The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1897-10-22
Washington Letter.
From our regular Correspondent

| IRON our regular Correspondent
WASHINGTON, d. G. Oct. II, 1897
Unless his present plans are chang
ed, President Mckinley will go to Ohio
just before the election and remain
there to cast his vote. He doesn't re-
gard his vote as necessary to the sue
cess OF the republican ticket, state and
leglsla tive, but he believes that cast
ing his vote is a patriotic duty that
should never be left undone by anv
man when 1T can possibly be done
Secretary Wilson, who is widely known
as an effective campaigner, because oi
his straightforward appeals to the
common, everyday, horse sense of his
hearers, has gone to Ohio to take the
stump for a few days for the republi-
cans. Secretary Wilson has no
scruples about a member of the Cabi-
net taking the stump for his party
the issue in Ohio has been made to in
volve the policy of the national admin
istration, and lie thinks it all right Tor
members of the administration to take
part in the public discussions.
Events of the last few days in Spain
have convinced even the most sensa-
tionally inclined scribblers that a
great many people have allowed their
lmaglnatlonS to run away with their
Judgment in discussing the attitude
OF President Mckinley towards both
Spain and Cuba. The President has
every reason to feel gratified at the
visible result of his Cuban polcy-the
recall OF Gen. Weyler by the new
Spanish ministry-and 30 expect a
still greater result-peace in Cuba.
A great many Who regarded the
sending of a commission to Europe to
treat with the governments over there
on the feasibilityTf the adoption OF
international bin,, sallism as chimeti-
cal, when it was first proposed by Sen.
ator Wolcot, are now convinced that
the Commission has really been OF
| some service. 1t has, for one thing
| made the government Of Great Britain
for the first time give serious consider
alton to the subject OF information al
bimetallism, instead Of curtly dismis-
sing it, as it had always previously
done. Of course this doesn't make it
certain that Great Britain win eventu-
ally agree to international bimetallism
but it is longer step in that direction
than it seemed possible awhile ago to
make Great Britain take, and the
credit is certainly due to the efforts oil
Senator Wolcott's Commission. Ar
rangements have just been perfected
| for series of conferences between the
Commission and Ambassador Hay
with the British Chancellor of the Ex-
chequer and other officials, for the pur-
pose of fully discussing the matter in
all it's bearings.
Secretary Gage will appeal from the
decision of the Board OF Appraisers,
that the Dingley tariff did not become
operative until the minute that it was
signed by the President, to the Courts,
and the question will be passed upon
by the U. S. Supreme court at an early
day, as there is provision of law un-
der which custom cases are advanced
on the docket of the Supreme Court
Secretary Gage had previously decided
that the tariff law was retroactive,
and his decision will be followed by
collectors of customs until it is re-
| versed by the Courts. If the courts
uphold the decision of the Board OF
Appraisers, the Government will have
| TO rcIuQQ IOOut POOO,OOO ~ III POi eOio :
| whose importations were entered at
| the custom houses on Saturday, July
24th, before the signing of the tariff
act by the President. Secretary Gage
holds that the bill became law on
the day that it was signed by the
President, and that all goods entered
on that day were liable to the new
duties. The bill was signed IN the
afternoon, after the close OF the bust
ness day at the Custom houses, and
the decision of the Board of Apprais-
ers would, if upheld, make all goods
entered that day subject only to the
old duties. Treasury officials are con-
fident that Secretary Cages decision
was right and that it will be upheld
by the Supreme Court.