The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1898-01-07
Washington Letter.
From our regular Correspondent


WASHINGTON, D. C. Jan. 2, 1898
President Mckinley believes that
the existing critical condition OF al
fairs in the far east, owing to the grab
bing of Chinese territory by Germany
and the contemplated grabbing by
other European nations, makes it inn
peratiye that the annexation of Ha-
waii should be speedily consumated,
and he has lost no opportunity since
Congress adjourned for the recess to
impress his view of the matter upon
such Senators as have called on him.
He may send a special message to the
Senate, urging immediate disposition
OF the annexation treaty, but that has
not yet been definitely determined up
on, and will probably depend upon
whether the Senate shows a DISPOSE
ton to speedily bring the treaty to
vote or merely starts in to kill time
in windy discussion of the subject.
The President shares the belief of SEN
atOr Davis, chairman of the Commit
tee on Foreign Relations, that suffi-
cient votes to ratify the treaty can be
obtained In the Senate.
Hon. III. Clay Evans, Commissioner
of Pensions, says on much discussed
subject: "The cry of pension frauds
has become SO common of late that
the people do not regard it seriously.
1t was for the purpose OF proving the
fallacy Of this charge that l recon-
mend9d to Congress, and will urge in
bill, after the holidays, the publiea-
tion of complete list showing each
pensioner, his address, disability and
amount of pension received, which
would do more to stop this idle chatter
than anything this department can
say. The possibilities of disabilities
are great, and everyone knows man
apparently in the best of health, at
tending to his daily duties, may have
disability which entities him to
pension. This is hard for some people
to see. Perhaps, if they had an x
ray apparatus with them, there would
be no difficulty. This list would show
what was the matter with such men
and why they received pensions. But
best of all, it would bring to light the
frauds which do exist, and we all know
there are some. But I say without
fear of contradiction that in no other
business enterprise where so large an
amount of money is disbursed, are
there so few mistakes"
Had Senator Wilson, of the state of
Washington, who is one of the most
accommodating and obliging men in
Congress, known that one of the yell
low journals of New York-The vel
lowest of them all-intend to make
him have a personal encounter with a
member of the House, in the private
Office of Attorney General McKenna,
he might not have left Washington in
advance of the alleged occasion, but as
the yellow fellow didn't inform him,
he went away from Washington before
he was made to engage in that scrap,
and has not yet returned.
There was no surprise in Washing
ton at the verdict of the British Amer
lean Commission, chosen to assess the
damages for seizures of British ships
in Behring sea by the U. S. The total
amount of damages claimed was about
ST. 100000, and during the last ad-
ministration, Secretary Gresham and
agents of Great Britain agreed upon
the sum OF 1926, 900, and Mr.. Cleve-
land asked Congress to appropriate
the money, but Congress refused.
Then commission to settle the mat
ter was provided for. With the official
record of President and Secretary
of State having said that $425,0O0
ought to be paid, there was no posi-
bility of our representatives on the
Commission getting lesser amount
named. The award is 1854 900. Pres
ident Mckinley will forward this find
ing to Congress in order that the
money may be appropriated and paid.
HMy douub for ul,c,,