davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1897-11-05
BRYAN AS A DEADBEAT.
he Attacks the Corporations and Their
Asks and Accepts Favors from Them

He Attacks the Corporations and Then
Asks and Accepts Favors from Them.
The more Mr.. Bryan tries to explain
away his foraging expeditions ON railroad
passes the more he convicts himself of
demagogy and willful deception. When
the San Francisco papers made public
the fact that Bryan had solicited and ac-
cepted favors from Huntington's South
ern Pacific Railroad in the shape of rail-
road passes, Bryan's friends at first de-
MED the charge. They backed their de-
mails by producing the requisition written
by Bryan in which he applies for the free
ticket over the Southern Pacific on &C
count of the Omaha World-Herald.
upon inquiry at Omaha it developed
that Bryan had severed his connection
with the World-Herald a year previously
and Furthermore that the World-Herald
had no advertising contract with the
Southern Pacific and was not entitled to
any transportation for any advertising
done for that road. To parry this ex-
posure Bryan retorted over his own name
that he was still a stakeholder in the
World-Herald. By this, matters were not
much mended for the reason that as
stakeholder in a newspaper he could have
no claim upon any railroad for free rides
and furthermore that under the interstate
commerce law interstate railroads are for
hidden from giving free transportation ex-
cept to railway employees.
The Southern Pacific is not, however,
the only railroad on which Bryan has
been foraging. Mr.. Bryan travelled to
ST. Louis some ten days ago over the Wa
bash and dead-headed his way with an
1897 annual pass. The pass is ostensibly
issued on account of the World-Herald
but bears on its face the fiat contradiction
of the pretense that it is business trans
action. Railroads do not issue annual
passes in exchange for advertising. In
the nature of things they could not know
how often they would be used, for what
distance and how much advertising value
they would represent.
The discreditable part of Bryan's dead
heading over the railroads arises not
merely from the fact that he poses as the
champion Of the anti-monopoly forces and
denOunces the railroads for discrimina-
ton in favor of influential non-producers
as against the common people who must
pay their way, but also because while
amply able to pay his fare he is resort
ing to deception to cover up his accept
ance of railroad gifts.-Omaha Bee.
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1897-11-05
Labor and Free Silver.

The Illinois Federation of Labor has re-
adopted, as part of its platform, demand
for the free coinage of silver at the ratio
of 16 to 1. But on this, as on previous
occasions, the advocates of the plank fail
ed to point out wherein labor would be
benefited by the granting of such a de-
mand. No attempt was made to contro-
vert the specific statements as to where
free coinage would do irreparable harm to
labor.
The workingmen of Illinois have eighty
million dollars invested in building and
loan associations. A change to the mono
metallic silver standard of free coinage
371A-grain dollar would reduce the value
of these investments about 60 per cent,
and labor would lose forty-eight million
dollars on one item.
The working people of this Stat. have
loaned 251a millions in gold value dollars
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1897-11-05
same sensitiveness to the market. This

same sensitiveness to the market. This
proposition was brought out with special
force by Gov. Tanner in an interview
given to the st. Louis Globe-Democrat.
At the time the Governor spoke the ad-
vance in wheat had been 80 cents per
bushel, and he added:
But railroad stocks, manufacturing stocks,
and all other stocks of a character to feel the
efects Of prosperity have increased all the
way from 80 to so per cent. ON the former
values at the same time that wheat has
been making this gain of 30 cents bnshel:
Cattle, hogs, corn, oats, redtop seed. all
farm products, have gone up almost. Ii not
quite, in the proportion that stocks and
wheat have. Bonds and mortgages have en-
HANGED. Taking the vast interests repre-
sented by stocks and Uonls, you will IND
that the increase in the total value made
during the past three months IS $1,000, OO0,-
OOO The advance on other things, cattle,
hoGs, corn, and so on, has amounted to more
than $500, 100000. There is grand total
or 81, 300 900, 900 added to the wealth of this
country. 1t has been done by tie adoption
OF wise and encouraging economic policy
which has restored the confidence Of our
people.-Chicago Inter Ocean.
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1897-11-05
Southern Cotton Mills

