The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1897-12-31
A Happy New Year,
And Prosperity to All in 1898.

for several years past, committed sui
eide in Aberdeen, Tuesday, by cutting
his throat with a pocket knife. He
was insane fgoma protracted spree.
CHABoVS marsh, in Pacific county,
this year yielded 1900 barrels of good
marketable Gran berries, which brought
about $3.50 per barrel. $50 pickers
were employed and about $4,000 paid
out for wages. The marshes in Mason
County received no attention this
year, but we hope that they will soon
be added to our list OF profitable in
dustries
ANYTHING in the way of steam
craft is in demand now, for Alaskan
use. Fully % steamboats, are being
built for river service, while a dozen
big ocean boats are on the way around
the Horn from the Atlantic coast for
the prospective traffic. A party of
Colorado miners have purchased the
old Clara Brown for that purpose,
consideration $4,000
A PENSION bill consisting of only ten
lines has been introduced into the
house. 1t calls for the repeal of all
existing pension laws and pays to
every honorably discharged soldier
eight dollars per month, and to every
such soldier who has to support him.
self and is incapacitated in any way
from so doing, four dollars month
additional. No provision is made for
widows and orphans, and pension at
tOrneys would be out of Job. 1t
would be perfectly just to severely
prune a lot of the big pensions now
given to officers and others.
In his speech in Montesano, Con-
gresham Lewis denounced the sugar
trust for favoring the annexation of
Hawaii, whereby the trust expected to
take millions out Of the pockets of the
people. 1t seems that instead of ia
voring annexation the trust is opposed
to it, and is accused of attempting TO
manipulate congress to kill the
scheme. Perish the thought that
James Hamilton Lewis, the "servant
OF the people," has been sweetened
with trust "sugar."
THE decision Of the state board of
control to discontinue the rule taking
twenty-five per cent of pensions from
inmates of the state soldiers home is
but an act OF justice, says the Ledger
Ii the state is to afford home to vet
Grams who have no home and are I'M
able to earn a livelihood, it should do
it as a public benefaction, or provide a
paid boarding house. The people of
this state have approved the former,
and the matter of taking a percent
age of the pensions of these disabled
veterans, many of whom have others
partially depending on this money, is
rather beneath the dignity OF great
state in the awarding of meriten be-
nevolence.
ALL those who have come out from
Dawson since the winter began DENY
that there is any likelihood of any
body starving there this winter, but
report that there is food enough to
last if it is Judiciously handled. Thir-
ty miners arrived on the Alki Tues
day and laugh at the absurd state
ments and the representations which
have been made to induce the govern
ment to .squander lot of money to
get provisions to Dawson. Flour, can
dies, coal oil, and some other things
are scarce and high, but those who are
short have been sent away down the
river, or have come down, along with
others who sold their surplus provis-
sons at good profit to spend the win
ter in civilization. New discoveries
are continually being made, and con-
siderable gold is brought down in each
steamer
Mr.. BRyAN's trip to Mexico may
possibly have beneficial effect in
showing him the contrast between a
great country on sound financial basis
and small one on an unsound basis
OF finance. The total stock Of money
in Mexico, which country is now rapt-
urously receiving Mr.. Bryan as the
greatest financier of the age, is, in
round numbers, sos, 100000. The
increase in the amount OF money in
the United States circulation in the
seventeen months since he was nomi-
mated for defeat upon the free-ct,in-
age platform is, IN round numbers,
$211, 100000. It may occur to some
people that country which can with
out effort, increase its circulating
medium $21l 100000 in seventeen
months need scarcely take financial
lessons from = country whose entire
stock OF money is but half that sum.
But Mr.. Bryan is shrewd' man and