The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1897-02-05
SHELTON. MASON COUNTY, WASHINGTON, F
Washington Letter.
From our regular Correspondent.

WASHINGTON, d. G. Jan. 3lth, 1896.
If John Bull is really behind tina,
senatorial protest against the Nicara-
qua Canal Bill, made to Secretary
Olney by The Minister of the Greater
Republic of Central America, and sent
to the Senate by Secretary Olney,
John Bull has made break by show
ing his hand too soon. OF course the
protest, by showing that the govern
ment of Nicaragua already regards the
Canal company as having forfeited all
the concessions granted it by that
government, will kill the present Mic
aragua Canal bill, but it will also 20
much further. 1t may kill the arbitra-
tion treaty recently negotiated between
the United States and Great Britain.
1t has been openly charged on the
floor of the Senate that English diplo-
macy was working through the COM
bination of those three little Central
American Republics to put England
in position where it could either
control or have share in controlling
the Nicaragua ship canal. This may
or may not be true, but so long as
there are grounds for suspicion, there
will be danger that the arbitration
treaty will be rejected by the Senate.
If there is one policy upon which the
Senate is practically unit, it is that
the Nicaragua Canal shall, if ever
completed, be controlled by the United
States, and if it be shown that this
question might have to be submitted
to arbitration with the casting vote,
in the hands of European monarch,
then goodbye to the arbitration treaty.
The Senators who have openly pro-
tested against the public clamor for
immediate ratification of the treaty,
on the ground that it was too impor-
tant a matter to be hurriedly acted up
on, regard this Nicaragua canal in
cident as vindication of their posi-
tion. Secretary Olney, however,
doesn't take that view of it, and would
not have been so prompt in sending
that protest to the Senate had he sup
posed that it would cause additional
delay in acting on the treaty.
Some of his colleagues are inclined
to poke fun at Senator PETER because
of the petition from Kansas populists
against increasing the salaries of Sen
ators and Representatives and extend
ing the term of the president, he has
presented since he was defeated, and
an ex-COnfederate elected to be his
successor. There isn't the slightest
probability that the bill to increase
the salaries of Senators and Represen-
tatives will even be seriously consider
ed, but Senator PETER is jocularly ac-
cused of holding back those petitions
until he knew he would have to leave
the Senate.
The refusal to appoint a woman to
a vacant $500 clerkship in the War
department, for which she had passed
a very difficult examination and was
the only one eligible under Civil Ser
vice rules, is likely to be made the sub
ject Of a Congressional investigation.
The examination required that the ap-
plicant should be able to translate into
English military works in French,
German, Italian and Spanish; to do
typewriting in all of these languages;
to do proof-reading and prepare manu-
script for the press, to be familiar with
library methods, cataloguing, index
ing, etc.; also to be tested in the use
of the English language and literary
composition. Miss Maud Stalkner, of
Washington, D. c., was the only one
who was able to pass the examina alton,
but the War Department refuses to
appoint her to the position because
she is woman.
So much has been written about the
lack of dignity on the part of ex-
Representative "Billy" Mason, of ILL.,,
who was last week named by the legis-
lature as Senator Palmer's successor,
that his friends are rightfully begin
ming to protest. Mr.. Mason is popular
ID Washington. He is man of fine
instincts, and it is merely his love for
good story and a hearty laugh
traits of Lincoln-that have caused
him to be called undignifed. One of
the Illinois Representatives gives this
picture of him that will be at once
recognized by all who know him: "He
is one of the readiest gentlemen l ever
knew to do favor for friend. Trouble
doesn't count with Billy Mason when
asked to render service by any one
Who has claim on his goodwill. /
have seen that trait of his nature
exemplifed a hundred times. There
is a big heartedness and sunny dispo-
sition about the man that attracts all