One of the most encouraging fes lures
OF the business season ended on the first
of this month was the showing made nv
Southern mining and manufacturing en-
terprises. Reports from reliable sources
indicate that all of them were fairly nros-
porous, even while similar Industries wera
depressed in other parts of the country
the result being due in great measure to
the advantages of the proximity of the
raw material to points of consumption or
manufacture. and to the favorable climat-
ic conditions. This was especially true Of
cotton manufacturing, which evidences
growth both continuous and of remarla-
BILE extent. For the first time the con.
sumption of Southern mills exceeded
million bales.-Memphis Scimiter.
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1897-11-05
Work of the Dingley Law.

Reports from the little State of Rhode
Island are full of cheer. ''The mill situa-
ton is better than it has been for five
years" says a special dispatch to the st.
Louis Globe-Democrat. The Lonsdale
company has started on full time opera
ton, employing 5000 men and women.
In the Woonsocket worsted mills, the
200 employees had their hearts gladdened
by the restoration of wages to what they
were in 1893, which is a virtual increase
Of 71a per cent. But more than this,
ground has been broken for the erection
of new mill in the Olneyville district,
and plant near Blackstone, which has
been idle for almost five years, will be
purchased by new company and started
into full operation. 1t will not require
a microscope to observe that the develop
ment in the mill situation is the direct re-
suit of the Dingley tariff law. 1t means
prosperity.
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1897-11-05
Breidentha1 Admits TT

one OF the most recent and conspicuous
examples of Populist who has discarded
the calamity howl for the prosperity
whoop is j. w. Rreidenthal of Kansas
He is the Bank Commissioner of the
state, and less than one year ago he was
a Bryanite, who could see no prosperity
and no salvation for the country unless
the Boy Orator of the Platte was elected
and silver given free coinage at the beav-
entertained ratio of 16 to 1. But Breiden-
thai has changed since then. He has
seen great light, and this is what he
has to say to-day:
Never in the history of Kansas has there
Deen as much money with which to pay debts
as we nnd In the State to-day The State
mas STRUCK wonderful streak Of luck. Con-
oitlons brought good wheat crop; the prices
advanced; cattle are plenty and command a
good price. These conditions found Kan
eas In good position to profit immensely
tnereDy. and we are doing it.
Tnere never has been time In the history
OF the State when the farmers have not
raised enough to live on Now comes this
naGn.ncent year. with Immense crops and
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1897-11-05
Yens Of Silver and Yens of Gold.

1t was very unkind on the part of the
Director of the Mint to delay his recent
statement about the comparative value of
the coins of the world until the departure
of those silver patriots who recently has
tened to Japan to learn the true cause of
the demonstration of silver there. Had
they had opportunity to study Director
Preston's little table they might have
stayed at home and devoted their ener-
gies to explaining to the farmer why
wheat has gone above dollar bushel
while the free coinage dollar has fallen
below forty cents. Director Preston's
table shows the comparative value Of the
silver and gold yens of Japan during the
past decade. One minutes study Of these
figures would have been sufficient to show
these peregrinating patriots the true cause
Of Japan's action. Here are the figures
read them for yOurself.
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1897-11-05

Try to Be Consistent in Your Theories
and Assertions.

