WASHINGTON. 



been a- disappointment to a large portion of dm 

 pound-net fishermen of Baker's Bay and adjacent 

 localities. The remarkable decline of the sturgeon 

 fisheries on Columbia river is a startling example 

 of the destruction of a great industry. The reports 

 for the season of 1898 show that this branch of the 

 Columbia river fisheries has declined until it is not 

 10 per cent, of what it was in 1892." 



Volunteers. The Governor says in his message : 

 " When called upon by the President for troops in 

 the recent Spanish war, one regiment of infantry 

 was named as the quota of the State of Washing- 

 ton. I immediately communicated by wire with 

 the several captains of the different companies of 

 the Guard throughout the State. Sunday morning, 

 May 1, the full regiment was in camp just outside 

 the city of Tacoma; more men offering than the 

 Government would, at that time, accept. After- 

 ward, under a second call the State was asked to 

 furnish additional men to fill up the regiment to a 

 maximum of 1,326, which was done." 



State Capitol. On this subject Gov. Rogers says 

 in his message : " The State of Washington is and 

 has been since its organization without a suitable 

 building for the various State offices. Offices are 

 rented at an annual rental of over $6,000. Some 

 inconvenience results from crowded quarters and 

 lack of proper appliances. To remedy this, some 

 years ago an architect was employed, a plan adopted, 

 and a foundation prepared for the erection of a 

 Capitol building, estimated to cost about $1.000,000. 

 The Constitution of this State provides in the most 

 explicit terms that the indebtedness of the State 

 shall never exceed the sum of $400,000. There has 

 been donated, however, by the General Government 

 to the State of Washington 182,000 acres of wild 

 land for the purpose expressed of aiding in the con- 

 struction of public buildings. Laws have been 

 passed creating a Capitol Commission and providing 

 for the creation of a Capitol Building fund to arise 

 from the proceeds of the lands when sold. On this 

 imaginary fund, which has never contained a dol- 

 lar, warrants bearing 8 per cent, interest, aggregat- 

 ing $95,374.73, have been issued. These, with ac- 

 crued interest, amount at the present time to about 

 $125,000. For this sum, which is increasing at the 

 rate of about $8,000 annually, the State has the 

 foundation before referred to, for which the con- 

 tractors received less than $48,000. During the 

 legislative session of 1897 a bill was supposed to 

 have passed, although it lacked the constitutional 

 number of votes in the House, appropriating $500,- 

 000 from the aforesaid Capitol Building fund. On 

 $250,000 of this, by the terms of the bill, the State 

 guaranteed interest at the rate of 4 per cent. The 

 bill did not adequately protect the State, did not 

 receive a constitutional majority, and was vetoed." 



Political. The Republican Convention met in 

 Tacoma, Sept. 22. The platform contained the fol- 

 lowing declarations : 



" We indorse the conduct of the Administration 

 of President McKinley relating to the measures 

 and events which led to the war with Spain, the con- 

 duct of the war throughout, and are now in favor of 

 the retention of the conquered territory. 



" We favor the existing gold standard and op- 

 pose the free and unlimited coinage of silver. 



" We indorse the action of the present Republic- 

 an Congress which has re-enacted in law a protective 

 tariff through the Dingley bill and restofed pros- 

 perity to the country. 



" We demand the completion of the Nicaragua 

 Canal as a United States water way, at the earliest 

 practicable time. 



" We favor the construction of the Puget Sound, 

 Gray's Harbor, and Columbia Canal, and the im- 

 provement of the Columbia and Snake rivers, thus 



WEST AFRK A. 



987 



uniting all navigable inland seas and rivers of 

 State with the Pacific Ocean. 



"We are in favor of upbuilding the American 

 merchant marine and the protection of American 

 rights in every quarter of the world with an ade- 

 quate navy. 



"We are in favor of tin- equal taxation of all 

 classes of property upon tin- basis of value, and we 

 therefore oppose the amendment to t ,tion 



proposed by the late fusion Legislature upon the 

 subject of taxation. 



"We urge the restoration of the State normal 

 schools and commend the citizens of this State for 

 their private maintenance of these schools, necewi- 

 tated by the failure of the late Legislature to make 

 proper appropriations. 



" We recommend the establishment of a system 

 of postal savings banks. 



" We glory in the achievements of our army and 

 navy in the prosecution of the war with Spain, and 

 especially in the name of the people of this State 

 thank the volunteers from the State .f Washington 

 for their patriotic action in enlisting in the defense 

 of their country. 



" We demand the repeal of the forestry reserve 

 order to the extent of reopening for settlement 

 every acre of reserved land in this State which is 

 suitable for agricultural, logging, or mining pur- 

 poses; and we pledge our nominees for Conj: 

 when elected, to work to this end. 



" Firmly believing in the principle of equal rights 

 to all and special privileges to none, we recom- 

 mend to the voters of the State a careful considera- 

 tion of the proposed constitutional amendment 

 granting equal suffrage." 



The fusion platform declared for the initiative 

 and referendum : for issue of currency by the ' 

 eminent only ; for free coinage of silver at 16 to 1 ; 

 for liberal exemption from taxation of personal 

 property and improvements on land : against any 

 further issue of Government bonds : for election of 

 United States Senators by the people ; and in favor 

 of the single tax and woman suffrage. 



The officers to be voted for were a justice of the 

 Supreme Court, members of Congress, and mem- 

 bers of the State Legislature. Two Constitutional 

 amendments were submitted, one for the single tax 

 on land and one for woman suffrage. 



In the election the Republicans were successful. 

 Their candidate for justice, T. J. Anders, was elect. -.1 

 by a plurality of 8,023, in a total vto of 74.ir24. 

 The two Republican candidates for Contrives were 

 elected by pluralities of 3,424 and 2,603. The new 

 Legislature has in the Senate 6 Democrats, 15 Re- 

 publicans, and 13 Populists: in the House. 3 Domo- 

 crats, 70 Republicans, 4 Populists, and 1 Independ- 

 ent Both of the constitutional amendments were 

 defeated. Two thirds of those who voted on the 

 single-tax amendment voted against it; on the 

 woman suffrage amendment the adverse majority 

 was a little less. 



KST AFRICA, the west coast of Africa not 

 already occupied by French, British. Portuguese, 

 and Spanish colonies and stations, the independent 

 republic of Liberia, or the Congo Free State, has 

 since 1884. with a great part of the interior, been 

 partitioned between Kngland. F ranee, and Germany. 



Great Britain's possessions comprise tho older 

 colonies of Sierra Leone, Gambia, and Lagos, the 

 Gold Coast, t lie Niger ('oast protectorate, and the 

 Niger territories. 



France possesses the colony of Senegal, French 

 Guinea, the French Soudan, and the Fret 



The German possessions in West Africa ar. 

 land and Cameroons. 



The Portuguese possessions are Capo \ on: 

 tuguese Guinea, Prince's and St. Thomas islands. 



