The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1896-08-14
Lumbermen Alarmed.

free coinage of silver and consequent
debasement of the currency of the ma
ton would seriously and even dis
astrously affect every business interest
and manufacturing industry has al
ready been fulfilled in this state. The
first industry to suffer is the lumber
ing business. Anticipating that per-
haps the silver candidates might be
elected, and believing that immense
disturbances in all lines of business
would follow, many of the lumber
mills of the output and have cut to
the marrow their stocks on hand and
their orders for logs. This condition
of affairs is due solely to the demand
on the part of the repudiationists and
fiat money men for the immediate
opening of the minis of the country
to the silver of all nations and the
placing of the business of the nation
upon the silver standard.
w. H. Hanson, manager of the Ia
coma mill, which has pay roll run
ming up into the hundreds of thou
sands yearly, said today that his mill
company had quit buying logs until
after election, and owing to the lack
of domestic orders, their output has
been materially reduced. "We are
sailing close into the wind" said Mr..
Hanson today. "In view of the posi-
bilities ahead, we found that the only
thing we could do was to fix ourselves
for what may follow if Bryan is elect
ed and the country is placed on sill
yer standard. We have cut down our
orders for logs to what we barely need
for immediate consumption and have
reduced our stock of lumber on hand
to the necessities of present conditions
[ have received advices from other
mills in this state, and learn that they
are doing precisely the same thing.
The reason for this plain. No one
can tell to a certainty what the result.
of the election will be. On the other
hand, every sensible business man can
understand what will follow if the
country is carried by the silver forces.
We do not care to take any risks on
this score, therefore we will de bust
ness until after election on as narrow a
margin as possible"
| Col. Chauncey w. Griggs, president
of the st. Paul and Tacoma Mill Lum-
Der Co., said today to the Post-Intelli-
gencer correspondent: "The mill
men of the state have believed that if
Mckinley and Hobart are elected pros
porous times will follow. This is my
conviction. But in view of the agita-
ton for free coinage of silver at the
existing ratio and the demand that
this nation shall at once open its
minis to silver, we have felt that it
would be folly to extend our business
or to allow any accumulation OF
stocks. We have cut down our orders
for logs to the bare necessities of the
trade and have regulated our output
down to just what we need to fill or
ders already on hand. Until after the
election is over it would be far from
business prudence for lumber mill to
increase its output or to extend its
business in any form. There are toe
many uncertainties about free coin
age"
Col. Griggs has always been a
staunch Democrat. He was the Dem
ocratic candidate for United States
senator in 1892. He has always been
known staunch democrat from con-
viction, but on election day in next
November he ill cast his vote for the
Mckinley and Hobart electors. ~
believe in sound money" he said
after announcing his intention of vot-
ing the Republican ticket. ri do not,
however, believe in the financial plat
form adopted by the Democratic con-
vention at Chicago, and therefore
can see no other way to do than to
vote for Mckinley. 1 know a great
many Democrats in the numbering
mills of the state who intend doing the
same thing"
"What effect is the demand for free
coinage having on your business" was
asked.
i at has resulted in great falling
off in domestic orders. There is no
development work going on in Cell.
fornia, consequently the coastwise
trade has been reduced to minimum.
Our agents in the East and Middle
West report that the demand for lum-
Der products has almost ceased entire
~ and advise us to curtail our output
materially until after the election.
Under such circumstances, the safe
course to pursue is to sail close hauled
until the country decides whether we
are to have the present standard or a
silver one."