and Assertions.
At Atchison, Mr.. Bryan made a speech
from which the following are detached
sentences: Last fall the Republicans
said we were repudiationists because we
wanted to lessen the purchasing price Of
the dollar. The price of wheat
and corn is governed by the law Of supply
and demand solely. The law of supply
and demand governs the value of dollar.
If there is a short crop of money dollars
will rise. Nature makes a short crop Of
wheat. Man makes short crop Of dol
lars by law
A year ago Mr.. Bryan asserted that the
value of a dollar was not Influenced by
any power whatever except the declara-
ton by the Government that it was a dol
lar. He asserted in season and out Of
season that such a declaration was suffi-
Gent not only to make every silver dollar
worth gold dollar, but also to raise every
ounce of silver bullion in the world to the
value of gold at ratio of 16 to 1. With
such a record as this, how can the man
have the audacity to now come babbling
about the value of the dollar being gov
erned by the law of supply and demand?
He says the dollar has grown too valua
BILE because it has not kept pace with the
law Of demand. The more money there
is in the country, he contends, the less
the dollar will buy. Does history bear
out such a claim? In one of his lectures
Mr.. Bryan presents table to show that
since the crime of 1873 there has been a
steady diminishment in the price of pro-
ducts. To make his theory good he must
also show that there has been diminish
ment in the number of dollars. On the
contrary, there has been a steady and
rapid increase in the number of dollars
since 1873, until now we have per cap
tia circulation of $24.3O, whereas in 1873
we had but $18.04.-Kansas City Jour-
nal
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1897-11-05
to the savings banks. If the currency

to the savings banks. If the currency
were deprecated 80 per cent, as it would
be were silver coined free ut the ratio OF
16 to 1, the depositors would lose 10 l-3
millions. No friend Of the free coinage
plank mentioned that fact or argued that
building and loan association investments
would be affected injuriously.
The constant experience Of the world
has been that when there is change for
the worse in the money standard the
wages of abor are slow to adjust them
selves to it. The price of commodities ad-
vance rapidly. The price Of labor lags
behind. Thus there is a real reduction in
wages. Though they may be nominally
little higher, their purchasing power is
decreased.-Chicag Tribune.
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1897-11-05
icing unable to deny that prosperity

Being unable to deny that prosperity
has come again upon the country, the
Popocrat statesmen and organs with
e1e accord are loudly proclaiming that
1t is all due to the failure Of the foreign
wheat crop. The growers Of wheat,
they say, are prospecting, but Other
wealth producers are getting no bene-
fits. There is great deal Of difference,
however, between mere assertion and
we'll authenticated fact. There is
abundant evidence on every hand that
all classes Of the people, including
wealth producers Of every description,
are sharing in the new prosperity. The
failure Of the foreign wheat crop could
not start hundreds Of idle shops and
factories to operating and give employ
ment to hundreds Of thousands OF idle
workingmen. The failure Of the foreign
wheat crop would not suffice to stimu-
late all lines of business and produce
a feeling of confidence and security
among investors and merchants
throughout the country.
The failure of the foreign wheat crop
would not quicken the domestic wool
trade, the leather trade, the trade in
print cloths and sheetings, the tin, cop
per and iron trade, the beef, pork and
lard trade, the trade in petroleum,
glass, lead, cottonseed oil, lumber, pa
per, brick, coal, salt, hay, hemp, pota-
toes, corn, barley, rye, butter. eggs and
fruit. According to Bradstreet's, which
has kept record of the business done
In all lines for the last four years. the
trade in all these commodities and
scores Of others has rapidly increased
since July-the month in which the Re-
publican tariff was enacted.
Regarding the stories of Western
farmers paying off their mortgages IN
such enormous amounts. the Orange
Judd Farmer has made careful inQui-
ries and says that while it finds the
newspaper statements somewhat eX-
aggerated. there is unQueStionably an
immense amount of liquidation going
on. During the past few years the
farmers have practict1 such economy
that the marked Improvement in wheat
and other prices has wonderfully i'm
proved their financial condition. One
great incentive to pay off old mort
cages is the lower interest rates at
which new loans can be obtained.
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1897-11-05
Due to Republican Po,;cn

1t is only little while since the Demo-
Gratis of the country were tauntinp tho
Republicans with the .slowness of nroS-
perity in returning. Where now. thew
said, are the signs of its coming? The
new tariff had hardly been signed and
Congress adjourned before the boom was
on in such force as to be undeniabIe. The
blindest pessimist in the Democratic mar
ty had to admit it. Then came the claim
that the shortage of wheat abroad was
the cause Of it all. That was the burden
of Mr.. Bryan's Iowa speech.
No doubt the shortage in the wheat and
rye crops of the other grain-exporting
countries has advanced the price of wheat
in this country, but the great central fact
in the case is that there has been sub
stantially the same healthy advance in the
prices Of other properties of about tue
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1897-11-05
Postal Savings Banks.

