The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1898-04-29

SINCE the war scare begun our gov
eminent has secured an auxiliary
fleet of war vessels, numbering sixty
four, including four cruisers of over
10000 tonnage. The fleet carries s.
25O men and 424 guns, so we are rapid
ly making up formidable navy.
ANOTHER Hannacrat heard from.
John Jacob Aston offers his splendid
fast steam Yacht Normahal, and free
transportation for troops and supplies
over all the railroads in which he is
interested. In addition he has raised
and equipped at his own expense a
battery of artillery which he offers the
government under his own command.
OF Spain's population of about 49,
100000 only about one-third can read
and write. So she has some 10000,
OOO who know nothing about the out
side world except through oral instru-
mentality. 1t is little wonder that
the great mass of Spaniards are grossly
ignorant of the decrepit condition OF
their once puissant nation.-Aberdeen
Bulletin.
JOHN SHERMAN, secretary of state,
and Postmaster-general Gary, have
resigned their positions, In view OF add
vanced age, i'll health and the increas-
ing duties devolving upon the cabinet.
Judge Day, who is credited with the
active work Of the state department
has succeeded Sherman, and Chas.
Emory Smith. editor of the Phila-
delphia Press, has been installed head
of the postal division.
The war tax and preparations have
caused the shingles to drop ten cents
a thousand, and the stiffening is out
OF the lumber market, while about
everything in the way of supplies is
rising In price. Ordinarily, wages
should advance with other things. hu,
II the lumber business is sersously ~
fected, that is not likely to follow her,
IL Is to be regretted that SPAN was
not inclined to read the stars and QUIT
Cuba peaceably, because it will cost
us time, money and some men to do
the job; while many lines of business
at home wiz temporarily languish.
and the people will be burdened with
war taxes. The hot headed partizans.
and some republicans as we'll. have
now cooled off sufficiently to see that
President Mckinley knew what he
was doing by making haste slowly.
We may be thankful for fearless and
level headed president and cabinet or
no telling what calamity might have
resulted.
THE advancing price of wheat Is the
occasion of showering congratulations
upon the grain growers, for, except orr
timber, grain growing is the great in
dustry upon which the business in
terests of Washington must depend for
their prosperity. There is a great dea,
Of wheat East of the mountains St;n
unsold and uncontrolled for The
yield last fall exceeded all expectations
and the scarcity in other wbeat-orou
ing countries raised the price Tn
consequence, the farmers saw so mn.b
money ahead they didn't know wbot
TO do with it. They prudentlv sold
enough to meet the existing emeroen.
cles, like paying back taxes. mort
cages and the like, and began stndv,no
the markets. That is sometime tbat
farmers, as a class, do not do Bnt
the leading wheat growers last fall
concluded that wheat was going TO 10
higher this spring and they held on
Failures for the first Quarter 81
1898 are the smallest for that onarter
IN five years" From Dunn,s pa.;o