law from the
Judge. The opinions Of Justice Har-
IAN for the court and of Justice GRAY
!. for himself and Justice Shiras dis
senting, will occupy nearly one hun
drcd and tf.v pages .: 3,.c court re-
ports and are the largest contribution
ever made III q single case This is
the first time in its history that the
court has distinctly decided this
question. The case was that OF Hans
Hansen and Herman Sparf against
the United States, appealed from the
circuit court of the northern district
of California.-Ledger
AN important case from Chehalis
county was decided last week by the
Supreme Court, IN the case of Samuel
Benn, respondent VS.. Chehalis county
appellants. This was suit brought
by Benn to compel the county to take
certain sum in payment OF taxes,
which was much less than the amount
levied by the county. He paid a por-
ton of his taxes without protest, but
he owned large amount of property
comprising over eleven hundred de-
scriptions the taxes upon which ag-
gregated $2,S25.SO. He maintained
that the property was assessed double
its value, and rendered the Treasurer
the sum OF 81 1862, which he main
tanned was a just tax at fair valua-
ton. The treasurer refused to accept
the tender, and few days afterwards
the taxes went delinquent. Last year
he employed A. E. Griffiths to bring
suit against the county. compelling
the treasurer to accept the amount
rendered in full payment OF his taxes
on the property in question. The
court of that county decided in favor
of Mr.. Benn and gave judgment
against the county. The cause was
appealed to the Supreme Court, which
sustained the lower court. 1t is the
first case of the kind brought in this
state, and besides settling the fact
that the property was assessed double
its value, it also settles the point that
an individual may sue the county and
compel it to accept a lawful tax, and
release the property from = tax lien
without waiting two years to be sued