1t is announced that Postmaster Gen
eral Gary, after thoroughly studying the
subject, has concluded to favor the estab-
lishment of postal savings banks in this
country, and will make the advocacy Of
such measure feature Of his incum-
bency of the Postofice Department. He
has not as yet formulated a plan, but
will do so in his report to be submitted
to the President on the opening OF the
next session Of Congress.
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1897-11-05
The Tariff and Farm Prices.

Our free trade friends assert that the
sole reason for the rise in the price of
wheat is the grain shortage abroad. They
are vociferous in declaring, in season and
out of season, that the enactment of
Republican tariff has had nothing to do
with the farmers increased prosperity.
Let us look into this claim for a moment.
1t is not true, as many of the anti-protec-
ton organs imply, that wheat, of which
we export vast quantities, is the only agri-
cultural staple that has risen in value.
There has been a marked increase in the
price of corn. oats, rye, pork, butter,
cheese, hops, hides and potatoes. Lambs
for sIaughtering are worth $1.25 per head
more than they were one year ago. The
value of sheep kept for wool has also risen
significantly since the passage of tariff
that protects American focks. These as
sertions are not made rashly. They are
based upon the official statistics of the
Department of Agriculture. 1t will be
seen at glance that products of which
we export comparatively moderate
amounts have kept close to wheat in IFS
upward movement. In our estimation the
tariff has had great deal to do with this.
Since the Dingley bill became law huge
army of previously idle men has been set
to work throughout the United States.
Wage earners who had been employed
only part time are now working full time.
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1897-11-05
Last Shot at the Farmers

The free traders took their last shot at
the farmers in June; they hustled In ev-
erything available on which the new tarln
law increased the rates of duty. Ihe FOL
lowing shows the value OF some OF the
more important farm products ID june
1907 COMPARED with June. 1896:
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1897-11-05
Why Do the Crackers Croak?


Solemn silverites whose knowledge Of
affairs is wider than that Of most of the
men who voted for Bryan last fall, are
not altogether silenced by the rise in
prices under the conditions existing since
the complete triumph of sound money in
the United States. Some of them, like the
lubugrious Richie, of Summit County,
essay the weary task of persuading people
who like the change in the times that it is
the result of famine in India and ruined
harvests in Europe. These persons pa
rade before the voters Of America the
dread procession Of gaunt victims Of star
walton N Hindustan, and they quote the
gloomy reports Of crop failure in Ireland.
They point to meager grain fields in Rus
STA and to the shortage of $4,000, 900 bush
els in the wheat crop of France. There"
they say, ''is the source of higher prices
in the United States. Let famine and
ruin abroad be followed by normal wealth
er and harvests, and the general level Of
the markets will again be as low and weak
as the price Of silver"
This sort of explanation can never be
effective, for two reasons. The first is
that it goes too far for the average voter
to follow with much interest. The second
and the best is that it wholly fails to ac-
count for the advance in many important
commodities which have nothing to do
with the harvests in Europe or the famine
in India. Has there been a famine in
hides anywhere? Has the leather crop
failed? What bad sweather has made
iron scarce and raised the price of steel?
What is the force that has lifted the mar
ket for wool as far, in proportion to for
mer quotations, as wheat has risen? Why
are lambs much higher than they were
when the Dingley bill was passed? How
about the butter crop? Has that failed
IN India? Is the cheese market feeling
the effects of the harvests in Russia?
Where is the cotton crop a failure? Who
has heard Of lumber famine ?-Cleveland
Leader
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1897-11-05

