The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1897-08-13
W ashingtOn Letter.
From our regular Correspondent
WASHINGTON, d. G. Aug, 7, 1897.

WASHINGTON, D. G. Aug, 7, 1897.
Secretary Gage is paying especially
close attention to the working of the
| Dingley tariff law, which he thinks
one of the best the country has ever
had and one which will rapidly grow
in popularity as its manifold advan-
tages become generally known. The
actual administration of the tariff la W
is in the hands of Assistant Secretary
Howell, who is an expert in the num-
erous complications which necessarily
arise when change is made in the
tariff, but Secretary Gage is so much
interested that he keeps in close touch
with all tariff matters. Treasury Of
ficials say the new law is unusually
free from the errors and contradictions
which have made so much trouble for
those who have been charged with the
administration of previous tariff laws.
There is one thing about Secretary
Sherman's recent very vigorous in
structions to Ambassador Hay on the
seal fisheries question that cannot be
denied; they brought the government
of Great Britain to time. Up to the
publication of Mr.. Sherman's plain
language Lord Salisbury haG declined
several suggestions from this govern
ment that conference be held on the
subject AS soon as Ambassador
Hays instructions were made public
John Bull suddenly saw new light
and speedily accepted the last PROPOSE
tion made by the United States for an
international conference on pelagic
sealing in Behring sea, and the confer
ence will be held in Washington this
fall. No better proof could be found
that PLAIN talk is sometimes needed
between nations just as much as it is
between individuals.
Mr.. Samuel G. Dunham, mining
expert and statistician, connected with
the U. S. Bureau of Labor, is now on
his way to the Klondyke gold fields
for the purpose of making an official
investigation of the resources and con-
ditions of the gold fields. He expects
to get to Dawson City before cold
weather stops travel and will spend
the winter there. Upon Mr.. Dunham's s
report, which will be made as early
next year as he can ascertain the nee
essary facts, much will depend. If he
finds gold as plentiful as it has been
reported to be there will be the wildes
rush from the United States and Cam
ada in the worlds history. If, on the
contrary, he reports the finds of gold
to have been greatly exaggerated, and
and tells the other side of the story
generally, the Alaskan gold excite
ment will die out as suddenly as it be-
gan.
Every republican should be on
watch for the tariff beats, and he
should have no hesitation in exposing
them wherever found. tits, of course,
expected that the democratic free
traders will duplicate the fight they
made against the Mckinley tariff and
endeavor to make sentiment against
protection by pushing up 1.-The prices
on everything, but there is worse
class of tariff beats. Those traders
who for no other reason than greed at
tempt to raise the prices on goods that
will not be affected to any marked ex-
tent by the tariff. If you have any
such in your vicinity, expose him and
refuse to patronize him, and persuade
your neighbor to follow you in going
to the dealer who is too honest to try
to add to his profits by putting up
prices on everything and charging it
all to the tariff. 1t was just such men
as they who brought about the four
years of hard times from which the
country has now happily emerged.
Watch them, and show them up.
Neither the Republican National
Committee, nor the Congressional
Committee, will have anything to do
with the management of the campaign
in Maryland this year, but both will
render aid in every possible way to the
republicans of that state. The Mary
land republicans are not disposed to
boast, but having licked Boss German
out of his boots last year they express
confidence in their ability to repeat
the whipping this year and to elect a
majority of the legislature which will
elect Germans successor in the Sen
ate.
Owing to the election law which en-
ables the democrats to do as they
please in that state, the Virginia re-
publicans are not hopeful of accom-
nlishinp ANYTHING this year. a1thouph