The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1898-02-18
Washington Letter.
From our regular Correspondent


WASHINGTON, d. G. Feb. 13, 1898
| Not single Senator who has spoken
against the ratification of the treaty
for the annexation of Hawaii has
presented convincing argument
against annexation; consequently
those Senators who were for time in
doubt have nearly all announced their
intention to vote for annexation, and
the ratification of the treaty is now
assured when vote is taken. Know
ing this, Senator Davis, who as chair
man of the committee on foreign re-
latiOns has charge of the treaty, is pa
tlently waiting until its opponents
have been given an opportunity to
say their say before taking any steps
to force vote. President Dole has
started for home, but he will make
several stops on his way to San Fran
cisco, from which port he expects to
sail on or about the 22nd inst. Every
effort to get him to talk about the
pending annexation treaty, for publi-
cation, failed, owing to his correct
ideas OF propriety. During his stay in
Washington, Mr.. Dole proved himself
to be a gentleman, a scholar, and a
statesman, whom every patriotic
American will be glad to welcome as
a fellow citizen.
The Presidents and members OF the
cabinet are 10th to accept the general
idea that Germany, in shutting out
American fruits, even partially, and in
threatening to shut out American
horses, is acting upon a general plan
of tariff retaliation, but if the official
investigation now being made shall
show that such is the case, action will
be taken that will be sure to cause
deep regret on the part of Germany.
No country on earth is so well fixed to
play the game of commercial retalia-
tion as the United States. Our ana
bassador to Germany has already given
the German government a hint of our
willingness to play the game with any
country that makes the first move
against us, and the indications are
that the hint will be sufficient to con-
vince the Kaiser of the wisdom of
prudence.
The changing of Hon. Ethan Allen
Hitchcock, of Mo-. from u S. minister
to U. S. ambassador to Russia, by
President Mckinley, has no particular
significance, political or otherwise. 1t
was done at the request of Russia, and
was in accordance with the policy
adopted by the U. S. few years ago,
to raise our ministers to the rank of
ambassadors, IN all countries that de-
sired to send ambassadors to the
United States. The presence of an
ambassador at a foreign capital, gives
the U. S. more precedence than can
possibly be gotten by minister, owing
to the strict observance of diplomatic
etiquette in those countries, which en-
ables an ambassador from any little
ten cent country to outrank minister
from the U. S. or any other large and
powerful country, and consequently
to have precedence of him everywhere.
Representative Boutell, of ILL.,, has
the distinguished honor of being the
first member of the present House to
be renominated. His nomination was
by acclamation, too. Pretty good for
man who is serving his first term.
Senator Lindsay's declaration of in
dependence of the silverites OF the
Kentucky legislature, and DENIAL of
their right to ask him to resign, would
have impressed more people than it
did, had he not preceded it by a vote
for the Teller resolution, thus indicat-
ing desire on his part to throw sop
to the silver element of his state. The
man who voted for the Teller resolu-
tion need not expect to be telieved
when he says he is honestly opposed
to the free coinage of silver.