The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1897-02-26
Washington Letter.
From our regular Correspondent

WASHINGTON, d. G.. Feb. 9th, 1897.
Inauguration echoes are now heart
wherever one turns in Washington
Work upon the street stands from
which portion of the spectators viii
view the parade, which promises to bt
the handsomest, if not the largest
ever seen, has been. started, and the
Inauguration committee has begun
the distribution of fifty thousand pa.
per flags and fifteen thousand portraits
of Mckinley and Hobart, to be used
by the residents along the route of the
parade to assist in decorating their
houses. These are given away by the
Committee. So general is the senti-
ment In favor of having the West
Point and Annapolis Cadets take part
in the parade that it seems probable
the joint resolution, offered in the
Senate by Mr.. Frye, and in the House
of Representatives by Mr.. Baker, OF N.
H., requesting the President to order
the cadets and their bands to Wash
lngton and appropriating the money
to pay their expenses, will go through.
1t is known that Mr.. Cleveland favors
having the cadets in the parade and
that he will gladly issue the order if
Congress will adopt the resolution.
The democrats are already begin
ming their howl about the total
amount of the appropriations that
will be made by the fifty-fourth Con-
gress. It is true that the total of the
appropriations for the two years will
exceed 81 O00,0OO,OOO, but the demo-
Gratis would show more wisdom if they
would point out single appropria-
tlon made, or to be made in the short
time remaining of the session, that is
not needed, or that the government
will not get full value for, instead of
yelling "extravagant appropriations"
like lot of parrots. The Senate is
not republican body-would that it
were-yet it has not only approved all
of the appropriations made by the
House, but has in nearly every bill in
creased them. Besides, it should not
be forgotten that considerable
amount of the money appropriated by
this Congress was made necessary by
continuing contracts made by the
last democratic Congress for River
and Harbor improvements, public
buildings and the increase OF the
Navy. Chairman Cannon, of the
House Committee on Appropriations,
correctly stated the situation when he
said that contracts previously made
had to be observed; that Congress
could not allow unfinished public
buildings to remain exposed in all
kinds of weather, and that the pension
laws could not be ignored. In short,
that no appropriations have been
made that were not necessary for the
conduct of the government and the
preservation of its interests. Mr.. Can
mons idea of economy in public ex-
penditnres are so rigid that he has Of
tended many personal friends by re-
fusing to sanction propositions for
appropriations which have come be-
fore his committee. There is no item
in any appropriations made by the
fifty-fourfh Congress that any republi
can need be ashamed of; the appropri-
ations are all needed and the money
is all to be spent among the people
and for the people.
It is about settled that the arbitra-
ton treaty will not be voted upon at
this session, but will go over to the
extra session of the Senate, that will
meet March 4th, and remain in ses-
sion until the extra SESSION of the full
Congress meets. This has been made
necessary by the opposition to the
treaty In the Senate.
Representative Woodman, of Ills,
has asked the House Ways and Means
Committee to increase the revenue
tax on cigarettes from so cents to $50
thousand. Mr.. Woodman's object
is to stop the smoking of cigarettes by
children, which he says is ga habit
which is destroying our youth, filing
our insane asylums, and shrouding in
gloom, by the destruction, mentally,
morally and physically of their young
sons, many of the best homes of our
land" Mr.. Woodman said in his
speech to the Committee: GAS long
as boys can buy the death-dealing
article at cent piece or two for a
cent, SO long will the evil continue.
When they are taxed so as to produce
larger revenue, which tax will place
them out of the reach of school child
rem. then Mr.. Chairman, we may look
for a mitigation of the evil. Then
may we look for protection that pro-
tects. Then may we congratulate