The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1897-05-14
Washington Letter.
From our regular Correspondent,

WASHINGTON, ID. Z. May, Z, 1897.
The republican members of the Sen.
ate Finance Committee have complet
ed the work of amending the Dingley
tariff bill, and unless the democratic
members of the committee cause some
unnecessary delay the bill will be re.
ported to the Senate this week. The
bill has not been made public, but it
is known that it has been amended in
nearly every schedule, and that as a
rule the amendments provide for
slightly lowering the duties from those
in the original bill, although in some
cases they are raised. The bill is still
a distinctly republican protective
measure, just as everybody knew it
would be, but whether on the whole it
is an improvement upon the original
bill is, of course, largely matter of
personal opinion. The average repub-
lican Onlv asks for a tariff that will
protect all American industries and
products alike, and is not disposed to
haggle over the precise rate of duty to
be imposed on any particular article
or articles. 1t is claimed by the Sen
atOrs who have framed these amend
ments that they are intended to in
crease the revenues of the government
without any sacrifice of the principle
of protection.
Senator Frye doesn't believe the alb
rogation OF the reciprocity treaty with
Hawaii, which the sugar trust is de-
manding through its lobby, is possible
He said: "The representatives of the
sugar trust are now seeking the abro-
cation of this treaty with more than
usual energy and activity. They are
deeply interested in abrogation, and /
don't know of any one else who is
In their efforts to secure their own
interests they are disappearing the
disadvantages TO the United States
from this treaty and conceallng the
advantages. The advantages are mani
fold and the disadvantages small"
There are few people around Wash
ington who do not believe that the an
nexation of Hawaii is one of the GER
tainties of the near future. Whether
the recently reported attitude of Japan
towards Hawaii will result in hasten
ing annexation is yet to be determin-
ed. An official speaking of the mat
ter said: "This government is not
alarmed Or annoyed by the reports of
Japanese restlessn ess and loud war
talk. That nation has not recovered
from its victory over China yet, and it
feels as if it owns the world. A little
bluster will do no harm to any one,
but you may rest assured that the
japanese will do nothing more than
buster After the tariff bill has been
disposed of, the Senate may have an
opportunity to act upon a treaty pro-
viding for the annexation of Hawaii.
Meanwhile you may be sure that the
.. S. navy will back Hawaii in enforc-
ing its immigration laws, against the
japanese or any other n ationality."
President Mckinley touched the
electric button that started the ma
! chinery of the Tennessee Centennial
Exposition, at Nashville, and later he
expects to visit the exposition in per
son and to carry with him as many
members of his cabinet as can go.
He has expressed much interest in
the success of the exposition.
If President Mckinley had never
until within the last ten days thought
of annulling some of the extensions of
the civil service rules made by Mr..
Cleveland, the facts brought out dur
ing that time would have started him
to thinking about it. Testimony TAX
en- by the Senate committee that is
investigating this subject has already
made it plain that the whole thing
was manipulated to the advantage of
democrats and the disadvantage of re-
publicans, and entirely regardless of
the best interests of the public service.
At the last meeting of this committee
| letters were read from Postmaster
General Gary and from Secretary
Long, in favor of changing, and Public
Printer Palmer fired this broadside
GAS applied to this Office, Govern
ment Printing Office which is simply
a great manufacturing plant, involy-
ing varied branches of skilled labor OF
high grade, the civil service rules are,
In my Judgment, an obstruction rather
than an aid to efficiency and economy.
In my opinion the civil service rules
as promulgated for enforcement here
should he modified radically, suspend
ed, or repealed" Hon. N. B. Scott,
the West Virginia member of the Re
publican National Committee, who
has been rendered the position of