In other words, we have ante-panicN
values and ante-panic prices. The crop
is worth S2o,OOO,0OO more than it has
been in the best year for five years.-Eew
York Press
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1897-11-05

made since July Ist, add - =.
cation he westward movement has
begun. and that people already here
are buying lands with the intention of
locating permanently. There has
also been an increased demand for
property generally aud sales are be-
coming more frequent.
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1897-11-05
No Hating the Advance

Dun's review, which has been jubilant
in its proclamation of business revival for
several weeks, declares that there is no
hating in the advance; that business
grows better in all ways; that there is a
steady increase in production and work
ing force, and that the power of the peo-
pie to purchase is feature which over
shadows all others. New York reports
show that wheat is not the only commod-
lty that is advancing in price, for over
one hundred staples are higher, and there
is continued heavy demand for manu-
featured goods of all kinds.
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1897-11-05
PROSPERITY IS NOW GENERAL.
Business Improvement Moves Forward by Great
Leaps and Bounds.
The DoIefuI Cries of Calamity HowIers Cannot
Check the Advance Of Good Times.

high prices, and 1t is little wonder they are
making the best of it. The people are max
Ing an earnest effort to get out of debt, ana
when they succeed in doing this the Kansas
farmer will be the most independent person
on earth, because he knows enough to keep
out OF debt when once he gets started IN the
right direction.
Kansas is to-day the most prosperous State
In the Union. There will be 10000 home
steads cleared of mortgages this fall. Think
Of what that means. The mortgages will
average 81 900 each, which means the ex-
penditure Of $40,000,000 1t means also that
this State is becoming Commonwealth Of
homes.
If Breidenthal had said last November
that in less than a year 10000 Kansas
farmers would pay off $40,O00,O00 of
mortgages, under Republican President
and the gold standard, his fellow Popu-
lists of Kansas would have chartered
special train to convey him to an insane
asylum.-Kansas City Journal.
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1897-11-05

Inc farmers are rapidly getting back
the soo,oulOOO which they lost in the
value OF their sheep under free trade.
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1897-11-05
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The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1897-11-05

OrzAx.-ans
your F'rulu
and save SO per cent. The
Choicest Stock in the State.
Send for Price list.
A. L. AABLING, Man gf
1901 End Ave, Seattle.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-03-03
STAYING YOUNG.
rFrom the Chicago Tribune.

Today, thanks to the new light every
where growing brighter, woman can
look a S young as she feels. Modern in
vestigation concerning the physical
care and condition of the body has es-
ia bIished beyond dispute the fact that
good looks depend largely upon exer-
else, the bath, rational diet, dress that
allows freedom of motion, and certain
independence of action not thought of
in other days. Almost every house has
it's bath. Streets are we'll illuminated
at night, even in the country. 1t is now
possible to get about with ease after
dark, to be jolly at home in bright
rooms with friends or congenia1 books
The bicycle, the great leveler of hui
mankind has given to women a sensi-
BILE costume and liberty. On the wheel
they have managed to get over many
things besides the ground.
Exercise has a direct effect upon the
complexion. The paint pot, rouge, hair
dye, and the various cosmetics once so
detrimental to health are now replac-
ed in part at least, by well regulated
outdoor sports. Stoutness or leanness
seems almost matter of choice, since
there are methods of decreasing or in
creasing weight-methods that are feas-
ible and not injurious. Many women
today go in training" when their
weight exceeds certain limit, thus
preserving the normal proportions of
the body. Women nowadays recognize
the fact that it is the physician, the
| dermatologist, who understands all
| about the scalp and hair not the hair
| dresser; and that various conditions OF
| the hands and feet are often of suffi-
| cient gravity to require the skill of the
| orthopaedic surgeon.
| It is an age of readjustment in ideas
| and plans of daily living, and the alert
| woman of experience is decidedly in
| the fOreground-the front and head of
| it all. There is considera bic evidence
| to lead one to believe this has often, if
| not always, been her place. Cleopatra
| was practically woman of 40 at the
| time of her greatest conquest. It is
said she was 81 years old al the time
| of her first meeting with Antony.